R.N. Kao

The riveting story of a spymaster…history doesn't come more riveting than this.

The Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), India's foreign intelligence organisation, is one of the most respected institutions in the world of espionage and foreign intelligence today. It has played a vital role in almost all of the landmark events in India's recent history—from the 1971 war to the merger of Sikkim, from discovering Pakistan's nuclear programme to the recent Balakot operation. Yet, as befits its role, very little is known about the organisation.

Equally little is known about its founder, Rameshwar Nath Kao or RNK. An intensely private man, RNK was the classical spymaster who operated in the shadows but built enduring institutions. A ruthless professional who believed in putting national interest above his personal preferences, RNK was also the creator of the secretive Aviation Research Centre, India's premier technical intelligence agency. His finest hour was the role played by R&AW in the creation of Bangladesh.