Here’s how NSA Ajit Kumar Doval is known as the ‘James Bond of India’

Ajit Kumar Doval, a 1968 batch Kerala cadre IPS officer, is the fifth and current National Security Advisor (NSA) to the Indian Prime Minister of India.

Behind India’s ‘aggressive defense’ in response to Pakistan’s terror attack, Ajit Kumar Doval, a 1968 batch Kerala cadre IPS officer, is the fifth and current National Security Advisor (NSA) to the Indian Prime Minister of India. Ajit Doval is popularly known as the ‘James Bond of India’. Ajit Doval is a retired Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of Kerala cadre and a former Indian intelligence and law enforcement officer.

Ajit Doval had an active role in preventing terrorism and extremism in various states of India like Punjab and Mizoram. He has been a part of negotiations in over 15 hijackings of Indian Airlines over a span of 28 years.

In his outstanding service so far, he has many stellar achievements and records to his credit. As he is 77 old, here are some interesting facts about Ajit Doval that you must know.

Born in Pauri Garhwal

Ajit Kumar Doval was born on 20 January 1945 in a Garhwali family in Giri Banelsun village of Pauri Garhwal. His father Major Gunanand Doval was an officer in the Indian Army.

Awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Science

Ajit Doval did his schooling from King George’s Royal Indian Military School (now known as Ajmer Military School) in Ajmer, Rajasthan. He obtained his master’s degree in economics from Agra University in 1967. In December 2017, Doval was awarded an honorary doctorate in science from Agra University.

‘Indian James Bond’

In 1968, Ajit Doval joined the Indian Police Service and was actively involved in anti-insurgency operations in Punjab and Mizoram.

According to police records, the IPS officer, who is believed to be the ‘Indian James Bond’, served in Thalassery for a brief period from 2 January 1972 to 9 June 1972.

According to experienced police sources, a young officer with only three years’ experience, Doval, who was then the ASP in Kottayam, was assigned the task by the then Home Minister K Karunakaran.

Although the Thalassery riots, in which the RSS was accused of targeting Muslims and their mosques, and the CPM came to the rescue of the Muslim community, lasted only a few days after it began on 28 December 1971, Karunakaran sought to avoid it. Moving forward, after which the young IPS officer was entrusted with this task.

However, he worked for five months in Thalassery and later joined the Central Service, which started his career as the ‘Indian James Bond’.

Key role in Kandahar kidnapping

Ajit Doval played a key role as one of the three interlocutors in the release of passengers from the hijacked Indian aircraft IC-814 in Kandahar in 1999.

Undercover Operative in Pakistan

Retired as Director Intelligence Bureau in January 2005, Ajit Doval lived in Lahore, Pakistan, disguised as a Muslim, for seven years. During his years in the country, he befriended the locals who visited mosques and lived among the predominantly Muslim population. Recognized as the master of psychological wellness, Ajit Doval also spied on Pakistan’s intelligence agency, ISI, as a part of his job.

Operation Blue Star

‘Operation Blue Star’ which was carried out in 1984 to suppress the Khalistani insurgency is another example where Doval demonstrated his excellence by gathering intelligence critical for the operation.

Fifth National Security Advisor

After his retirement, Doval was appointed as the fifth National Security Advisor of India on May 30, 2014. In July 2014, he ensured the safe return of 46 Indian nurses stuck in a hospital in Tikrit, Iraq.

The Brain Behind Pakistan Air Strike

He is popularly known for his principled change in Indian national security policy with respect to Pakistan. Indian national security policy changed from defensive to defensive offensive to double squeeze strategy. According to reports, the Indian attacks in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in 2016 were his brainchild.

Youngest Police Officer

Ajit Doval was the youngest police officer to receive the Police Medal for his meritorious service. He received this award after completing his 6 years of service in the police.

First Police Officer to get Kirti Chakra

In 1998, he was awarded the highest gallantry award- Kirti Chakra. He was the first police officer to receive this award, which was earlier given as a military honour.

Today, India’s defense policy is more polished, sharp and powerful because of Ajit Doval’s strategic vision and all these facts make him truly a great strategist as well as a qualified person to be the National Security Advisor of the nation.