Rajasthan News Desk !!! Ravindra Kaushik was one such spy of India, whose name hardly anyone would be aware of. Born in a Punjabi family in Sriganganagar, Rajasthan in 1952, Kaushik never thought that he would be called the greatest spy in the history of India. He was fond of theatre since his adolescence. Once during theatre, a RAW officer noticed him.
After this, his life took a different turn. But what was the need to tell the story of this spy of India at this time. At this time, the love of Seema Haider and Sachin who came from Pakistan is being discussed in the country. But Seema’s story is taking new turns day by day. Speculations are being made whether there is a spy planted by the Pakistani Army and ISI on the border? Let us know about India’s most dangerous spy who reached the rank of Major in the Pakistani Army…
Ravindra Kaushik (11 April 1952 – November 2001) was an Indian Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) agent.(2)(3)(4) He is considered to be one of India’s best spies. He served as a Major in the Pakistani Army.(5) Ravindra is also known as ‘Black Tiger’. Ravindra Kaushik was born on 11 April 1952 in Sri Ganganagar district of Rajasthan state. He was a famous theatre artist and had displayed his talent at a national level drama meet in Lucknow, which was also seen by some officers of the Indian intelligence agency RAW. At this time he was approached and offered the job of an intelligence agent for India in Pakistan. At the age of 23,(2) he was sent on a mission to Pakistan.(
Ravindra Kaushik was recruited by RAW and given intensive training in Delhi for two years. He was given religious education of Islam and introduced to Pakistan, its topography and other details. Urdu was taught. Being Mr. Ganganagar, he was well versed in the Punjabi language spoken in large parts of Pakistan. He was deported to Pakistan in 1975 and was given the name Nabi Ahmad Shakir. Later he joined the Pakistan Army and became a commissioned officer and was later promoted to the rank of Major. He was married to a local girl Amanat and was the father of a son.
From 1979 to 1983 he provided valuable information to RAW which was very helpful to the Indian defense forces. He was given the title of ‘Black Tiger’ by the then Home Minister of India SB Chavan. According to some sources, this title was given by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. He spent 26 years of his life away from his home and family in extremely adverse conditions in Pakistan. By using the secret information provided by Ravindra Kaushik India was always one step ahead of Pakistan and on many occasions Pakistan wanted to wage war across the borders of India but it was not done by using the advance top secret information provided timely by Ravindra Kaushik
In September 1983, Indian intelligence agencies sent an agent Inayat Masiha to contact the Black Tigers. But that agent was caught by Pakistan’s intelligence agencies and Ravinder Kaushik’s real identity was revealed. Kaushik was tortured for two years at an interrogation center in Sialkot. He was sentenced to death in 1985. Later it was commuted to life imprisonment by the Supreme Court of Pakistan. He was kept in various jails including Sialkot, Kot Lakhpat and Mianwali jail for 16 years. During this time Kaushik developed asthma and TB. Secretly he managed to send a letter to his family in India. In this he wrote about his poor health and the torture he faced in Pakistani jails. But these were not discovered by the Indian government or RAW.
In one of his letters he asked,
“Is this the reward for sacrificing for a great country like India?”
He died of lung, tuberculosis and heart disease in Central Jail Multan in November 2001. He was buried behind the jail.
Ravindra’s family told that the title line of the famous Bollywood film ‘Ek Tha Tiger’ released in 2012 was based on Ravindra’s life.
