KOCHI: From his role as the security officer of Narendra Modi to become the best commando of the National Security Guard in 2009, Lucky Bisht’s journey is filled with thrilling and life-altering experiences. The former secret service agent shares his story of triumph over adversity in his biography 'R.A.W. Hitman: The Real Story of Agent Lima,' penned by S Hussain Zaidi and released in early July (Simon & Schuster).
Bisht’s motivation to share his life story as an NSG commando and spy stems from his lineage. His grandfather died a hero, fighting the Pakistani Army in the war of 1971. Bisht shares, “After witnessing the sacrifices of my grandfather and father, joining the Army was a calling. Growing up in Uttarakhand, I also witnessed the lack of jobs in our region.
As a result, many, including myself, aspired to join esteemed units like the Kumaon Regiment and the Garhwal Rifles.” His journey led him to the secret service in 2004, where he underwent rigorous training in Israel before returning to India. For years, Bisht dedicated himself to operations in conflict zones – Congo, Somalia, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. However, witnessing relentless violence began to take its toll. “I became tired of just doing operations. I longed for peace and a chance to see India in a different light,” he reveals.
Bisht’s desire for change led him to the National Security Guard (NSG) in 2010, where he was recognised as the best commando. But his thirst to explore persisted. “I told my seniors that I didn’t want to sit in a camp; I wanted to roam around,” he explains. This led to a transfer from instructor to a personal security officer, where he had served and protected prominent figures – LK Advani, Narendra Modi, and Parkash Singh Badal.
However, Bisht’s journey was not without its trials. He faced accusations and rumours surrounding his identity as a contract killer named ‘Lima’ linked to RAW. “During my tenure as Advani’s security officer in 2011, two influential individuals were murdered on the Nepal border. One of them had 21 unsubstantial murders attributed to him, while the other had 18. Both were intending to contest elections.
Intelligence Bureau and RAW claimed that these individuals were involved in expanding the network of Mirza Dilshad Beg, a Nepali parliamentarian with questionable ties to Dawood Ibrahim’s D-company. As soon as the shootout happened, some reports went that these murders were done by me, and that Lima and I are the same people. What was the then-government thinking when they put an innocent man in jail?” he questions. It was only later that his case was reevaluated, leading to his eventual release.
As readers delve into Bisht’s book, they will discover the journey of a man who turned his worst moments into sources of inspiration. But he still hopes that his mother doesn’t read his biography. “I don’t want her to go through all the pain again. It took almost eight years for her to forget her son’s pain. I also want to tell readers that there is not a single soul on earth who hasn’t faced ups and downs in. But what differentiates winners is that they make their worst moments their strength,” he says, adding that a movie based on the book is in the making, and is set to release next year.