At Kota House in New Delhi on Saturday evening, the official launch of The Chabimaster by Harinder S Sikka brought together real-world intelligence and popular storytelling. With senior defence officials, legal names, and film personalities in attendance, the evening reflected the growing pull of espionage stories rooted in lived experience.
Best known for his novel Calling Sehmat, which was later adapted into the Bollywood film Raazi, Sikka – who had previously served as a Lieutenant Commander in the Indian Navy – continues his exploration of high-stakes, real-world espionage with The Chabimaster. The book builds on his signature style by blending research with emotion and fact with narrative urgency. Inspired by the life of a RAW operative, the story centres on an unlikely protagonist: an ordinary boy whose journey is less about breaking in and more about unlocking.
Explaining the idea behind the title, Sikka said, “The story is about a very ordinary man. His aim was not to lock; his entire aim was to unlock. The Chabimaster is someone who teaches you how to unlock your mind.” He added that the book was a long time in the making, taking nearly three to four years to complete. Calling himself an “accidental writer,” he said, “I don’t know how to write, but I pour my heart out.”
The book was formally launched by Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Chief of the Naval Staff, along with Justice Manmohan of the Supreme Court of India, former cricketer Kapil Dev, filmmaker Boney Kapoor, and celebrity spiritual coach Dr Jai Madaan.
