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Ajit Kumar Doval was born on January 20, 1945, and currently serves as India’s National Security Advisor (NSA) to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He has a background in the Indian Police Service (IPS) and was the chief of the Intelligence Bureau (IB).
Before becoming IB’s director in 2004–05, he spent ten years leading its operations. He also worked as an undercover spy for IB in Pakistan for a year and later served as an officer in the Indian High Commission in Islamabad for six years. Much of his career has been dedicated to working as a spy for IB.
His notable achievements as a spy and intelligence chief include Operation Black Thunder in 1988, the rescue of 46 Indian nationals in Iraq, operations against Nagaland militants in 2015 with the Indian army, and efforts to counter the terror organization PFI, among others. Before taking on the role of NSA, he founded the Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF), a think tank with a right-leaning perspective, in December 2009.
Ajit Doval Biography
Ajit Kumar Doval, born on January 20, 1945, is a distinguished Indian IPS officer who served as the Director of the Intelligence Bureau and currently holds the position of National Security Advisor to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Throughout his career, he played pivotal roles in various intelligence operations and security matters, making significant contributions to India’s national security.
| Ajit Doval Biography | |
| Birth | January 20, 1945 |
| Ajit Doval Age | 77 years |
| Profession | 5th National Security Advisor of India |
| Salary | US$2,400 |
| Wife | Anu Doval |
| Children | Shaurya Doval (son) |
| Vivek Doval (son) | |
| Height | 1.63 m |
| Weight | 70 kg |
Ajit Doval: Early Life & Education
Ajit Kumar Doval was born on January 20, 1945, in Ghiri Banelsyun village in Pauri Garhwal. Ajit Doval Father, Major G. N. Doval, was in the Indian Army. Ajit Doval Education was from King George’s Royal Indian Military School (now called Ajmer Military School) in Ajmer, Rajasthan. He finished his studies in 1967 at Agra University, earning a Master’s degree in Economics.
In December 2017, Agra University honored him with a science doctorate. In May 2018, Kumaun University gave him a literature doctorate, and in November 2018, Amity University awarded him a philosophy doctorate.
Ajit Doval: IPS Career
- In 1968, Ajit Doval joined the Indian Police Service and took part in efforts to deal with rebellions in Punjab and Mizoram. He gained the nickname ‘Indian James Bond.’
- Between January 2 and January 9 in 1972, Doval was sent to Thalassery by the then Home Minister K Karunakaran to restore peace and order after a riot erupted on December 28, 1971, in which the RSS was accused of targeting Muslims and mosques.
- In 1999, Ajit Doval was one of the three negotiators who helped secure the release of hostages from IC-814 in Kandahar. From 1971 to 1999, he played a key role in ending 15 hijackings of Indian Airlines planes.
- Ajit Doval led the Intelligence Bureau’s operations division for over ten years. He was also the founding Chairman of the MAC (Multi-Agency Circle) and JTFI (Joint Task Force on Intelligence).
Ajit Doval: Intelligence Career
In 1988, during Operation Black Thunder, Ajit Doval entered the Golden Temple by pretending to be an ISI agent. He gathered secret information about Khalistani separatists, including details about their weapons and positions. Doval became an important member of their group and gave them misleading advice to disrupt their plans. This assistance was crucial in helping the National Security Guards (NSG) successfully resolve the situation at the Golden Temple.
Ajit Doval also played a significant role in gathering intelligence for the integration of Sikkim into India. He received training in counterterrorism operations under M. K. Narayanan, who was the third National Security Advisor of India. Doval was part of the team sent to Kandahar, Afghanistan, to negotiate the release of passengers from the hijacked IC-814 aircraft.
Later, he was appointed as the director of the Intelligence Bureau. Ajit Doval’s ‘offensive defense strategy’ played a key role in the alleged 2016 Surgical Strike on Pakistan. While Pakistan denied India’s claim, asserting that Indian troops didn’t cross the Line of Control and only had minor clashes with Pakistani troops at the border.
Doval was among the seven individuals who had knowledge of India’s classified 2019 Balakot airstrike. This included the heads of the Indian Navy, Army, and Air Force, as well as Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Following a terrorist attack in Pulwama where 40 CRPF personnel were martyred, the Indian Air Force claimed to have conducted an airstrike on terrorist bases in Pakistan.
Doval stayed awake the entire night in the war room with other dignitaries during this operation. However, later analysis from open-source satellite imagery revealed that the missiles did not hit their intended targets but landed in nearby woods instead. The following day, Pakistan shot down an Indian warplane and captured its pilot. Additionally, an Indian Mi-17 helicopter was accidentally brought down by friendly fire, resulting in the loss of all six airmen on board. India acknowledged this incident on October 4, 2019.
