Ajit Doval is an Indian bureaucrat, spymaster, and retired police and intelligence officer who has served as India’s longest-tenured National Security Advisor (NSA) since 2014, currently in his third consecutive five-year term.
Known for his decades of covert intelligence work, including seven years undercover in Pakistan, Doval rose to prominence as Director of the Intelligence Bureau before becoming the architect behind some of India’s most significant security operations, including the 2016 surgical strikes, the 2019 Balakot airstrike, and the 2025 Operation Sindoor.
Widely regarded as one of the most powerful bureaucrats in India, he is often described by analysts as a “hawk” on national security matters.
Profile
| Full Name | Ajit Kumar Doval |
| Born | January 20, 1945 |
| Age | 81 years old |
| Birthplace | Pauri Garhwal, present-day Uttarakhand, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Occupation | National Security Advisor; retired IPS and intelligence officer |
| Education | Ajmer Military School; Agra University; National Defence College |
| Spouse | Aruni Doval (m. 1972) |
| Children | Two sons — Shaurya Doval and Vivek Doval |
Early Life
Ajit Kumar Doval was born on January 20, 1945, in Pauri Garhwal, in what is now the state of Uttarakhand, India.
He received his early education in Delhi and Ajmer, attending Ajmer Military School before pursuing further studies at Agra University and later the National Defence College.
His disciplined early education and upbringing in a security-conscious environment laid the foundation for his subsequent decades-long career in Indian intelligence and law enforcement.
Education
Doval completed his schooling at Ajmer Military School before going on to study at Agra University.
He later attended the National Defence College in New Delhi, an institution focused on training senior officials in strategic and security studies.
After clearing the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examination in 1968, he joined the Indian Police Service (IPS), allotted to the Kerala cadre.
Career
Ajit Doval began his police career in 1968 as an IPS officer of the Kerala cadre. He went on to serve as a career intelligence officer for over 33 years, spending more than a decade heading the operations wing of the Intelligence Bureau before being appointed its Director from 2004 to 2005.
During his time in intelligence, Doval spent seven years working undercover in Pakistan during the 1970s and 1980s, gathering critical information that shaped India’s understanding of regional security threats.
He became the youngest police officer in India to receive the Kirti Chakra, a top peacetime gallantry award, for his role in the 1988 Operation Black Thunder II, which neutralized militants holed up in the Golden Temple. Between 1971 and 1999, he was involved in handling at least 15 hijacking cases of Indian Airlines aircraft, including serving as one of three negotiators during the 1999 IC-814 hijacking crisis in Kandahar.
In May 2014, following the election of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Doval was appointed National Security Advisor, a position he has held continuously since, being elevated to Cabinet rank during his second term in 2019 and beginning his third term on June 10, 2024.
As NSA, he has overseen the September 2016 surgical strikes, the February 2019 Balakot airstrikes, efforts to resolve the 2017 Doklam standoff, and India’s precision strikes during the 2025 Operation Sindoor following the Pahalgam terror attack.
In January 2026, he addressed the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue, urging Indian youth to pursue nation-building as a form of civilizational resurgence.
Awards & Nominations
- Kirti Chakra — for Operation Black Thunder II (1988), the youngest police officer in India to receive the honor at the time
- Police Medal
- President’s Police Medal
- Honorary Doctorate — Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar University (December 2017)
- Honorary Doctorate — Kumaun University (May 2018)
- Honorary Doctorate — Amity University (November 2018)
- Uttarakhand Gaurav Samman (2022)
Personal Life
Ajit Doval married Aruni Doval, from the Dasmana family of Bagyali village in Pauri Garhwal, in 1972; the couple has been married for over five decades. Aruni is a retired teacher who maintains a private profile. The couple has two sons, Shaurya Doval and Vivek Doval.
Doval’s life and covert operations have inspired multiple screen portrayals, including Paresh Rawal’s depiction of a Doval-inspired character in the 2019 film Uri: The Surgical Strike, R. Madhavan’s portrayal of a character based on him in the 2025 film Dhurandhar and its 2026 sequel, and the 2025 web series Salakaar, which dramatized his undercover operations in Pakistan.
Net Worth
As a government official serving as National Security Advisor with Cabinet rank, Ajit Doval’s income is derived from his official government salary and associated allowances.
Specific net worth figures have not been publicly disclosed, consistent with the low public financial profile typical of senior Indian government officials in security-focused roles.
Career Milestones
- Joined the Indian Police Service, Kerala cadre (1968)
- Head of Operations Wing, Intelligence Bureau (over a decade)
- Director, Intelligence Bureau (2004–2005)
- National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister of India (since May 2014, third consecutive term from June 2024)
- Oversaw the 2016 surgical strikes, 2019 Balakot airstrikes, and 2025 Operation Sindoor
Conclusion
With a career spanning nearly six decades in Indian intelligence, law enforcement, and national security policymaking, Ajit Doval has become one of the most influential and enduring figures in India’s strategic establishment.
As India’s longest-serving National Security Advisor, his doctrine of proactive deterrence continues to shape the country’s approach to counter-terrorism and geopolitical strategy well into 2026.