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Intelligence agencies and military ops go hand in hand, says Lt Gen Naravane in Pune
The book launch was of former journalist Nitin Gokhale’s work ‘R N Kao: Gentleman Spymaster’
Intelligence agencies and military operations go hand in hand, said Lt Gen Manoj Mukund Naravane, vice chief of army staff and army chief-designate, who was the chief guest at a book launch in the city on Saturday.
Naravane said, “Intelligence agencies do not have the glamour as shown in movies, but they work behind the scenes and are unknown, unseen and unheard. Intelligence inputs from agencies like R&AW (Research and Analysis Wing) and others, help us function efficiently. Kao was one such agent who worked to bring the pieces of information together like a jigsaw puzzle.”
The book launch was of former journalist Nitin Gokhale’s work ‘R N Kao: Gentleman Spymaster’.
Naravane further added, “Rameshwar Nath Kao was one such officer who worked tirelessly in private for national security and helped build India’s external intelligence agency.”
Vappala Balachandran, former special secretary, R&AW, said that Kao will be remembered for his contributions in the liberation of Bangladesh in 1971 and his role in ensuring Sikkim’s merger with India.
He added, “Kao was meticulous and worked without confronting the ideology of R&AW as he would hand-pick right men for the job.”
Balachandran also demanded that the records of intelligence of 1962, 1965 and 1971 wars prepared under RN Kao be declassified.
“There should be periodic declassification of certain records, which are more than 20-years old, like the crisis with Pakistan or independence of Bangladesh or even the attack on Golden Temple by Indira Gandhi. But those documents, which are sensitive and can create misunderstandings should be avoided. There should be an amendment in the law and a policy to make certain records identified,” he said.
Jayant Umranikar, IPS (retd), said “RN Kao was an institution himself, who had talent, vision and enterprise. He will be remembered in the world of intelligence. He was loyal to his subordinates and that was what made him different.”
Nitin Gokhale, the author of the book, who is also a national security analyst, said, “The book is about the memories of individuals who knew Kao and his personal life. But there are documents-transcripts of tape-recorded conversations with Kao, on three crucial files on Bangladesh, the merger of Sikkim and Indira Gandhi’s assassination, which will not be open until 2025 as per his instructions.”
The book, ‘RN Kao Gentleman Spymaster’ was launched at Pune International Centre (PIC) on Saturday. Prashant Girbane, director, PIC, was also present at the event.
