Nitin Gadkari, Nitin Nabin, Smriti Irani and the leaders of the security industry look back on a life that moved from reporting to enterprise to public service.
Ravindra Kishore Sinha, known across the country as RK Sinha, passed away at his residence in Noida on Friday, October 30, at the age of 75. He was the founder and chairman of SIS Group, a founding member of the Bharatiya Janata Party and a former Rajya Sabha member from Bihar. His mortal remains were taken from Delhi to Patna, where leaders and citizens gathered at Annapurna Bhawan in the Patliputra area for the final rites at Digha Ghat on Saturday.
Few lives cross as many worlds as his did. He was a reporter, an entrepreneur, a parliamentarian and a social worker, and in each he left a mark that others now struggle to measure. For the private security industry, the loss goes deeper than a founder’s. It is the loss of the man who persuaded a country that guarding its offices, factories and homes was work worthy of respect.
The War That Changed His Direction
Born in Bihar and educated in Patna, Sinha began as a journalist with a Hindi newspaper, specialising in crime and politics. A graduate in Political Science and Law, he earned high commendation as a war correspondent during the 1971 Indo-Pak war. In the same years he wrote “Jan Andolan,” widely regarded as the first authentic research book on the student movement led by Jayaprakash Narayan between 1970 and 1975.
The war gave him more than a byline. He saw ex-servicemen retire with discipline, courage and few places to put them to use. In 1974 he founded Security & Intelligence Services (India) Limited in Patna, working from a small rented office with a team of two. As a first-generation entrepreneur he had no inheritance to lean on and recruited many ex-servicemen to build the business.
SIS grew into a security, facilities management and human resource services group with operations across India and in markets including Australia. It is now counted among the leading players in Asia Pacific, with thousands of corporate clients, and among the country’s largest private employers. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), in its condolence message, singled out what it considered his defining contribution: “His contribution to giving a new identity to the private security services industry, service to the nation, social work and the media world will be remembered.”
The Man the Fraternity Called “RK”
Within the industry, Sinha was known simply as “RK.” He represented the sector before government bodies on legislation and regulation, and the roles he held included Chapter Chairman of ASIS for the India Sub-Continent, President of the National Institute of Security Professional of India and Chairman of the Security Council of India. He was a Founder Member of CAPSI and later Chairman of its Board of Directors. In 2006, the Security Association of Singapore honoured him with its Loss Prevention Promoter Award.
Recalling his role in the sector, Kunwar Singh, Chairman, CAPSI said, “I shall particularly remember his deep understanding of the challenges faced by our industry and his firm belief that private security personnel deserved professional recognition, dignity and respect. He understood that behind every security organisation stood thousands of men and women whose livelihoods, aspirations and families depended upon the growth and credibility of this profession.”
Singh described RK Sinha as a respected elder whose counsel carried the weight of a lifetime devoted to building institutions.
How the People Around Him Saw Him
Those who built SIS beside him describe a leader whose strength was reading people. Reflecting on Mr Sinha’s leadership, Dhiraj Singh, CEO, SIS Group, said, “I had met him first about two decades ago. It was in Agra during a conference. He spent about half an hour with me, and we hardly spoke much. But I could sense he was sharply observing me. It was his sense of ‘judging people’ that allowed him to build such a great team.”
Speaking of the values that defined him, he added, “I have stated early about his three Cs; his Clarity in mind and thoughts; his Camaraderie with people; his impeccable Communication. I too have learnt more about these three Cs from him. In fact, one of the most coveted three compliments I treasure from Rituraj Sinha, is when he had said ‘you are a lot like my father’.”
On his outlook, Singh said, “Mr RK Sinha was always interested in growth – of business and of his people. His eyes sparkled when we discussed new ideas, new thoughts, new initiatives.” Describing his vision, he said, “such was his grandeur of vision – think big, think long term.”
Others remember the man behind the empire. Harsh Wardhan, author & industry expert, said, “I feel fortunate to have met him on several occasions and experienced his genuine warmth, kindness, and humility. A visionary leader who built an extraordinary business empire, he was also a wonderful human being who touched many lives through his simplicity and caring nature. He will be remembered with great respect and affection.”
