Ajit Doval

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Ajit Dobhal
KC
Ajit Doval.png
Doval in 2017
5th National Security Advisor of India
Assumed office
30 May 2014
Prime MinisterNarendra Modi
DeputyDattatray Padsalgikar
Pankaj Saran
Rajinder Khanna
Vinod G. Khandare[1]
Preceded byShivshankar Menon
Director of the Intelligence Bureau
In office
31 July 2004 – 31 January 2005
Prime MinisterManmohan Singh
Preceded byK. P. Singh
Succeeded byE. S. L. Narasimhan
Personal details
Born (1945-01-20) 20 January 1945 (age 76)
Ghiri Banelsyun, Pauri Garhwal, United Provinces, British India (now in Uttarakhand, India)
Spouse(s)Aruni Doval (m.1972)
ChildrenVivek, Shaurya
ResidenceNew Delhi, India
Alma materAgra University (MA)
National Defence College (MPhil)
ProfessionCentral Civil Servant (IPS)
AwardsKirti Chakra ribbon.svg Kirti Chakra
IND Police Medal for Meritorious Service.png Police Medal
IND President's Police Medal for Distinguished Service.png President's Police Medal

Ajit Kumar Dobhal KC (born 20 January 1945) is a central civil servant of the IPS cadre and the fifth and current NSA National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister of India, with the precedence equivalent to Cabinet Minister.[2][3] He previously served as the Director of the Intelligence Bureau in 2004–05, after spending a decade as the head of its operation wing.[citation needed] He is a retired member of the Indian Police Service.[citation needed]

Early life and education[]

Doval was born in 1945 in Ghiri Banelsyun village in Pauri Garhwal in the erstwhile United Provinces, now in Uttarakhand. Doval's father, Major G. N. Doval, was an officer in the Indian Army.[4][5][6]

He received his early education at the Ajmer Military School in Ajmer, Rajasthan.[citation needed] He graduated with a master's degree in economics from the Agra University in 1967.[6] He has been awarded an honorary doctorate from Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar University (formerly Agra University) in December 2017; Kumaun University in May 2018;[7][8] and Amity University, in November 2018.[9][10]

Police and intelligence career[]

Doval joined the Indian Police Service in 1968 in the Kerala cadre as the ASP of Kottayam district.[11][12] He was posted in northeast India for seven years each.[13] He was actively involved in anti-insurgency operations in Punjab.[citation needed]

Doval worked in Thalassery, Kerala, for a few months in 1972, before joining the central service.[14] He was one of three negotiators in the release of passengers from IC-814 in Kandahar in 1999.[15] He has the experience of being involved in the termination of all 15 hijackings of Indian Airlines aircraft from 1971 to 1999.[16] In the headquarters, he headed IB's operations wing for over a decade and was founder Chairman of the Multi Agency Centre (MAC), as well as of the Joint Task Force on Intelligence (JTFI).[17]

Ajit Doval played a role in intelligence for Sikkim's merger with India.[18][19] He was trained under M. K. Narayanan, the third National Security Advisor of India for a brief period in counterterrorism operations.[citation needed] He was also part of the team sent to Kandahar to negotiate the release of the passengers of Indian Airlines IC-814.[18][20][21] He was later appointed as Director of the Intelligence Bureau.[21]

Post-retirement (2005–2014)[]

Doval retired in January 2005 as Director, Intelligence Bureau.[15] In December 2009, he became the founding Director of the Vivekananda International Foundation, a public policy think tank set up by the Vivekananda Kendra.[22][23] Doval has remained actively involved in the discourse on national security in India.[citation needed] Besides writing editorial pieces for several leading newspapers and journals, he has delivered lectures on India's security challenges and foreign policy objectives at several renowned government and non-governmental institutions, security think-tanks in India and abroad.[citation needed]

In 2009 and 2011 he co-wrote two reports on "Indian Black Money Abroad in Secret Banks and Tax Havens",[24] with others, leading in the field as a part of the task force constituted by BJP.[25]

In recent years, he has delivered guest lectures on strategic issues at IISS, London, Capitol Hill, Washington DC, Australia-India Institute, University of Melbourne, National Defence College, New Delhi and the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Mussoorie.[26] Doval has also spoken internationally at global events, citing the ever-increasing need of co-operation between the major established and emerging powers of the world.[27]

National Security Advisor (2014–present)[]

NSA Doval Meets with US Secretary John Kerry in Washington.

