A spy story takes centre stage in Delhi

Drawing from real intelligence experiences, Harinder S Sikka’s latest taps into the growing appeal of espionage stories rooted in real events.

At Kota House in New Delhi on Saturday evening, the official launch of The Chabimaster by Harinder S Sikka brought together real-world intelligence and popular storytelling. With senior defence officials, legal names, and film personalities in attendance, the evening reflected the growing pull of espionage stories rooted in lived experience.

(L-R) Harinder S Sikka, Justice Manmohan, and Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi at the launch of The Chabimaster at Kota House. (Credits: Raajeshh Kashyap/HT Photo)

Best known for his novel Calling Sehmat, which was later adapted into the Bollywood film Raazi, Sikka - who had previously served as a Lieutenant Commander in the Indian Navy - continues his exploration of high-stakes, real-world espionage with The Chabimaster. The book builds on his signature style by blending research with emotion and fact with narrative urgency. Inspired by the life of a RAW operative, the story centres on an unlikely protagonist: an ordinary boy whose journey is less about breaking in and more about unlocking.

Explaining the idea behind the title, Sikka said, “The story is about a very ordinary man. His aim was not to lock; his entire aim was to unlock. The Chabimaster is someone who teaches you how to unlock your mind.” He added that the book was a long time in the making, taking nearly three to four years to complete. Calling himself an “accidental writer,” he said, “I don’t know how to write, but I pour my heart out.”