A decades-old covert operation involving a nuclear-powered spy device on India's revered Nanda Devi mountain has resurfaced in public discourse, raising fresh questions about environmental risks and Cold War espionage. The incident, dating back to 1965, involved a joint US-India mission that went awry, leading to the loss of a plutonium-fueled monitoring device near the headwaters of the Ganga.
The Covert Mission and Its Disappearance
In the aftermath of China's first nuclear test in 1964, the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), in collaboration with the Indian government at the highest levels, initiated a secret operation. The objective was to install a remote-sensing device powered by a nuclear pack on Nanda Devi to monitor missile developments in the region. The mountain, located in what is now Uttarakhand, was chosen for its strategic vantage point.
A team comprising expert American climbers, recruited with financial incentives and appeals to patriotism, alongside Indian mountaineers led by Captain M S Kohli, embarked on the expedition in 1965. The mission aimed to plant a sophisticated listening device energized by 2 to 3 pounds of plutonium-238 metal alloy. This radioactive fuel was sealed inside multiple protective capsules designed to prevent leakage.
However, the team faced severe weather conditions and was forced to abandon the heavy device partway up the mountain. Subsequent attempts to locate it failed. Annual searches by ground teams and helicopters continued until 1968, but the apparatus, weighing 38 pounds and encased in aluminium, was never recovered.
1978: The Indian Express Report Triggers a National Uproar
The story exploded into the public domain on April 13, 1978, when The Indian Express published a report from its Washington correspondent, T V Parasuram. Headlined "CIA planted device may pollute Ganga," the article cited a piece in a US magazine by writer Howard Kohn. It warned that the lost plutonium device could potentially contaminate the sacred river's source through radioactivity.
The report caused immediate political turmoil in New Delhi. An uproar in Parliament compelled the then Prime Minister, Morarji Desai, to address the house. The government swung into action on multiple fronts. The Foreign Secretary, J S Mehta, summoned the US Ambassador to India, Robert F Goheen, demanding an urgent explanation. Simultaneously, a scientific response was mobilized.
Scientific Scramble and Political Fallout
A dedicated team of scientists from the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) was formed to assess any potential contamination. Scientists P Abraham and Dr K C Pillai from BARC's health physics division were tasked with leading the on-ground investigation. They were provided aerial reconnaissance and logistical support by the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force (IAF).
An operation was launched to collect water samples from suspected areas near Nanda Devi and from points along the river, including Haridwar, Rishikesh, and Banbasa. These samples were dispatched to BARC's laboratory in Trombay for rigorous analysis.
In his detailed statement to Parliament, PM Morarji Desai provided technical specifics of the device to allay fears. He explained that the plutonium was contained in capsules with an inner layer of 20mm-thick tantalum and an outer shell of a strong nickel alloy. He assured the house that water samples analyzed up to 1970 showed no trace of radioactive contamination.
Desai also revealed that a second device was successfully installed on a neighbouring peak in 1967, functioned for a period, and was safely retrieved and returned to the United States in 1968. The episode concluded with a bureaucratic footnote: the Army sought clarification on which budget head would cover the expenses incurred for collecting the river water samples.
A Legacy of Intrigue and Unanswered Questions
The story of the lost Nanda Devi device remains a captivating chapter in the history of intelligence operations and environmental anxiety. It highlights the extent of India-US cooperation during the Cold War against the backdrop of the Chinese nuclear threat. While official investigations at the time found no evidence of pollution, the device's final resting place in the fragile Himalayan ecosystem is still unknown. The recent spotlight from international publications ensures that this tale of high-altitude espionage and its potential ecological consequences continues to intrigue and concern a new generation.
