Category: Book Reviews

Authors, Book Reviews

“The Battle Of Rezang La” by Kulpreet Yadav

The defeat of units of the Indian Army at various places by the Chinese in the 1962 War left deep scars in the psyche of most Indians. However, there were a few isolated cases of incredible bravery. The Battle of Rezang La was one of them. I was 11 years old in November 1962 when the epic battle was fought till the last bullet and the last man by the valiant men of 13 Kumaon under the leadership of Major Shaitan Singh.

Kulpreet Yadav’s book, “The Battle of Rezang La” published by Penguin Veer in September 2021 is a must read for all interested in modern Indian history. It retraces the events that took place on November 18, 1962 in the intense cold at heights over 18,000 feet in Rezang La. Men of C (Charlie) Company of 13 Kumaon faced enemy forces that vastly out numbered them. The Chinese had location advantages and far superior weapons and equipment. The Ahirs from Haryana who made up C Company had raw courage and a determination not to yield an inch of Indian territory.

The 1962 Indo-China War started in October 1962 and ended in December 1962 . Short though the period of conflict was, these few months took a heavy toll of India’s soldiers. More often than not they fought with poor clothing, totally ill equipped to fight in the intense cold of the mountain areas they were tasked to defend against overwhelming odds. Of course, the War also affected India’s political and military leadership. Prime Minister Nehru was never the same again, and died within the next two years. The Defence Minister Krishna Menon was sacked and the Army Chief, Gen P N Thapar had to resign. This book details one of the battles forced upon the Indian Army by the poor strategy and vision of Nehru, Menon and Thapar.

The main difference between this and many other battles in the short war was that the Indian officers and men displayed phenomenal courage and fortitude. Kulpreet Yadav (who retired as Commandant in the Indian Coast Guard after 23 years service) writes that the debacle of 1962, where a Nehru-led India lost humiliatingly to China, was not allowed to be discussed in public discourses or books. That facts about the Battle of Rezang La were not known at all to the public at large which vastly disappointed the author. This motivated him to research this battle which has few, if any, parallels in the annals of military history.

In the first week of February 1963, a Ladhaki shepherd discovered the frozen bodies of the Kumaonis. They were found in the positions they had died, carrying their weapons with them. Most of them had many bullets in their bodies. Amongst the dead was Major Shaitan Singh, the Company Commander. He was later awarded the Param Vir Chakra – India’s highest honour for displaying acts of valour during war- posthumously.

On that day in 1963, the bodies of 96 soldier of Charlie Company were recovered from Rezang La and cremated with full military honours amid the chanting of Vedic mantras. The combined funeral pyre was lit by Brig. T N Raina, the Brigade Commander. Many years later, he became the Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army.

The author did considerable personal research before writing this book. Being from Haryana himself, he met families of the brave Ahirs from that state who made up the complement of C Company of 13 Kumaon. He also talked to officers and men who took part in the battle, though they were not on the spot in Rezang La that fateful day in November 1962.

Charlie Company of 13 Kumaon was given the honour of being called “The Rezang La Company.” Today there is a memorial in their honour in Ladakh. The inspiration is: “To the sacred memory of the heroes of Rezang-La
114 martyrs of 13 Kumaon who fought to the last man last round
against hordes of Chinese on 18 November 1962. Built by all ranks 
13th Battalion, the Kumaon Regiment.”

I would recommend this book to all students of military history and modern Indian history. I also hope the story of the famous Battle of Rezang La will reach the youth of our country.

Authors, Book Reviews

“The German Daughter” by Marius Gabriel

Recently I finished reading, “The German Daughter” by Marius Gabriel and found it very interesting. A decorated Royal Air Force (RAF) veteran of the Second World War passes away in the late 1960s leaving his grand daughter totally distraught. He had brought her up and cared for her more than anybody else. Agnes, the young lady, soon stumbles upon some evidence that changes her world forever. She realises that what she had been told all her life- that her parents had died in a car accident – was not true at all. Now she wonders if they were her parents at all. It then sinks in that the recently deceased grandfather who had brought her up with so much love -was not whom she had always imagined him to be!

