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{{short description|Indian espionage agent}}
{{EngvarB|date=April 2017}}
{{Cleanup rewrite|Proper spelling and grammar missing|date=March 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Infobox spy
| name = Ravindra Kaushik
| image = Ravinder Kaushik former RAW agent.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Ravindra Kaushik
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1952|04|11|df=y}}<ref name="toi">{{cite web|title=Salman Khan's new movie in controversy again|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-07-24/jaipur/32827242_1_multan-pakistan-army-pakistan-agency|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130103085252/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-07-24/jaipur/32827242_1_multan-pakistan-army-pakistan-agency|url-status=dead|archive-date=3 January 2013|work=[[The Times of India]]|access-date=17 August 2012}}</ref>
| birth_place = [[Sri Ganganagar]], [[Rajasthan]], India
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2001|11||1952|04|11|df=y}}<ref name="tel"/>
| death_place = [[Central Jail Mianwali]], Pakistan
| nationality = [[Indian people|Indian]]
| other_names = Black Tiger
| alma_mater = [[University of Karachi]]
| employer =
| known_for = Spying for R&AW
| notable_works =
|criminal_charge = [[Espionage]]
| criminal_penalty = [[Life imprisonment]]
| spouse = {{Marriage|Amanat|1976}}
| children = 1
| allegiance = {{flagu|India|size=20px}}
| agency = [[Research and Analysis Wing]]
| serviceyears = 1975–1983
| codename2_label = Alias
| codename2 = Nabi Ahmed Shakir
}}

'''Ravindra Kaushik''' (11 April 1952 – November 2001) was a [[Research and Analysis Wing]] agent, who spied against Pakistan from 1975 to 1983.

Also named as '''The Black Tiger''', he is considered as one of India's greatest spies.<ref name="tel">{{cite web|title=India's forgotten spy – Agent's family fights an impossible battle |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/india-s-forgotten-spy-agent-s-family-fights-an-impossible-battle/cid/849809|access-date=27 September 2020}}</ref>

He penetrated the [[Pakistan Army]] and reached till the rank of Major.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Story of RAW agent, Ravinder Kaushik, who worked as a Pakistan Army Major - Forgotten hero|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/story-of-raw-agent-ravinder-kaushik-who-worked-as-a-pakistan-army-major/the-black-tiger/slideshow/58240716.cms|access-date=10 April 2021|website=The Economic Times}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-08-10 |title=India's soldiers in shadows: Remembering Ravindra Kaushik's supreme sacrifice for nation - All you need to know about 'Black Tiger' |url=https://www.timesnownews.com/mirror-now/in-focus/indias-soldiers-in-shadows-remembering-ravindra-kaushiks-supreme-sacrifice-for-nation-all-you-need-to-know-about-black-tiger-article-93461316 |access-date=2023-01-25 |website=TimesNow |language=en}}</ref>

==Early life==
Ravindra Kaushik was born in [[Sri Ganganagar]], [[Rajasthan]] on 11 April 1952 in a [[Brahmin]] family. His father, J. M. Kaushik, was an [[Indian Air Force]] officer; his mother Amla Devi died in 2006.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Umak |first=Lokeish |title=Ravindra Kaushik on sacrificing his life for India |url=https://lekh.co/ravindra-kaushik-letter-to-family-on-reward-sacrifice/ |url-status=live |archive-date=18 November 2021 |access-date=18 November 2021 |website=LEKH |language=en-GB}}</ref> He did his graduation from S. D. Bihani P. G. College, Sri Ganganagar, earning a [[Bachelor of Commerce|B.Com]] and was involved with theatre acting while in college when he was recruited by the [[Research and Analysis Wing|R&AW]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=rashid|first=sumaira|title=Ravindra Kaushik, 'The Black Tiger'- India's Greatest Spy|url=https://theindianness.com/ravindra-kaushik-the-black-tiger-indias-greatest-spy/|access-date=18 November 2021|website=The Indianness|language=en-US}}</ref>

==Recruitment in Research and Analysis Wing==
Kaushik was trained in [[Delhi]] for two years to be an [[undercover]] Operative in [[Pakistan]]. He was also trained to live life as a [[Muslim]] and was taught [[Urdu]] language. Being from [[Sri Ganganagar]], a city near [[Rajasthan]]'s border with [[Punjab (India)|Punjab]], he was well versed in [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]], which is widely understood in Punjab (India) and Pakistan as well.<ref name="dap">{{cite web |title=Late spy's kin fight for reel life credit |url=http://www.dailypioneer.com/nation/86994-late-spys-kin-fight-for-reel-life-credit.html |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120824211533/http://www.dailypioneer.com/nation/86994-late-spys-kin-fight-for-reel-life-credit.html |archive-date=24 August 2012 |access-date=17 August 2012}}</ref> In 1975, at the age of 23, he was sent to Pakistan.<ref name="tel" />