Ajit Doval: Post Retirement (2005 – 2014)
Doval retired from his role as Director of the Intelligence Bureau in January 2005. Later, in December 2009, he became the first Director of the Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF), a think tank focused on public policies. He has actively participated in discussions about India’s national security.
Apart from writing articles for newspapers and journals, he has given talks about India’s security challenges and foreign policy goals at various government and non-government organizations, as well as security think tanks in India and abroad.
In 2009 and 2011, he collaborated on two reports about “Indian Black Money Abroad in Secret Banks and Tax Havens” as part of a task force for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
In 2012, there were suspicions from the Congress party about Doval and VIF’s involvement in the anti-corruption movements led by Ramdev and Anna Hazare. This led to attention from the Intelligence Bureau (IB). Many VIF members later held important government positions when the BJP came into power.
Recently, he has given talks on strategic topics at various places like IISS in London, Capitol Hill in Washington DC, Australia-India Institute at the University of Melbourne, National Defence College in New Delhi, and the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration in Mussoorie. He has also emphasized the importance of cooperation among major established and emerging world powers in international events.
Ajit Doval: NSA Career (2014 – Present)
On May 30, 2014, Ajit Doval became India’s fifth National Security Advisor. In June 2014, he helped bring back 46 Indian nurses who were stuck in a hospital in Tikrit, Iraq, after the capture of Mosul by ISIL. He flew to Iraq on June 25, 2014, to assess the situation and talk to the Iraqi government. On July 5, 2014, ISIL handed over the nurses to Kurdish authorities, and they were brought back to India by an Air India plane.
NSA Ajit Doval, along with Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag, planned a military operation against separatists from the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-K) in Myanmar. Indian officials said the mission was a success, but Myanmar denied the strikes, saying they happened on the Indian side of the border.
Doval is known for changing India’s national security policy regarding Pakistan. He is credited with the 2016 Indian strikes in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir and played a key role in resolving the Doklam Standoff through diplomacy.
In October 2018, he became the Chairman of the Strategic Policy Group (SPG) within the National Security Council, a significant position. After the 2019 Balakot airstrike and the capture of an Indian pilot by Pakistan, Doval held talks with US officials to secure the pilot’s release.
On June 3, 2019, he was reappointed as NSA for five years with the rank of a Cabinet Minister, making him the first NSA to hold this rank. He is a trusted advisor to Prime Minister Modi on national security and foreign affairs. He also played a crucial role in revoking the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.
On February 26, 2020, Doval walked through riot-hit northeast Delhi to assess the situation and reassure the local residents. In May 2020, he negotiated the handover of 22 militant leaders from Myanmar to India, who were active in Assam and other northeastern states.
On September 15, 2020, NSA Ajit Doval left a virtual meeting of the SCO after Pakistan showed a map that excluded parts of India. Ajit Doval in Pakistan visit marked a significant diplomatic engagement between the two nations
Ajit Doval: Awards & Recognition
- He received honorary doctorate degrees from Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar University (formerly Agra University) in December 2017, Kumaun University in May 2018, and Amity University in November 2018.
- Doval achieved the Police Medal for meritorious service at a young age, just six years into his police career.
- He also received the President’s Police Medal.
- In 1988, he was honored with the Kirti Chakra, one of the highest gallantry awards, making him the first police officer to receive this medal, which was previously reserved for the military.
FAQs on Ajit Doval Biography
Who is Ajit Doval?
Ajit Kumar Doval, born on January 20, 1945, serves as India's National Security Advisor (NSA) to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Prior to this role, he led the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and was a police officer in the Indian Police Service (IPS), hailing from the Kerala cadre.
Is Bell Bottom based on Ajit Doval?
The creators of the movie 'Bell Bottom' haven't stated for sure if the story is about Ajit Doval or someone real. But there are a few things in the movie that make us think Akshay Kumar's character could be like Doval or other R&AW agents from back then.
Is Ajit Doval an IAS officer?
No, Ajit Doval is IPS Officer from Kerala Cadre.
Is Ajit Doval married?
Yes, Ajit Doval has a wife named Anu Doval. They like to keep their marriage private and don't share a lot about it with the public. Ajit Doval is an important person in Indian intelligence and serves as the National Security Advisor of India. He prefers to keep his personal life, including his marriage to Anu Doval, away from the public eye.