On 30 May 2014, Doval was appointed as India's fifth National Security Advisor. In June 2014, Doval facilitated the return of 46 Indian nurses who were trapped in a hospital in Tikrit, Iraq, following the capture of Mosul by ISIL. Doval, flew to Iraq on 25 June 2014 to understand the position on the ground and make high-level contacts in the Iraqi government.[28] Although the exact circumstances of their release are unclear, on 5 July 2014, ISIL militants handed the nurses to Kurdish authorities at Erbil city and an Air India plane specially-arranged by the Indian government brought them back home to Kochi.[29]

Along with Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag, Doval planned an cross-border military operation against National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-K) separatists operating out of Myanmar. Indian officials claimed that the mission was a success and 20-38 separatist belonging to Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-K) were killed in the operation.[30][31][32][33] However, the Myanmar government denied the strikes. According to Myanmar officials, the Indian operation against NSCN-K took place entirely on the Indian side of the border.[34][35]

Indian PM Modi with the NSA Doval, the Army Chief Dalbir Singh Suhag and the Air Force Chief Arup Raha at Pathankot Airbase.

He is widely credited for the doctrinal shift in Indian national security policy in relation to Pakistan.[36] It was speculated that the September 2016 Indian strikes in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir were his brainchild.[37][38][39][40] Doval is widely credited along with then Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar and Indian Ambassador to China Vijay Keshav Gokhale, for resolving Doklam Standoff through diplomatic channels and negotiations.[41][42][43]

In October 2018, he was appointed as the Chairman of the Strategic Policy Group (SPG), which is the first tier of a three tier structure at the National Security Council and forms the nucleus of its decision-making apparatus.[44]

Following the 2019 Balakot airstrike and retaliatory 2019 Jammu and Kashmir airstrikes and subsequent capture of Indian pilot Abhinandan Varthaman by Pakistani military, Ajit Doval had held talks with US Secretary of State and National Security Advisor to secure the release of the Indian pilot.[45]

Doval at an all party meet in 2021 in New Delhi in the presence of the PM and 14 political leaders from JK, including 4 former Chief Ministers of JK.[46]

On 3 June 2019, he was reappointed as NSA for 5 years and granted the personal rank of a Cabinet Minister.[47] Doval is the first NSA to hold such a rank. He was also an instrumental figure in revocation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.[citation needed]

On 15 May 2020, the military forces of Myanmar handed over a group of 22 militant leaders, active in Assam and other northeast states, to the Indian government. This was made possible through negotiations headed by Doval.[48][49] On 15 September 2020, Doval walked out of a virtual SCO meeting after Pakistan projected what India labelled as a "fictitious" map containing parts of India.[50]

Awards and recognitions[]

  • Doval was the youngest police officer to receive the Police Medal for meritorious service.[18] He was given the award after six years in the police force.[18]
  • Doval was later awarded the President's Police Medal.[citation needed]
  • In 1988, Doval was granted one of the highest gallantry awards, the Kirti Chakra, becoming the first police officer to receive a medal previously given only as a military honour.[citation needed]

References[]