These tumultuous events prompt her to give up her job and start searching for answers to many questions that torment her. She ignores the well meaning advice of friends to get on with her life and not dig into the past. She has no idea what will emerge from the web of deceit cultivated over the years in England, Norway and in Germany.

Agnes’s frantic search takes her first to Norway and to then undivided Berlin where most of the story is set. In the course of the search, she meets her biological mother, with whose life the actual story starts in Norway in the Second World War. She finds out about her father and about a sister, whom she did not know existed till then. This sister lives in East Berlin. On seeing her it becomes Agnes’s deepest desire to get her to safety and a better life in West Berlin.

The story moves at a fast pace. The author skilfully presents the story over the past (1940s) and the present (1960s) making it quite absorbing. Recommended if you like a thriller with lots of history thrown in.

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Authors, Book Reviews

“The Rise of the Hitman- The Rohit Sharma Story” by R Kaushik

Being an avid cricket fan for six and a half decades, I love books on cricket and cricketers! I was delighted to read, R Kaushik’s “The Rise of the Hitman- The Rohit Sharma Story“. This was published recently by Rupa Publications.

For those readers of this blog, who don’t follow cricket as much as we do in India, let me say that Rohit G. Sharma is one of India’s superstar cricketers. He has successfully captained India to the T20 World Championship in 2024 and the Champions Trophy in 2025. These after that huge disappointment of losing to the Aussies in the finals of the 2023 ODI Championships. Rohit announced his retirement from Test cricket a couple of weeks ago.

In the world of franchisee cricket, he has had the distinction of leading Mumbai Indians to 5 victories in the prestigious Indian Premier League (IPL). Years ago, in 2009, he was a member of the victorious Deccan Challengers team- which gives him bragging rights to 6 IPL titles.

Rohit scored over 4300 runs in 67 Tests with an average of 40.58 and 12 centuries with a highest score of 212. He played 275 ODIs scoring over 11100 runs for India, with an average of 48.77 and a strike rate of 92. He hit 32 centuries including 3 double centuries. His highest score of 264 made in 2014 still remains the world record. In the more modern and currently everyone’s favourite format – the T 20, he has played 159 matches for India scoring 4231 runs averaging 32.05 with a strike rate of 140.89. He has scored 5 T20I centuries as well.

With this in context, let’s get back to the book. I found the book to be largely made up of impressions of Rohit, as a player, as a captain, and as a friend and human being from many eminent cricketers. The author has gleaned their thoughts and impressions over the years as they saw Rohit in different capacities. They include the likes of Rahul Dravid, V V S Laxman, Anil Kumble, and W V Raman, who need no introduction to the cricket fan. Dinesh Lad, Rohit’s first coach recalls his childhood days and how he saw the latent talent in the boy from Borivali, a suburb of Mumbai.

“The Hitman” as Rohit is affectionately called by his world wide legion of Tests fans, went through many ups and downs. There were several deep disappointments, especially in the early years. His missing his first Test in 2010 due to an unfortunate injury on the morning of the Test readily comes to mind. Such was the competition for places in the Indian Test team that he had to wait for 3 years before he finally made his Test debut. Another big disappointment was his missing out on the T20 Team for the 2011 Championship which India won.

We read about his journey as a cricketer from the young days when he was seen as a boy with great talent till he became the icon he now is. The book highlights his skills as a player and more importantly as a skipper. It describes his memorable performances and what he brought to the table as he led from the front. As a captain of India, he won 12/ 24 Tests, 45/56 ODIs and 49/62 T20I. A very commendable record, indeed!

Ritika Sajdeh, his wife, has contributed immensely to Rohit’s successes. She deserves every credit for standing by him through thick and thin. I wish we had heard more from Rohit’s parents- their perspectives and challenges.

