The Unknown Tiger – The Black Tiger

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It is very interesting for our Nation to have been awaiting the flick “Ek Tha Tiger”. Interesting because the nation has had so many real tigers who need to be praised for their bravery and their courage to have laid their lives for the Nation, for Mother India. Today, when the nation is headed to celebrate 65 yrs of Independence, I feel that there are many Unsung Heroes and known Tigers who need to be Saluted and whose families need to be honored on this Day when India got its freedom 65 years back.


One such Tiger or the National Hero was Ravindra Kaushik, who was born in Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan in 1952 to an ex Air Force personnel Mr. J M Kaushik.  He served the nation till his last breath in 2001.  He is one of the real hero who the nation needs to recognize for his bravery.  The unfortunate son whose hard work though helped the nation in many ways, but was never recognized.  Whose glory should have touched the height of the Skies above, but were rather burried deep in the politics.

Ravindra Kaushik, was one of those who sacrificed their youth, their family life and their own interest in the interest of the nation.  He, who was known for his “Mono-Acting” and Mimicry Skills, left everything for serving the nation.  In 1971, he joined RAW (Research and Analysis Wing), India’s External Intelligence Agency and underwent rigorous training for two years.  During the training, he learnt Urdu, given religious education, taught about the topography of Pakistan and then to show him as a Muslim “Sunnat” was performed on him.

Ravindra was then sent to Pakistan with an identity as a resident of Islamabad and he enrolled in Karanchi University for a Law Degree. After completing is Law Degree, he could successfully join Pakistan’s Army as a commissioned officer and went up being promoted to the rank of ‘Major’.

Ravindra accomplished a major operation in 1979 while serving as the Officer in Pakistan’s Army & for that success that helped India, he was awarded with the title of “Black Tiger”.   But who would know that later the same title would break open his identity as it happened in 1983.  The unfortunate incident when another Indian operative was captured in Pakistan and was interrogated for his motives. That operative broke and revealed the identity of The Black Tiger.  Ravindra was arrested and tortured to reveal information about the Indian Army. But the Tiger that he was, he never succumbed to any pressure and finally in 1985 he was sentenced to death which subsequently was converted to life imprisonment in 1990.  Ravindra spent almost 18 years in Pakistan’s jail and finally succumbed to prolonged illness on November 21, 2001.  His body was Buried behind the jail in Mianwali.

The unfortunate Son of Soil could have been brought back, but he was not.  The Govt led by Indira Gandhi denied his Indian Citizenship and his existence as The Citizen of India and RAW operative are said to have been erased from the Govt and RAW files.  The once Black Tiger went down the history of Indian Intelligence Operations as an Unknown Tiger till the controversy on the movie “Ek Tha Tiger” broke with his nephew Vikram Vashisth slamming a Legal Notice to the Producer of the Movie to give Due Credits to the late Hero.

The Producers and the Director Kabir Khan have vehemently denied any connection between the movie and the Real Life Hero Ravindra Kaushik.  Whatever is the truth of the movie and the script, we as the fellow citizens must rise and salute the Black Tiger as well as the other Unsung Hero of the Nation. Today if we are enjoying our freedom and celebrating the Independence, we owe them a tribute and the respect for their sacrifices.
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Credits – Daily Pioneer, The Telegraph, 

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