A Young IPS Officer Facing the Ultimate Test
National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval recently shared a riveting and emotional anecdote from the early days of his professional journey during the convocation ceremony at IIT Roorkee. He recounted how, during his early twenties as a young IPS officer handling intelligence responsibilities in Sikkim, he faced a critical juncture that made him believe his career was completely over.
At that time, Sikkim was in the process of merging with India, making the border regions extremely sensitive. Doval's primary duties included monitoring border areas and gathering intelligence on the movements of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA). Being new to the intricacies of intelligence work, every single day presented a fresh challenge.
When the Intelligence Mission Went Missing
Detailing the incident, Doval explained that an intelligence team had been dispatched across the border on a covert mission, expected to return within eight days. However, days passed, turning into weeks. After fifteen days with no sign of the team and no reports of natural disasters like avalanches, anxiety soared to unprecedented levels.
The worry was not merely professional but deeply human, as there was no confirmation whether the personnel were alive or dead. The uncertainty weighed heavily on the young officer as he struggled to find answers in the rugged Himalayan terrain.
"I felt my career was completely over. I was in my twenties and thought I would have to start my life all over again in a different direction." — Ajit Doval, National Security Advisor
The Rescue and The Life-Changing Lesson
The suspense ended when headquarters informed Doval that the team had been captured and interrogated by Chinese troops. Although diplomatic channels eventually secured their release, the agents returned in a severely traumatized state. An inquiry followed, which initially filled Doval with dread about his future.
However, an elderly Tibetan Sherpa working with the Intelligence Bureau noticed Doval's deep distress and offered a profound life lesson rooted in map reading. The Sherpa told him that whenever someone feels lost in life, they must remember three simple rules: know where you are right now, know where you want to go, and know the exact path to get there. Concluding his address, Doval urged the students of IIT Roorkee to view setbacks not as the end of the road, but as an opportunity to recalculate their path with clarity and determination.
