Skip to main content

The Kaoboys of R&AW: Down Memory Lane

Research & Analysis Wing (India's External Intelligence Agency)

A rare and first-hand view into the workings of the most secretive government agency Research & Analysis Wing, India's external intelligence agency. 

The book written by a retired R&AW officer B Raman who spent more than 3 decades working for the agency right from its inception in 1968, provides a detailed insight into the workings of R&AW and its work and relations with the Intelligence Bureau, Ministry of External Affairs and other foreign intelligence agencies. The book derives its name from its first chief R.N. Kao and the officers under him who were the cause of its success and came to be known as "Kao boys of R&AW".


The book is in chronological order of the author's service in R&AW and the most outstanding thing about the book is how objectively it is written and by that, I mean the author has rightly praised but has also criticised various people right from the chief of Kao to various Prime Ministers during his tenure. The author never shies away from calling a spade a spade.




"Raman displayed an unwavering commitment to his work. This, along with his vast knowledge and the ability to recall details of events even after the passage of decades made him a near-ideal intelligence officer." 


While reading this book one is held in awe of the numerous people who have done so much for the country with little to no recognition and the general public being totally ignorant about it. Perhaps one of the occupational traits of working for an intelligence agency. Along with it, there are multiple incidents that illustrate the dilemma faced by intelligence officers while dealing with reports indicating a likely threat. If the information proves to be incorrect, they are accused of frivolous reporting without proper verification. If the information proves to be correct, but had not been reported on time since the verification process was incomplete, they are accused of tardy reporting.


All major security incidents have been covered by the author since R&AW inception. Some of the major intelligence breaches mentioned by the author like the one in the Prime Minister Office shed new light on the world of counterintelligence and India's lack of credible counterintelligence. 


In the final chapter Raman looks at his time in R&AW and tries to answer questions that one may have about its past and future. The book is recommended for anyone interested in the world of Intelligence and their working especially that of R&AW.

Book Details:

Title: The Kaoboys of R&AW: Down Memory Lane
Author: B. Raman
Genre: Non-Fiction, Spy Thriller, Espionage, History, Politics, Biography, War, Terrorism, India
Publisher: Lancer Publishers LLC
Number of pages: 294
ISBN-10: 097961743X
ISBN-13: 9780979617430

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

An Extraordinary Life: A Biography of Manohar Parrikar

An extraordinary book on the life of an extraordinary Indian This would be perhaps in my humble opinion the best single-line review of the book. Ever since Parrikar Ji became the defense minister of India with his simple living and a man known to get the job done, I have been intrigued by him. So when it came to choosing my next book I actively scouted for books on him and by far this book was the highest recommended. The moment you start reading the book you are struck by two things the objectivity of the authors and how well written the book is. On the objectivity part while reading the book it gives a 360-degree view of Mr. Parrikar and it gives the good and the bad about him in a completely subjective manner, without shying away from the shortcomings of the 4-time chief minister of Goa. On how well the book is written the authors have kept the language simple enough for the public to read while also using the appropriate words while required, which the reader may sometime need to l

India’s Most Fearless: True Stories of Modern Military Heroes

The book gives the reader an insight into the minds and lives of those who sacrifice everything for their India and its citizen. The book begins with the thrilling third-person account of the Surgical Strikes on Pakistan based terrorist launch pads which is followed by Myanmar Surgical Strikes. The narration of the events beginning with the URI terrorist attack and ending with the press conference by the Army and government on the surgical strikes across the LOC (Line Of Control) grips the reader and keeps him on the very edge. The chapters are narrated from the perspective of Major Tango and Lt Col Delta who led the commandos on the strike on terrorist launchpads. The details of the attacks give an insight into the level of preparation and competence of the PARA SF Commandos. It highlights the mental strength and robustness of the men who make up the Para SF commandos. Indeed their valor and courage exemplify the saying for the para SF commandos “ Men apart every man an emp

Why I am an Atheist and other works: Bhagat Singh

Bhagat Singh  is a name that became synonymous with revolution in India's struggle for Independence. This young boy brought about a change in the way people thought about freedom. He was well read and fought extensively for rights - his own, his comrades' and his countrymen's. A discussion with a friend soon turned into a matter of self-assessment for Bhagat Singh, leading to a discourse on why he chose to be an atheist. Even in the face of death at a very young age, his uncanny observation leads to his putting forth some pertinent questions. On another occasion, he was disappointed with his father's plea in court for his innocence and chose to write a letter to him. This book is a collection of eighteen of his valued writings from within the walls of prison and outside it, which show us the resolve in his words, and the bravery in his acts subsequently. About Bhagat Singh (1907-31): He was a revolutionary in the Indian Independence struggle. Post his graduation, he