A 1974-batch IPS officer, Khoda, who turned 60 today, retires on May 31 after a tenure of four years and 10 months as Director General of Police(DGP) in the crucial state.
Peer Ghulam Hassan, who held the post of Inspector General and later as Director General during October 1979 to January 1985, was the previous IPS officer to have a longest ever tenure of four years and three months as DGP.
Khoda took over the reins of the the state police on July 18, 2007 during the PDP-Congress coalition rule and was mainly instrumental in leading the police force in cooling the tempers of people running high during the agitation over leasing of land for the Amarnath Shrine board.
Khoda is credited with launching several anti-militancy measures like appointment of Village Defence Committee (VDC) members and Special Police Officers.
These new forces, which worked in assisting the state police and other security agencies, played a pivotal role in breaking the back of the militancy in the state.
The police chief recently received the PM Award for Excellence in Public Administration from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for the successful conduct of Panchayat elections in the state.
A recipient of Police Medal in 1993 and President's Police Medal for Meritorious Services in 1999, Khoda led the police force at a time when several agitations rocked the state in 2008-10.
Khoda has served in various capacities and he took charge as Deputy Inspector General in 1990 and later as Inspector General of Police in 1996.
After this, he held the post of Additional Director General of Police (CID) from 2001 before he was promoted and made the police chief of the state succeeding Gopal Sharma.