==Activities in Pakistan==
Kaushik converted to [[Islam]], underwent [[Circumcision in Islam|circumcision]] and was given the cover name "Nabi Ahmed Shakir".<ref name="dap"/> After successfully getting admission in [[University of Karachi|Karachi University]], he completed his [[Bachelor of Laws|LL.B]]. After his graduation, joined [[Pakistan Army]] as a commissioned officer and was eventually promoted to the rank of [[Major|major]].<ref name="hindustantimes">{{Cite web|title=Story of RAW agent, Ravinder Kaushik, who worked as a Pakistan Army Major - Forgotten hero|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/story-of-raw-agent-ravinder-kaushik-who-worked-as-a-pakistan-army-major/-the-greatest-spy-of-india/slideshow/58240718.cms|access-date=16 April 2021|website=The Economic Times}}</ref> He married a local girl named Amanat, the daughter of a tailor in one of the army units, and fathered a boy who died in 2012–2013.<ref name="dap" /><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/jaipur/the-real-life-behind-a-2002-spy-thriller/article1-483474.aspx|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150419000021/http://www.hindustantimes.com/jaipur/the-real-life-behind-a-2002-spy-thriller/article1-483474.aspx|url-status=dead|archive-date=19 April 2015|title=The real life behind a 2002 spy thriller|work=Hindustan Times|date=6 December 2009|access-date=15 May 2015}}</ref>

From 1979 to 1983, Kaushik worked as a Pakistani army officer. As trained at [[Research and Analysis Wing|R&AW]], he was sending valuable information to R&AW which was of great help to India. He was given the title of 'Black Tiger' by the [[Prime Minister of India]] [[Indira Gandhi]].

==Death and aftermath==
In September 1983, R&AW sent a low-level operative, Inyat Masih, to get in touch with Kaushik. But, Masih was exposed by [[Inter-Services Intelligence#Organization|Joint Counter-intelligence Bureau]] of Pakistan's [[Inter-Services Intelligence]] and blew Kaushik's cover.<ref name="tel" /> Kaushik was also captured, tortured for two years at an interrogation center in [[Sialkot]]. He was given the death sentence in 1985. His sentence was later commuted to a life term by the [[Supreme Court of Pakistan]]. He was kept in various jails in various cities, including [[Sialkot]], [[Kot Lakhpat]] and in [[Mianwali]] jail for 16 years.<ref name="dap" /> He managed to secretly send letters to his family in [[India]], which revealed his poor health condition and the trauma faced by him in Pakistani jails. In one of his letters, he wrote:{{quote|Kya Bharat jaise bade desh ke liye kurbani dene waalon ko yahi milta hai?" (Is this what people who sacrifice their lives for a big country like India get?)<ref name="tel"/>}}

In November 2001, he succumbed to [[pulmonary tuberculosis]] and [[heart disease]] in [[Central Jail Mianwali]] in Pakistan.<ref name="tel" />

According to Ravindra's family, [[Government of India|Indian government]] had refused to recognise him and had made no effort to help him.<ref name="tel" />

Ravindra's family claimed that the storyline of the famous Bollywood flick ''[[Ek Tha Tiger]]'' released in the year 2012 was based on the life of Ravindra and asked for credit in the movie titles for Ravindra. But the director [[Kabir Khan (director)|Kabir Khan]] denied their claim.<ref name="ind">{{cite web |title=Dead RAW agent's nephew takes Salman's Ek Tha Tiger producers to court |date=27 July 2012 |url=http://www.indiatvnews.com/entertainment/bollywood/raw-agent-nephew-takes-salman-ek-tha-tiger-producers-court--4729.html |access-date=17 August 2012}}</ref> ''[[Romeo Akbar Walter]]'', a 2019 Indian film written and directed by Robbie Grewal is loosely based on his activities in [[Pakistan]], [[John Abraham]] plays the role of Ravindra Kaushik in the film, although the character is named Rehamatullah Khan.

==See also==
*[[Sarabjit Singh]]
*[[Kashmir Singh]]
*[[Kulbhushan Jadhav]]
*[[Research and Analysis Wing]]
*[[Inter-services intelligence]]

== Further reading ==
*{{cite book|author1=S Hussain Zaidi|author2=Brijesh Singh|title=Dangerous Minds: Eight Riveting Profiles of Homegrown Terrorists|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jbstDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT61|date=2018|publisher=[[Penguin Random House]]|isbn=978-93-86495-99-0|pages=61–63}}
*{{cite web |author=Presley Thomas |title=The real life behind a 2002 spy thriller |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/jaipur/the-real-life-behind-a-2002-spy-thriller/story-U9NVg1hsRRh4vizo9fRxhN.html |website=[[Hindustan Times]] |language=en |date=6 December 2009}}

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kaushik, Ravindra}}
[[Category:Indian expatriates in Pakistan]]
[[Category:1952 births]]
[[Category:2001 deaths]]
[[Category:India–Pakistan relations]]
[[Category:Indian people imprisoned abroad]]
[[Category:Indian people who died in prison custody]]
[[Category:Indian spies]]
[[Category:Pakistan Army officers]]
[[Category:People of the Research and Analysis Wing]]
[[Category:Prisoners and detainees of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Prisoners who died in Pakistani detention]]
[[Category:Punjabi people]]
[[Category:University of Karachi alumni]]
[[Category:Spies who died in prison custody]]
[[Category:People convicted of espionage in Pakistan]]
[[Category:Research and Analysis Wing activities in Pakistan]]
[[Category:Tuberculosis deaths in Pakistan]]
[[Category:21st-century deaths from tuberculosis]]
[[Category:Infectious disease deaths in Punjab, Pakistan]]
[[Category:Indian prisoners sentenced to death]]
[[Category:Indian prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment]]
[[Category:Prisoners sentenced to death by Pakistan]]
[[Category:Prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment by Pakistan]]
[[Category:Converts to Islam from Hinduism]]

Ravindra Kaushik - Revision history

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