Filmmaker Karan Johar has announced a new film based on Rameshwar Nath Kao, the legendary Indian intelligence officer and the founding chief of the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW). The announcement was made on Monday, September 21, coinciding with the Foundation Day of India’s external intelligence agency. This year, the foreign agency is celebrating the 58th Foundation Day of R&AW.
The upcoming project is expected to explore lesser-known episodes from Kao’s life and his role in shaping India’s intelligence architecture. While details about the film’s cast, director and release date are yet to be revealed, the announcement has generated interest around the story of one of India’s most influential intelligence figures. But who exactly was RN Kao and what was his contribution to the country? Keep on reading his operations, challenges and more about his life.
Karan Johar announces film on RN Kao on R&AW 58th Foundation Day
Karan Johar, who is known for bringing drama, coming-of-age films through his production house, Dharma Production, is going to make something extraordinary. The filmmaker is set to bring the story of one of the legendary figures from India, R&AW founder Rameshwar Nath Kao, to the big screen. "He built the invisible…but history remembers his impact. Today marks 58 years of R&AW and we’re thrilled to announce our film on the story of RN Kao, the man who operated in the shadows & brought to light an institution we know today as R&AW - and its first mission," Johar wrote on Instagram.
R&AW celebrates 58th Foundation Day
Research and Analysis Wing is India's primary foreign intelligence agency that works to collect information about political, military and economic developments outside India. The agency tracks international groups and helps to prevent external threats. Apart from that, the agency also advises top government leaders on foreign policy and defence. R&AW's main core is to conduct secret operations abroad when needed to protect India's interests. The R&AW was formed in 1968 by bifurcating the Intelligence Bureau (IB). Kao, who was a deputy director in the IB, was given the charge of India's external intelligence agency. Kao began with a small team of reportedly around 250 agents from the IB. These agents were later known as "Kaoboys".
Who was RN Kao?
Kao was born in Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi on May 10, 1918, to a Kashmiri Pandit family that later migrated from Srinagar to Uttar Pradesh. He was brought up by his uncle, Pandit Trilokinath Kao. He joined the Indian Police Service and later became associated with intelligence work. He played an important role in developing India’s intelligence capabilities before the formation of R&AW. He died on January 20, 2002, at the age of 83 in New Delhi due to old age and natural causes.
Involved in major intelligence
During his tenure, Kao was involved in several major intelligence operations and diplomatic initiatives. He is widely associated with India’s intelligence efforts surrounding the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971. Under his leadership, R&AW expanded its network and developed capabilities focused on external security and strategic intelligence.
Kao was also known for maintaining a low public profile, with much of his work remaining confidential. As a result, several aspects of his professional life and intelligence operations have remained outside the public domain.
Interesting facts about RN Kao
RN Kao was the legendary founder of India's external intelligence agency R&AW, who was an intensely private master spy known globally as "the gentleman spy".
Kao, for a while, took up a job in a cigarette company floated by Pt. Jag Mohan Narain Mushran, the then Chief Justice of the Benares State.
RN Kao joined the Indian Imperial Police in 1940 after clearing Civil services examination. He was first posted at Cawnpore (now Kanpur) as an Assistant Superintendent of Police.
In the late 50s, he was sent to Ghana to help the then government of Prime Minister Kwame Nkrumah set up an intelligence and security organisation there.