  1. ^ "3 deputies to reduce workload of NSA Ajit Doval". 26 October 2018. Archived from the original on 26 October 2018.
  2. ^ "डोवाल बने राष्ट्रीय सुरक्षा सलाहकार" [Doval becomes National Security Advisor] (in Hindi). BBC. 31 May 2014. Archived from the original on 8 January 2015. Retrieved 4 June 2014. ...अजित कुमार डोवाल को प्रधानमंत्री नरेंद्र मोदी का राष्ट्रीय सुरक्षा सलाहकार...
  3. ^ Donthi, Praveen (September 2017). "Ajit Doval in theory and practice". The Caravan. Retrieved 30 December 2019.
  4. ^ Semwal, GP (23 June 2014). "Doval laments Uttarakhand's poor pace of development, growth". The Pioneer. Archived from the original on 24 August 2017. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
  5. ^ "Top positions in country's security establishments helmed by men from Uttarakhand". The Times of India. 21 December 2016. Archived from the original on 21 December 2016. Retrieved 20 March 2018.
  6. ^ a b "Ajit Doval: The most powerful person in India after PM Modi". The Economic Times. 30 August 2017. Archived from the original on 27 August 2017. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
  7. ^ Siraj Qureshi (6 December 2017). "Colleges, universities have responsibilities to impart skills to students: Ajit Doval". India Today. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
  8. ^ Santoshi, Neeraj (18 May 2018). "NSA Ajit Doval has a four-point mantra for success". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
  9. ^ PTI (3 November 2018). "India's 'human capital' can counter China's 'rare mineral wealth': NSA Ajit Doval". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 5 September 2021.CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link)
  10. ^ "Amity awards more than more than 7700 degrees and diplomas upon qualified graduands during the third day of Convocation 2018". alumni.amity.edu (Amity Alumni Association). 3 November 2018. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
  11. ^ Paul, Cithara (27 February 2020). "How Ajit Doval, the Centre's man Friday, suppressed a riot in Kerala in 1972". The Week. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
  12. ^ Ullekh, N. P. (19 June 2018). Kannur: Inside India's Bloodiest Revenge Politics. ISBN 9789353051051.
  13. ^ Rao, Srinath (5 August 2015). "NSA Ajit Doval underlines use of power: India should stop punching below its weight". The Indian Express. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
  14. ^ Sudhakaran, P (1 October 2016). "James Bond: How 'Indian James Bond' Ajit Doval had managed riot-hit Thalassery". The Times of India. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
  15. ^ a b Bhatt, Sheela (26 April 2006). "'Bangladeshi infiltration is the biggest threat'". Rediff. Archived from the original on 9 November 2006. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
  16. ^ Sharma, Anil (2014). IA's Terror Trail. Ajit K Doval (Foreword). Shehna Books. ISBN 9789351561811.
  17. ^ Datta, Saikat (28 May 2014). "Ajit Doval, giant among spies, is the new National Security Advisor". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 31 May 2014. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
  18. ^ a b c d "Kandahar negotiator gets IB top post". The Telegraph. Calcutta, India. 7 July 2004. Archived from the original on 7 October 2008. Retrieved 27 August 2009.
  19. ^ Sharma, Sudeept (26 May 2016). "Sikkim Day: How Sikkim Became a Part of India". The Quint. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  20. ^ Raman, B. (23 April 2010). "M.K.Narayanan". South Asia Analysis Group. Archived from the original on 23 June 2012. Retrieved 3 September 2017.
  21. ^ a b Yadav, Yatish (17 August 2016). "Return of the Superspy". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 17 August 2016. Retrieved 3 August 2016.
  22. ^ Shaikh, Zeeshan (30 September 2016). "The Brains Behind Modi Sarkar". Tehelka.com. Archived from the original on 22 March 2017. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
  23. ^ "About Us". www.vifindia.org. 17 January 2017. Archived from the original on 1 September 2017. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  24. ^ S. Gurumurthy, Ajit Doval, R.Vaidyanathan, Mahesh Jethmalani (31 January 2011). "Indian Black Money Abroad in Secret Banks and Tax Havens (Second Report)" (PDF). BJP. Retrieved 5 September 2021.CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link)
  25. ^ "Executive Summary Of Indian Black Money Abroad In Secret Banks and Tax Havens (Second Report)". www.bjp.org. Archived from the original on 1 September 2017. Retrieved 1 September 2017.
  26. ^ "Vivekananda International Foundation - Seeking Harmony in Diversity". vifindia.org. Archived from the original on 25 May 2014.
  27. ^ "Power Shifts and International Order". Chair Andreas Wenger... Speaker Celso Amorim... Ajit Doval. ISF (International Security Forum). 1 June 2011. Archived from the original on 30 August 2011. Retrieved 16 March 2013.CS1 maint: others (link)
