National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval’s life has always been like a detective novel. His mission started not with Pakistan or China, but from the Himalayan state Sikkim. Sikkim was in crime in the early 1970s. Queen Hope Cook was seen as a detective queen in Delhi, who was allegedly related to the CIA. During that time India’s relations with America were tense.

India was afraid of losing its influence in Sikkim at that time, which served as a buffer against China. Then Ajit Doval was assigned to Ajit Doval to keep Sikkim in India in the role of intelligence officer. Sikkim was ruled by the Chogyal dynasty since 1642. After India’s independence in 1947, it became a protected state, which meant that Delhi handled defense and foreign affairs, while Chogyal looked at internal affairs. After 1965, this system started changing, when Palden Thondup Namgyal became Chogyal after the death of his father.

Hope Cook married Thondup leaving US citizenship
Thondup met Hope Cook two years ago, who gave up his American citizenship to marry him. By mid -1960, she became the queen and started interfering in Sikkim matters. In an interview to foreign journalists, Hope Cook portrayed Sikkim as a nation opposing Indian pressure and started pressurizing her husband to separate Sikkim from India.

Author Devdutt D has mentioned in his book
Writer Devdutt D. has told in his book Ajit Doval: On a Mission how the intelligence officials of Delhi suspected to have the influence of Washington behind all this. His presence became even more controversial during the 1971 Bangladesh War, when Washington openly supported Pakistan. The growing American influence in the Himalayas was nothing short of a nightmare, especially when China was already hovering to the north.

Displeasure towards American queen started increasing
During this, Ajit Doval established himself among the local people and started talking to the leaders. Doval’s reports revealed that the people of Sikkim, especially the majority of the Nepali population, were increasing resentment towards the American queen. He considered the palace anti-India. Protests started in Sikkim by 1973. The protesters took out a march against the monarchy and demanded democracy.

How Sikkim became the 22nd state of India
Due to increasing pressure, Rani Hope Cook then left Sikkim and moved to New York and never returned again. After 2 years, in 1975, the Sikkim Legislative Assembly voted heavy in favor of abolishing the monarchy and merger in India. More than 97 percent of the people supported the merger in the referendum. Delhi took fast steps and Sikkim became the 22nd state of India.

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