The Shadow of Patriotism:-
He was the shadow that never got wrapped in the tricolour. But whose every heart beat for the tricolour. That shadow which destroyed his Hindu identity for the country. He made Urdu his language, lived Islam and became such a Pakistani that the people in the enemy country Pakistan were deceived. He was India’s greatest spy. A dangerous spy who joined the Pakistan Army and became a Major. Due to whose intelligence information India was saved from Pakistan’s attacks many times. Pakistan’s war plans were foiled. The spy who saved more than 20,000 lives. But that detective could never become a hero. He could never become a soldier. Never became entitled to troubles.
An Actor Turned Spy:-
The stories of his bravery were never sung. He was an invisible entity who sacrificed his entire life, his identity, his family, his parents, everything for the sake of the country. But even after so many sacrifices, it got lost in the darkness of oblivion. This is the story of Ravindra Kaushik, who was given the title Black Tiger by Indira Gandhi. This story is much more horrifying than Alia Bhatt’s Raazi.
Training to Erase an Identity:-
It is a saga of danger, deceit, love and sacrifice that will bring fire to your blood and tears to your eyes. Reading the story of the Black Tiger will fill your chest with pride. The heart will cry for that brave son. But a question will also come to mind that are we unable to give that respect to our heroes ? This story is about an unheard tale which when heard today will fill the countrymen with both pride and regret. Black Tiger is a name, a mystery, an untold story which starts in 1952 from Sri Ganganagar Rajasthan.
The Birth of ‘Black Tiger’:-
Ravindra Kaushik was born in a simple Punjabi family. Since childhood, there was a sparkle in his eyes and a passion to achieve something in his heart. In school he loved drama and his performance was such that it would leave people astonished. By the time he reached college, he had become a theatre darling. He lived the character in such a way that people forgot that he was just acting. But this very talent makes him the most dangerous and greatest spy of the country. In the year 1973, at the age of 21, Ravindra was spotted by a RAW officer. The RAW officer was greatly inspired by Ravindra’s acting, his style and his dialogues and was filled with the fire of patriotism. His quick wit was appreciated and after this the officer made a proposal to Ravindra: Will you become a spy? Will you live for the country? This was no ordinary job. It was a risk of life.
India’s Eyes Inside the Enemy’s Army:-
Ravindra who was filled with the spirit of patriotism. In a moment, he sacrificed his life, his dreams, his parents, his entire family for the country. Ravindra was called from there to Delhi. Training started at a secret location in Delhi. For two years, he was tortured day and night in such a fire that any ordinary person would have been burnt to ashes. Urdu was not his language but he gained control over Urdu. He understood the intricacies of Islam. Pakistani culture was now running through his veins. His Hindu identity was almost erased and then a new person was created who was named Nabi Ahmed Shakir. His memory was sharpened like a knife’s edge so that he could capture every small and big detail in his mind. RAW taught him how to speak in court, how to use weapons, and intelligence techniques. He was taught how to kill his emotions. How to embrace danger in every moment. But the most difficult thing was that a spy has no family. There are no friends.
Letting go of that feeling. Ravindra cherished his last meeting with his mother in his heart and after taking blessings from his father, he became a shadow. A shadow who could never meet his family again. At that time, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, seeing Ravindra’s abilities, named him Black Tiger. He got this name because he was clever. He had the courage to play with death. In 1975, Ravindra Kaushik, who had now become Nabi Ahmed Shakir, reached Pakistan. The mission was to infiltrate the Pakistani army. Bringing intelligence to India. Here was a war where one mistake was like inviting death. Ravindra takes admission in Karachi University. Let’s start studying LLB. From outside he was a very calm and hardworking student but from inside there was a storm. His cleverness and hard work got him recruited in the Pakistan Army. After this his ability created history. He had become India’s spy Major in the Pakistan Army. Major Nabi Ahmed Shakir is a trusted officer of Pakistan but the Black Tiger of India. After this, every day and every moment he kept sending intelligence information to India. Military plans, deployment of weapons, conspiracies of senior officials, everything was now in the hands of India. Due to his information, many war plans of Pakistan were foiled between 1979 and 1983. It is believed that about 20,000 soldiers were saved. He used to send information through invisible ink and post via Kuwait and Dubai. Each time he dodged death. His technique was so precise that the enemy did not get any clue for years. Whereas Ravindra’s life was hanging on just one thread. There was danger at every step. There was fear in every breath. Meanwhile, Ravindra falls in love. And this love was a story of love in fire and gunpowder. It was a story of trust. That story which might be one of the most unfortunate loves in the world. That story about which not much is known. A love that ended in a sad end.