A Founding Member’s Place in the Party
Sinha was inclined towards the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh from his student days. According to his official website, he was inducted into the Jan Sangh in 1966 by Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya himself. He went on to become a founding member of the BJP and served on its national executive committee. He held organisational positions at both the state and central levels, and chaired the Bihar Election Campaign Committee, which delivered a landmark result in the state’s Vidhan Sabha and Lok Sabha elections. The BJP sent him to the Rajya Sabha in 2014, and he served until 2020 on bodies that included the Standing Committees on Home Affairs and External Affairs.
The party’s tributes make clear how that long service is remembered. BJP president Nitin Nabin said, “His contribution to the expansion of the organisation since the founding days of the BJP will always be remembered. Along with giving SIS global recognition from Patna, he also played an important role in job creation in the security sector.”
Nabin described Sinha as a guiding figure for the Chitransh community who always stood by people in their moments of happiness and grief. “For me too, he was like a guardian, and his demise is a personal loss,” he said. He added that Sinha’s simplicity, dedication to the organisation and society, and affection for party workers would always be remembered.
“Road to Success”
Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said, “The news of the demise of RK Sinha ji, senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party and former Rajya Sabha MP, is extremely heartbreaking.” Gadkari spoke of a personal bond. “I shared a close bond with him. His journey as an entrepreneur, from zero to success in his industry, is remarkable. As a successful entrepreneur and a personality dedicated to ideology, he will always remain a source of inspiration for all party workers,” he said.
BJP national general secretary Smriti Irani called his death extremely heartbreaking and said his work in journalism, social service, industry and politics would always be remembered. She recalled his dedication to the organisation and his efforts to rehabilitate ex-servicemen and generate employment for them. BJP national general secretary Harish Dwivedi said, “His demise has left our hearts deeply anguished and sorrowful.” Senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad prayed for peace for the departed soul and strength for the bereaved family.
In Bihar, Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary called the news heartbreaking and said Sinha’s contributions to journalism, social service and organisational work would always be remembered. Assembly Speaker Dr Prem Kumar said Sinha had devoted his entire life to national service, the growth of the organisation and the welfare of society, and that his dedication and ideological commitment would inspire future generations. The Janata Dal (United) and the Bihar BJP also offered condolences.
At Annapurna Bhawan, the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary paid their respects. Former Chief Minister Rabri Devi came to bid farewell, as did state ministers Dilip Jaiswal and Mithilesh Tiwari and MP Ravi Shankar Prasad. The Chief Minister met Rituraj Sinha and consoled the family.
The Work That Had No Balance Sheet
Sinha’s public life extended far beyond politics and business. Earlier, from 1999 to 2004, he served as Advisor to the Ministry of Human Resource Development. Through SIS and the charitable organisations he led in Bihar and Jharkhand, more than two lakh young people were trained and over one lakh people from underprivileged sections were given permanent employment, according to his official website. Over four decades he also supported dowry-free community marriages, temple construction, public libraries, a free ambulance service, and flood and disaster relief in Bihar.
The Torch Stays Lit
The institution he built continues under the family he raised. His son Rituraj Kishore Sinha is Group Managing Director of SIS and a senior BJP leader at the national level who has served as the party’s National Secretary. Rituraj joined the group in 2002 after a brief stint in banking in the UK. According to the company’s profile, he closed the first private equity investment in the Indian security sector in 2007 and led SIS’s listing on the stock exchanges in 2017. He also engages with the government on matters concerning the private security industry and its workforce, the cause his father championed.
When Dhiraj Singh last met Sinha, about a fortnight ago, he told him two things: that the business was doing well, and that the group continues to take better care of its people. The security fraternity is certain that Sinha’s legacy is in the right hands.
Kunwar Singh offered the tribute that best suits him: “the most meaningful tribute we can offer him is to carry forward the ideals of professionalism, unity, dignity and national service to which he contributed so much.”
