‘They were caught by the Chinese': NSA Ajit Doval recounts moment he thought was end of his career

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval recounted a moment that he believed to be the end of his career while addressing students at the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee. Doval spoke of an intelligence mission sent to monitor border activities between India and China in Sikkim, which became a part of India during his tenure. The team, tasked with a five-day mission, failed to return after ten days, causing distress and concern.

After 15 days, Doval received a call from the Intelligence Bureau, informing him that the team had been captured by the Chinese army. Despite initial distress, Doval was not held responsible for the incident, later discovering errors in the sketches and maps provided by the headquarters to the team. This prompted him to seek advice from a Tibetan Sherpa colleague, who imparted valuable insights on map-reading and posed three life-altering questions: where one is on the map, where they wish to go, and the route to reach their destination.

Doval shared his experience to emphasize the importance of careful map-reading and strategic planning in both professional and personal lives.