A Love Story Amidst Espionage:-
In Pakistan, Ravindra aka Black Tiger fell in love with Amanat, the daughter of an army officer. Now no one knows whether this was from the heart or this was also a step towards spying. However, Ravindra’s later letters reveal that he was in love with his wife. The trust was his love. He was fond of Amanat. But this love was not a filmy romance. It was love blossoming amidst fire and gunpowder. There was a shadow of death in every meeting. There was a burden of hiding one’s identity every moment. But despite this, Ravindra made Amanat his own. Friendship in college turned into love. Got married from there. A daughter was also born. Although Ravindra never told his reality to Amanat. He started loving her. But his first love was his country. He knew that if his reality was revealed then Amanat and his daughter’s life would be in danger. Some days and some years passed happily but then one day his love fell into disrepair when everything went bad. Because of a mistake.
The Betrayal That Broke the Mission:-
In 1983, a mistake was made by RAW. A new, less trained spy from RAW was sent to Pakistan. And she was caught in Pakistan. The Pakistani intelligence agency tortured him and after that Ravindra Kaushik’s secret was revealed. That Ravindra who kept his secret hidden for years. About which Pakistan had no clue. He gets caught in Pakistan due to someone else’s mistake. One night when Ravindra is at his home, the army comes to the house. He is handcuffed in front of Amanat and her daughter. Amanat was heartbroken. His world was destroyed. She was not sure if the man she loved really loved her or did he use her out of love for his country ? It is said that there were tears in Ravindra’s eyes too. The limits of torture were crossed during interrogation. It is said that Pakistan had crossed all limits of torture. Electric shocks were given. Ravindra’s nails were pulled out. Kept him hungry and thirsty. Did n’t let me sleep. Mental torture was reached its extreme.
Torture Beyond Imagination:-
But Ravindra did not take the name of India. The Pakistani Army could not digest the fact that an Indian person lived among them for so many years. The Pakistani Army was not able to accept that he had reached Pakistan. Took admission in Karachi. Their army and Pakistan did not even get a clue. Ultimately Ravindra was sentenced to death. Which was later converted to life imprisonment. Although this punishment was worse than death. The male’s cell was given a rate of anonymity. Ravindra was thrown into dark cells in Sialkot and Mianwali prisons, with rotten bread and diseases.
A Hero Buried in Darkness:-
Ravindra was an Indian spy so he was kept like an animal and not like a human being. I don’t know what is day or night. The torture was so much that gradually diseases started surrounding him and then TB and heart disease hollowed him out. But the biggest rate was that of anonymity. No one in India knew that a son of India was inside Pakistan. Where from? Amanat and her daughter were ostracised in Pakistan. Ravindra wrote long letters asking to save him. Government of India, come to me. But she kept hearing all those letters. It is said that he rotted in Pakistan for 16 years. And then in 2001, at the age of 49, TB and a heart attack silenced the Black Tiger forever. The news of his death also reached India after several days. His mother kept asking this question that my son sacrificed his life for the country. Can’t there be a road, a square in the country named after my son ? The question arose that Ravindra saved 20,000 people in India and prevented the war from happening. Took care of India’s security.
A Mother’s Pain and a Nation’s Silence:-
But what did the country give in return of Ravindra’s sacrifice ? The mother who dedicated her son for the country, kept knocking on the doors of the government for years. She kept writing letters, kept pleading with leaders to save her, bring her back. His mother continued this effort for 16 years. But when the son died, the mother had many questions to which no one had answers. No one knows where Ravindra’s wife Amanat and his daughter are in Pakistan. He is anonymous. Nobody even knows whether he is alive or dead. The Indian government also did not take any concrete steps.
The Forgotten Family in Pakistan:-
Ravindra’s brother told that till her last breath his mother had hope that her son would return but that hope remained unfulfilled. In fact, not just the Indian Government, but all the governments of the world have a rule for spies that when you become a spy, you know that if you are caught, no one will accept your truth. I will not take your name. Ravindra had accepted the truth. But the question is, should we have accepted it or was it right according to that time? Well, we could not save Ravindra. But isn’t it our duty to remember our brave sons? Ravindra’s story slowly unfolded.
More Than a Spy – A National Legend:-
But his sacrifice did not get the respect it deserved. And this question still hurts today: do we forget the sacrifices of our spies? Ravindra Kaushik’s story is not just a detective story but also a story of sacrifice. Who entered the enemy’s house and made space. Kept India safe by becoming a Major in the Army. Saved the lives of 20,000 Indians. Many wars and many plans of Pakistan were foiled. Who left his home, his family and distanced himself from his mother. Who fell in love, made a family in Pakistan but then sacrificed everything for India. His information saved thousands of lives , but his death was lost in obscurity.
Conclusion: A Story That Must Not Be Forgotten:-
The Black Tiger saga should beat in the heart of every patriot. Both as a matter of happiness and as a matter of regret. It is a matter of regret that we could not give that story the respect and reward it deserved. Maybe he may not be found in the pages of history but his sacrifice is immortal. And we must ask this question: Will we be able to give respect to heroes like him? The answer is probably not, because this is the truth of the world of spies. But keeping his story alive, saluting his bravery, will be the true tribute. TThe Story of the Black Tiger. A story, it is our duty to keep it alive.