HYDERABAD: IPS officer RS Praveen Kumar is all set to hang his boots, albeit temporarily.
In a rare honour, not only for him but for the entire IPS cadre of Andhra Pradesh, Praveen Kumar has been selected for mid-career Master of Public Administration under the prestigious Edward S Mason programme in the John Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, USA.
Praveen Kumar, presently working as joint commissioner of police, Special Branch, is among few police officers from the country who has been selected for this prestigious programme and received the offer letter recently.
Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy congratulated the officer on his achievement.
Praveen Kumar, a 1995 batch IPS officer, had applied for the programme in September last. Director general of police K Aravinda Rao forwarded his request to the chief secretary SV Prasad and the go-ahead was given.
The one-year programme which commences in June costs over $60,000 dollars (as tuition fee) and Praveen Kumar got the prestigious John Kenneth Galbraith fellowship besides the Edward S Mason fellowship under which he will be sponsored while Government of India will bear a partial amount.
Senior cabinet ministers, senior military officers, bureaucrats from 40 emerging economies of the world among others will be Praveen Kumar's classmates at Harvard.
An old but most prestigious programme, where hardly 100 persons are selected, the Edward S Mason programme is meant for experienced professionals, those involved in high-level decision making with strong commitment to public service.
When contacted, Praveen Kumar said it was indeed a honour to be selected for the prestigious programme.
"I thank the chief minister and DGP for allowing me to take up the programme," Praveen Kumar said. He will be leaving for USA shortly.