imported>BattyBot: Removed/fixed incorrect author parameter(s), performed general fixes

2020-12-27T02:25:00Z

Removed/fixed incorrect author parameter(s), performed general fixes

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{{short description| Book about India spymaster R.N. Kao and R&AW}}
{{italic title}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=November 2019}}
{{Infobox book
| name = R.N. Kao: Gentleman Spymaster
| author = Nitin A. Gokhale<br/>(Foreword by [[Ajit Doval]])
| country = India
| language = English
| genre = Intelligence Biography
| published = 18 November 2019
| isbn = 9789389449280
| image = File:Gentleman Spymaster RN Kao Book Cover 2019.JPG
}}
'''''R.N. Kao: Gentleman Spymaster''''' is a biography of [[R. N. Kao|Rameshwar Nath Kao]], the founding chief of India's external intelligence agency, the [[Research and Analysis Wing]] (R&AW). Written by Nitin A. Gokhale, the book was published by [[Bloomsbury India]] in November 2019.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/reviews/story/the-‘kaoboy’-who-founded-raw-9176|title=The ‘Kaoboy’ who founded RAW|last=Katju|first=Vivek|date=10 December 2019|website=Tribune India|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2019-12-28}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=https://scroll.in/article/944420/indias-espionage-agency-raw-lifts-the-veil-on-its-founder-rameshwar-nath-kao-with-this-biography|title=India’s espionage agency RAW lifts the veil on its founder Rameshwar Nath Kao with this biography|last=Gokhale|first=Nitin A.|date=25 November 2019|website=[[Scroll.in]]|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2019-12-28}}</ref> The book is being adapted into a movie by [[Karan Johar]].

== Background ==
Nitin A. Gokale was informally approached to write a book on Kao.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://dailyworld.in/no-cloak-dagger-but-human-intelligence-indispensable/|title=No cloak & dagger, 'but human intelligence indispensable'|last=Deepak|first=Sukant|date=3 December 2019|website=Daily World|others=IANS|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2019-12-29}}</ref> Through interviews with people{{Efn|Both [[Vikram Sood]] and [[Vappala Balachandran]], who came to the book launch, had been recruited and worked with Kao.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Gokhale |first1=Nitin |title=R N Kao, India's legendary Spymaster |url=https://www.rediff.com/news/special/r-n-kao-indias-legendary-spymaster-/20191017.htm |accessdate=29 December 2019 |work=Rediff |date=17 October 2019}}</ref>|name=|group=}} who worked with Kao or were trained by him, Kao's declassified recordings and other official documents, meetings with his family, Gokhale managed to complete the book in 65 days.<ref name=":1" />

The [[National Security Advisor (India)|National Security Advisor]] of India, [[Ajit Doval]], has written the foreword of the book. The book is only one of two{{Efn|The other is "Kaoboys of R&AW" written by [[B Raman]].<ref name="indiatoday"/>|name=|group=}} books and the first-full-fledged book<ref name=":1" /> to be written about RN Kao.{{Efn|R&AW does not declassify its records.<ref name="indiatoday"/>| name=|group=}}<ref name="indiatoday">{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/mail-today/story/the-man-who-knew-too-much-1626281-2019-12-08|title=The man who knew too much|last=Unithan|first=Sandeep|date=8 December 2019|website=India Today|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2019-12-29}}</ref> Through the life of RN Kao, the book is a view into how the people and organisations that protect India's national interests were built.<ref name=":0" />

== Contents ==
Gokhale writes about Kao's early years including the early death of his father, his university years all the way to his entrance into the police world in 1940 to 1947 when he joined the [[Intelligence Bureau (India)|Intelligence Bureau]], where his responsibilities included the security of the Prime Minister and foreign leaders visiting India.<ref name=":0" /> His major assignments such as the crash of [[Kashmir Princess]] are brought alive in the book, where Kao's interactions with the first [[Chinese premier]] [[Zhou Enlai]] are insightful.<ref name=":0" /> Gokhale goes on to describe successful Indian – US cooperation in intelligence, where Kao was in charge of setting up the [[Aviation Research Centre]] with US assistance.<ref name=":0" />

Gokhale goes on to write about the causes the led up to the formation of R&AW and the circumstances under which Kao was made the first chief. It was here that Kao's abilities were fully visible, overseeing the merger of [[Sikkim]] and the partition of [[Pakistan]], something which both the people of Sikkim and [[Bangladesh]] wanted respectively.{{Efn|Only when his (RN Kao's) record of the events is opened in 2025, as per his instructions, will the full extent of his role become public.<ref>{{cite web |title=R.N. Kao Gentleman Spymaster |url=https://www.bloomsbury.com/in/rn-kao-9789389449303/ |website=Bloomsbury |accessdate=29 December 2019}}</ref>|name=|group=}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/how-rn-kao-india-s-top-spymaster-helped-integrate-sikkim-into-india/story-QfJTKWmD5gUaHVGKcn4dnO.html|title=How RN Kao – India’s top spymaster – helped integrate Sikkim into India|last=Chauhan|first=Neeraj|date=13 December 2019|website=Hindustan Times|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2019-12-28}}</ref> Gokhale also talks about how Kao had forewarned both [[Sheikh Mujibur Rahman|Sheikh Mujib-ur-Rehman]] and [[Indira Gandhi]] before their assassinations.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/books/ht-picks-the-most-interesting-books-of-the-week/story-081fHqSbo0561M1W9HTafO.html|title=HT Picks: The most interesting books of the week|date=2019-11-29|website=Hindustan Times|language=en|access-date=2019-12-28}}</ref>

