R. N. Kao

Who was R. N. Kao?

Rameshwar Nath Kao was a spymaster and the first chief of India's external intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing from its founding in 1969 to 1977. Kao was one of India's foremost intelligence officers, and helped build R&AW.He held the position of Secretary in the Cabinet Secretariat of the Government of India, which has been held by all R&AW directors since. He had also, during the course of his long career, served as the personal security chief to Prime Minister Nehru and as security adviser to Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. He also founded the Aviation Research Centre and the Joint Intelligence Committee. An intensely private man, Kao was rarely seen in public post-retirement, and was photographed only twice throughout his life.