Books on crickets are devoured by cricket lovers. We just love our statistics! So, to set The Hitman’s cricketing achievements in context, I wish the book had a page on his career statistics, to make it more complete.

Thank you, Kaushik, for yet another well-written cricketing book! Your simple and elegant language makes for easy reading. We look forward to many more.

Authors, Book Reviews

“Meet The Kellys” by Chris Enss

When you hear there was a gangster in the 1930s in the US called George “Machine Gun” Kelly, what kind of guy would you think he was? Like me, you may have imagined a killer who shot people using a machine gun. In reality, George Kelly Barnes was a criminal who specialised in boot legging, bank robberies and kidnapping. He never killed anybody, leave alone with a machine gun!!

I came to know this and other interesting facts on reading ” Meet The Kellys” by Chris Enss. Thanks to #NetGalley I got a review copy of #MeettheKellys. This book – described as- The True Story of Machine Gun Kelly And His Moll Kathryn Thorne- is scheduled to be published by Kensington Publishing later this month.

Following the years of the Great Depression and Prohibition, the 1930s saw many criminals gain notoriety in the United States. “Machine Gun” Kelly was one of them, and his name was as well known as others like Al Capone, Ma Barker, John Dillinger, and the couple : Bonny and Clyde. Basing her story on newspaper articles and recollections of those who lived in those times, the author describes the lives of George Kelly and his wife Kathryn Thorne.

As you read this well-researched book, you will understand the personalities of this couple and the dynamics that were at play between them. George Kelly Barnes was from Memphis, Tennessee, and had an unhappy childhood. He wanted the good life and wanted money without working for it at all. Kathryn Thorne was already divorced twice when she first met him. She was street smart, good looking, willing to take risks and loved a life of luxury. She felt that Kelly would be the one to provide her with all that she wanted. All in all, she was the gangster’s moll.

The book describes in detail how the Kellys kidnapped Charles Urschel, the oil tycoon and the trial that followed. This was the biggest crime they committed. The case caught the attention of the media all over the country. Kidnappings were happening in plenty at that time and Urschel was kidnapped shortly after the Lindbergh case. This was the first big case of this type assigned to the FBI as kidnapping had been made a Federal offence.

The book paints a realistic picture of life in the United States in the 1930s. Poverty, greed, ambition, desperation and even little or no fear of the law made many take to crime. Some cases were more infamous than others. George “Machine Gun” Kelly and Kathryn Thorne were one amongst them.

I liked the book which was informative and interesting .

Authors, Book Reviews

“Wolf Six” by Alex Shaw

If you are a top rated assassin available for hire, you are bound to deal with violence- and lots of it. “Wolf Six” is the code name of Ruslan Akulov, a top rated assassin. He is a master in his field of work, his services are sought by many and his work takes him to different parts of the world. Naturally, “Wolf Six” by Alex Shaw has violence, more violence and still more violence splashed all over its pages.

Alex Shaw is an active member and contributor to the International Thriller Writers Organisation and the Crime Writers Association. He was shortlisted for the Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize in 2021.

The fast-paced thriller sees action in the United States, Cuba, and Ukraine as Akulov carries out his latest assignment for a client in the United States. He is no stranger to the Ukraine being from that country though he spent most of his formative years in Russia. As a young man he was selected for “The Werewolves” then Russia’s most coveted Special Forces, serving there with distinction for many years. He honed his skills as a sharpshooter and learnt much about the field craft of a sniper during this phase of his life.

The book has many twists and turns. It brings out the incredible amount of intrigue that goes on behind the scenes in international gang warfare. Shaw has a crisp, direct and hard-hitting style of writing. I am sure you will enjoy the book if, like me, you look forward to fast-paced action thrillers.

I was happy to hear that “Wolf Six” is the first in a series of books being published by Alex Shaw. My best wishes go out to him! Cheers to you, Alex!