== Publication ==
The book was published by [[Bloomsbury India]] in November 2019.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" />

The book was launched by Indian Army Chief [[Bipin Rawat]] and former R&AW Chief [[Vikram Sood]] on 13 December 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aninews.in/|title=R. N. Kao Gentleman Spymaster book is a look into early years of RAW|last=|first=|date=|website=[[Asian News International]]|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2019-12-28}}</ref> A book discussion and launch also took place on 21 December 2019 in [[College of Engineering, Pune]] which was attended by Lt. Gen. [[Manoj Mukund Naravane]]<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/armed-forces-owe-success-to-intel-agencies-lt-general-manoj-naravane/articleshow/72914546.cms?from=mdr|title=Armed forces owe success to intel agencies: Lt. General Manoj Naravane|date=2019-12-21|work=The Economic Times|access-date=2019-12-28}}</ref> (the then [[Vice Chief of the Army Staff (India)|Chief of Army]]-designate), [[Vappala Balachandran]] (former Special Secretary, R&AW who worked with Kao) and Jayant Umranikar (former [[Director general of police|DGP]] Maharashtra and R&AW officer).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://puneinternationalcentre.org/all-programmes/launch-book-r-n-kao-gentleman-spymaster-authored-shri-nitin-gokhale/|title=Launch of a book 'R. N. KAO – GENTLEMAN SPYMASTER' authored by Shri. Nitin A. Gokhale|website=Pune International Centre|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-28}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://puneinternationalcentre.org/gallery/launch-book-r-n-kao-gentleman-spymaster-authored-shri-nitin-gokhale/|title=Gallery – Launch of a book 'R. N. KAO – GENTLEMAN SPYMASTER' authored by Shri. Nitin A Gokhale|last=|first=|date=|website=Pune International Centre|language=en-US|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2019-12-28}}</ref> Apart from directly talking about the book, Lt. Gen. [[Manoj Mukund Naravane]] said at the event that "military operations and intelligence go hand in hand" while [[Vappala Balachandran|Balachandran]] said the [[Official Secrets Act (India)|Official Secrets Act]] should be scrapped.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/real-spy-world-not-like-bond-girls-and-guns-lt-gen-naravane-119122100703_1.html|title=Real spy world not like Bond, girls and guns: Lt. Gen Naravane|agency=Press Trust of India|date=2019-12-21|work=Business Standard India|access-date=2019-12-28}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/opinion-why-intelligence-support-to-armed-combat-forces-is-crucial/344717|title=Why Intelligence Support to Armed Combat Forces is Crucial|last=Balachandran|first=Vappala|date=26 December 2019|website=Outlook India|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2019-12-28}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/pune/no-military-operation-wouldve-been-successful-had-it-not-been-for-support-from-our-intelligence-agencies-says-army-chief-6179008/|title=‘No military operation would’ve been successful had it not been for support from our intelligence agencies,’ says Army Chief-designate|last=|first=|date=22 December 2019|website=The Indian Express|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2019-12-29}}</ref>

== Reception ==
Lt. Gen. [[Manoj Mukund Naravane]] said "its style of writing has captured the persona of the individual (Kao)" and "If given a chance, it (can be) made into a potboiler but that was not the intent. The character of the man (Kao) and the style in which the book is written actually complement each other."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/manoj-naravane-army-chief-designate-says-spy-world-not-like-james-bond-guns-girls-2152562|title=Spy World Not Like "James Bond, Guns, Girls," Says Army Chief Designate|last=|first=|date=22 December 2019|website=NDTV|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-01-03}}</ref>

The book is being adapted into a movie by [[Karan Johar]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/bollywood/story/karan-johar-s-next-film-is-spy-thriller-based-on-raw-founder-rn-kao-1635362-2020-01-09|title=Karan Johar's next film is spy thriller based on RAW founder RN Kao|last=|first=|date=9 January 2020|website=India Today|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-01-09}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/karan-johar-announces-new-film-on-research-and-analysis-wing-founder-rameshwar-nath-kao-details-here-2161490|title=Karan Johar Announces New Film On Research And Analysis Wing Founder Rameshwar Nath Kao.|last=Raghuvanshi|first=Aakanksha|date=9 January 2020|website=NDTV|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-01-09}}</ref>

== See also ==

* ''[[The Spy Chronicles]]''
* ''[[The Unending Game]]''
*''[[Open Secrets: India's Intelligence Unveiled|Open Secrets]]''

== References ==
=== Notes ===
{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}

=== Citations ===
{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* Nitin Gokhale (17 October 2019). [https://www.rediff.com/news/special/r-n-kao-indias-legendary-spymaster-/20191017.htm ''R N Kao, India's legendary Spymaster'']. Rediff.
* Nitin Gokhale (26 November 2019). [https://www.cnbctv18.com/views/why-and-how-raw-rnkao-was-formed-and-the-role-of-a-gentleman-spymaster-4761331.htm ''The story of why and how R&AW was formed'']. [[CNBC TV18]]
* Sukant Deepak (3 December 2019). [https://dailyworld.in/no-cloak-dagger-but-human-intelligence-indispensable/ ''No cloak & dagger, ‘but human intelligence indispensable’''] Dailyworld.

[[Category:Books about the Research and Analysis Wing]]
[[Category:2019 non-fiction books]]
[[Category:Books by Indian authors]]
[[Category:Indian non-fiction books]]
[[Category:Non-fiction books about espionage]]

R.N. Kao: Gentleman Spymaster - Revision history

imported>BattyBot: Removed/fixed incorrect author parameter(s), performed general fixes