Union Home Minister Amit Shah presented the award to the 81-year-old on Saturday, praising his contribution to India's national security and recalling some of his most daring intelligence operations.

One of the most talked-about stories from Doval's career is his alleged undercover mission in Pakistan during the 1980s. According to the book 'Ajit Doval: On a Mission' by D Devadatt, Doval disguised himself as a poor beggar and spent years gathering intelligence about Pakistan's secret nuclear programme.

At that time, Pakistan was working to develop nuclear weapons after India's 1974 nuclear test. India needed reliable evidence about the progress of Islamabad's nuclear programme, and the mission was reportedly assigned to the young intelligence officer.

How did Ajit Doval gather evidence?

As per the book, Doval lived in Islamabad disguised as a beggar wearing torn clothes and moving around unnoticed on the streets. He reportedly stayed near Kahuta, where the Khan Research Laboratories (KRL), Pakistan's key nuclear research facility, was located.

The area was heavily guarded and visited by scientists, security personnel and senior government officials. Despite the tight security, Doval is said to have blended in with the local population for months while secretly observing activities around the facility.

The book claims that his biggest breakthrough came from a barber shop near the laboratory, where KRL scientists regularly visited for haircuts. Doval allegedly collected strands of hair left behind by the scientists and managed to send the samples to India for examination.

What did the hair samples reveal?

According to the account in the book, laboratory tests in India reportedly found traces of uranium and radiation in the hair samples. The findings were said to confirm that Pakistan was actively working on its nuclear weapons programme.

The mission reportedly continued for nearly six years, with Doval operating under constant risk of being exposed. The book claims that if he had been caught, he could have faced severe torture or even death.

It also states that the intelligence gathered during the operation played an important role in shaping India's national security strategy.