Ajit Doval

Ajit Doval, born on January twentieth, nineteen forty-five, in Pauri Garhwal, Uttarakhand, is a distinguished Indian bureaucrat and spymaster. He has been serving as the National Security Advisor (NSA) of India since two thousand fourteen, making him the longest-tenured individual in this critical role. Doval is currently in his third consecutive five-year term, having been elevated to Cabinet rank during his second tenure.

His illustrious career spans over thirty-three years as a career intelligence officer, during which he held the position of Director of the Intelligence Bureau from two thousand four to two thousand five. Doval's expertise in counter-terrorism and covert operations has earned him recognition, particularly for his involvement in high-stakes negotiations during hijackings and his leadership in various military operations, including Operation Hot Pursuit and the Balakot airstrike.

Doval's educational background includes studies at Ajmer Military School, Agra University, and the National Defence College. After successfully clearing the Union Public Service Commission examination in nineteen sixty-eight, he joined the Indian Police Service as a Kerala cadre officer. His field assignments have taken him across regions such as Mizoram, Sikkim, Punjab, and Jammu and Kashmir, and he has also served in diplomatic roles at the Indian High Commission in Islamabad and London.

In recognition of his bravery, Doval was awarded the Kirti Chakra gallantry award in nineteen eighty-nine, becoming the first police officer to receive this prestigious peacetime military honor. Following his retirement as chief of the Intelligence Bureau in January two thousand five, he continued to contribute to national security through lectures, interviews, and op-eds. He played a pivotal role in establishing the Rashtriya Raksha University in two thousand eight and served as the founder director of the Vivekananda International Foundation until his appointment as NSA.