The world of intelligence is full of remarkable stories, but few are as striking as that of Ravinder Kaushik, a young theatre artist from Rajasthan who lived for years as a Pakistani Army Major. Known by the code name “Black Tiger,” Kaushik is remembered as one of India’s most valuable undercover spies whose journey ended in suffering far from home. Kaushik was born on April 11, 1952, in Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan, near the Punjab border to J.M. Kaushik and Amla Devi. His father served in the Indian Air Force. Ravinder studied at S. D. Bihani P. G. College, where he was known for his stage performances and mimicry. These very talents would later become key to his recruitment by RAW (Research and Analysis Wing). Becoming Nabi Ahmed Shakir In 1973, at the age of 23, Kaushik was selected by RAW. According to sadashree.substack.com, he told his family that he was going to Delhi for a job. In reality, he was beginning his journey as an undercover operative. Kaushik then underwent two years of intense training where he was taught Urdu, Islamic theology, Pakistani social customs and national culture. As per the report, to erase all traces of his Indian identity, he not only converted to Islam but also underwent circumcision and was given a new name: Nabi Ahmed Shakir. By 1975, he had fully assumed this new identity. He was sent to Pakistan, where he enrolled at Karachi University and earned a law degree. Later, he joined the Pakistan Army’s Military Accounts Department and rose through the ranks to become a Major. The Spy Who Slipped Through The System For years, Kaushik passed crucial intelligence to India from inside Pakistan. His information reportedly helped save thousands of lives. According to Economic Times, nearly 20,000 Indian lives were protected because of the inputs he provided. His ability to blend in was unmatched. It was so convincing that even his Pakistani wife, Amanat, never suspected that he was living a double life. His work earned him the code name “Black Tiger,” reportedly given by then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. One Mistake That Changed Everything In 1983, tragedy struck. As per Sadashree, another RAW agent, Inyat Masih, was caught by Pakistan’s Joint Counter-Intelligence Bureau. Under intense torture, Masih revealed Kaushik’s identity. The ISI then arranged a trap by setting up a meeting between the two. Kaushik was then arrested in a public park. What Happened After He Was Caught Kaushik was taken to an interrogation centre in Sialkot where he was tortured for nearly two years. In 1985, Pakistan’s Supreme Court sentenced him to death. Later, the sentence was reduced to life imprisonment. He spent the next 16 years in various Pakistani prisons. Despite numerous appeals, the Indian Government chose not to intervene. It was a diplomatic decision to avoid international scrutiny. But for Kaushik and his family, it was devastating. In his prison letters, he often spoke about his pain. “Kya Bharat jaise bade desh ke liye kurbani dene waalon ko yahi milta hai?” he wrote in one of his letters as quoted by Sadarshree. Just three days before his death, he reportedly said, “Had I been an American, I would have been out of this jail in three days.” The End Of His Journey Kaushik died in November 2001 at Mianwali Jail in Pakistan, after spending nearly two decades behind bars. Despite all he had done for the country, his story remained hidden from the public for years.