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He received the President's Police Medal and a Gallantry Award for protecting civilians during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.[2] He was involved in multiple investigations, including those into the assassinations of Rajiv Gandhi and Lalit Maken, as well as cases related to narcotics and child abuse.[3]
Activism
In 1988, Kanth founded Prayas, an organization established to address the welfare, education, and protection of children, youth, women[1] and other vulnerable groups. Prayas JAC Society was established to support the welfare and rehabilitation of children in need of care and protection, as well as juveniles in conflict with the law. The organization has since expanded its work to include child development and socio-economic support programs for marginalized communities in various regions. It also supports women through self-help groups, income-generation initiatives, and entrepreneurship training. As of 2025, Prayas operated approximately 315 centers and units, including 38 homes and shelters for children, homeless people, and vulnerable adults across 13 states and union territories, serving an estimated 50,000 people.[citation needed]
As team leader[4] of the National Study on Child Abuse (the Indian chapter of the UN study on Global Violence against Children), sponsored by the Government of India, UNICEF, and Save the Children UK, he was involved in research initiatives that informed national policy and program development.
From 2007 to 2011, he was the chairman of the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR).[5][6][7] Under his leadership, DCPCR appealed against the decriminalization of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code.[8] In its arguments, attorney Amit Anand Tiwari, representing DCPCR, stated: "We studied various materials from medical journals and found studies that show that children of LGBT parents were more prone to social stigmatisation. In decriminalising homosexuality, the High Court did not provide any protection as far as adoption laws were concerned – whether gay and lesbian couples can adopt children, and whether they have the right to adopt. These issues were not addressed by the High Court order". Kanth added: "Under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and under Indian laws, every child has a right to a family. And family is clearly defined as mother and father. Therefore, the High Court order was a direct denial of the child's right to a family and right to parenthood". The Commission's final submissions to the Supreme Court did not mention the issue of child rights protection.[8]
He has contributed to policy discussions of the Indian Government and participated in youth-related initiatives of the UN, UNICEF, and the US government, as well as child and youth programs in India, Nepal, and Bangladesh.[9]
Writing
Kanth published two books based on his police diaries: Khaki in Dust Storm and Khaki on Broken Wings. The first volume recounts investigations conducted during periods of political violence and security challenges, including the assassinations of Indira and Rajiv Gandhi and the Delhi riots. The second volume details his accounts of high-profile criminal investigations and examines the criminal justice system. [10]
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