January 20, 2022 marked the 20th anniversary of the passing of Rameshwar Nath Kao, founding Head of the Research & Analysis Wing (R&AW) and, arguably, one of the most accomplished and influential intelligence chiefs of all time.
From 2007 till 2019, the R&AW used to hold the annual Kao Memorial Lecture at its headquarters in the last week of January but the outbreak of the novel coronavirus pandemic meant that the event has had to be kept on hold since then. This tribute is a modest attempt to give expression to the collective sense of excitement and pride that members of India’s intelligence community experience when the lecture is held.