  28. ^ Haidar, Suhasini (1 July 2014). "NSA Doval went on secret mission to Iraq". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 1 March 2015. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
  29. ^ "Indian nurses freed in Iraq given rapturous home welcome". BBC News. 5 July 2014. Archived from the original on 31 January 2016.
  30. ^ "Myanmar operation: 70 commandos finish task in 40 minutes". The Economic Times. PTI. 14 July 2018. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
  31. ^ Sharma, Aman (13 July 2018). "NSA Ajit Doval, General Dalbir Singh planned retaliatory strike against militants". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 17 June 2015. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
  32. ^ "Ajit Doval skipped Dhaka trip for Myanmar operations-IndiaTV News". India TV. 10 June 2015. Archived from the original on 11 June 2015. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
  33. ^ Sharma, Aman (11 July 2018). "Blow-by-blow account: How PM Modi, Ajit Doval & Army chief planned covert strike against militants". The Economic Times. Archived from the original on 14 June 2015. Retrieved 11 June 2015.
  34. ^ Long, Layleigh; Lone, Wa (11 June 2015). "Government denies India operation took place inside Myanmar". Myanmar Times. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
  35. ^ AFP (11 June 2015). "Myanmar denies Indian Army raid inside its territory". Deccan Chronicle. Archived from the original on 14 June 2015. Retrieved 5 September 2021.CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link)
  36. ^ "NSA Doval's 'double squeeze' strategy will never succeed: Pak". The Times of India. PTI. 22 September 2017. Archived from the original on 23 September 2017. Retrieved 22 September 2017.
  37. ^ Shaikh, Zeeshan (30 September 2016). "Meet Ajit Doval, the man behind surgical strikes across LoC". India.com. Archived from the original on 22 March 2017. Retrieved 22 March 2017.
  38. ^ "Ajit Doval likely to visit China: NSA's famed 'Doval doctrine' and deconstructing India's stand on Beijing". Firstpost. 14 July 2017. Archived from the original on 1 September 2017. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  39. ^ George, Glenn (30 September 2016). "India's aggressive approach at border is the brainchild of NSA Ajit Doval". The Economic Times. Archived from the original on 6 September 2017. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  40. ^ Jagannathan, R (5 August 2015). "Power doctrine of Ajit Doval: Why it is much better than empty Gandhi-giri". Firstpost. Archived from the original on 1 September 2017. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  41. ^ Negi, Manjeet (28 August 2017). "Inside story of how India achieved breakthrough in Doklam border standoff with China". India Today. Archived from the original on 1 September 2017. Retrieved 1 September 2017.
  42. ^ Mukharji, Shantanu (31 August 2017). "Doka La standoff: Ajit Doval proves it doesn't take a diplomat to resolve an international crisis". Firstpost. Archived from the original on 1 September 2017. Retrieved 1 September 2017.
  43. ^ Dubey, Ajit Kumar (30 August 2017). "Meet Prime Minister Modi's key men who cracked Doklam for him". India Today. Archived from the original on 1 September 2017. Retrieved 1 September 2017.
  44. ^ "NSA Ajit Doval to head new Strategic Policy Group established to assist National Security Council". India TV. 9 October 2018. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
  45. ^ "Govt hails IAF pilot Abhinandan's release announcement as major victory for India". India Today. 28 February 2019. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
  46. ^ "Two Years of Abrogation of Article 370: J&K's Wait For 'Former Glory' | Full Timeline". News18. 4 August 2021. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
  47. ^ "Ajit Doval reappointed National Security Adviser, gets Cabinet rank in new Modi regime". India Today. 3 June 2019. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
  48. ^ Shukla, Manish (15 May 2020). Bhandari, Ankita (ed.). "After NSA Ajit Doval's intervention, Myanmar hands over 22 northeast insurgents wanted in India". Zee News. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
  49. ^ Gupta, Shishir (15 May 2020). "HT Exclusive: Nudged by Ajit Doval, Myanmar army hands over 22 northeast insurgents". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
  50. ^ "NSA Ajit Doval walks out of virtual SCO meet after Pakistan projected 'fictitious' map". The Economic Times. 17 September 2020. Retrieved 5 September 2021.

Further reading[]


Government offices
Preceded by National Security Advisor
2014–present 		Incumbent
Police appointments
Preceded by
K. P. Singh
 Director of Intelligence Bureau
2004–2005 		Succeeded by
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