Authors, Book Reviews

“Kitne Ghazi Aaye Kitne Ghazi Gaye”: Lt Gen. KJS Dhillon (Retd)

Of course, I had heard of General Dhillon, especially when he commanded the Indian Army’s 15 Corps in Kashmir. I was thrilled to hear that he had published his memoirs having heard so much about this illustrious soldier. I had the pleasure of reading, “Kitne Ghazi Aaye, Kitne Ghazi Gaye” recently. This book was published by Penguin Veer in January 2023. I know he has since written another book but we will come to that in due course of time.

As an avid reader of contemporary military history, I have read the biographies of many Generals/ Admirals/Air Chief Marshals from the days of World War 2. Unfortunately, I don’t think there are many about Indian military leaders. Yes, there have been books on Field Marshal Cariappa and General K S Thimayya but not on many others, as far as I know. It was refreshing therefore to read a more contemporary account of a General of great repute who retired from active service but recently.

In his well-written book which is full of interesting anecdotes, General Dhillon takes us back to his childhood in Punjab. From a young age, he and his friends wanted to be in the Indian Army. Not surprising considering that many of their family had served the paltan. The book takes us on General Dhillon’s journey from being a young cadet at the National Defence Academy to rising to the high position of Director General, Defence Intelligence Agency. In the course of 35 years in uniform, General Kanwal Jeet Singh Dhillon had to deal with many challenges, some of which he has described in considerable detail in the book.

Perhaps because ours was, is and always probably will be a volunteer force, sadly most civilians in India have little or no idea of what life in the Indian Army entails. Conscription and compulsory military service in many countries give their citizens insights into life in the Services as many have served in them themselves. Apart from his own professional challenges, it was great to see General Dhillon write at length about the lives of the families of Army personnel. We cannot find adequate words to describe the role they play in helping our soldiers defend our borders. He writes about the challenges and hardships they frequently face and the courage with which they face these challenges.

The terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir have taken a toll since Independence. General Dhillon has served several tours of duty in this region since 1988 and writes authoritatively about his experiences here in different capacities over the decades.

As General Dhillon exhorted his troops, ” Wear your uniform with honour and pride, which is bestowed on only the select few, and ensure you make a difference in whatever you do in the service of the nation. Your nation, army, regiment and platen is the pride that you will live and die for.”

I would strongly recommend this book – with its arresting book cover picture- to every Indian. I follow General Dhillon on X.com and suggest you do the same. After all, each and every Indian can and should do all we can to defend our country against its enemies. Jai Hind!

Authors, Book Reviews

“Aavarana: The Veil” by Dr S L Bhyrappa

I recently read a book written by the noted Kannada writer Dr S L Bhyrappa. He needs no introduction having been a best selling novelist for over 25 years, apart from being a profound scholar. The book is titled, ”Aavarana: The Veil” . I read the book translated into English by Sandeep Balakrishna.

To start with, the story is extremely well written for a complex subject. It covers so much ground without becoming dry and boring in any way or at any time. It’s about the life of Lakshmi -from a small town in Karnataka -who meets, falls in love and gets married to Amir her classmate at the FTII much against the wishes of her conservative parents. As is to be expected, the couple have to face the hardships one would most commonly come across in an inter faith marriage. Her father virtually cuts off relations with her because she married a Muslim much against his advice.

When she lives in Amir’s house with his parents and other relatives, Lakshmi now known as Razia, realises that the differences in their faiths was much more than she imagined. The atmosphere becomes claustrophobic for her. She feels her every move is watched with intense scrutiny waiting for her to make- one more mistake. The story then captures her travails and disappointments till eventually the fateful day comes when Amir utters those three dreaded words: Talaq Talaq Talaq to divorce her. (Please remember this book was first written in 2014, before Triple Talaq became outlawed in India in 2017) .

Razia, now Lakshmi once again, has no choice but to return to her village. Her parents have died. Older and wiser now, she reflects on how they must have felt when she remained adamant that she would marry Amir. Her biggest regret is that she could not meet her parents before their deaths. To her surprise, she finds her father has left behind a treasure trove of material assiduously collected over the years. This leads her to write a book.

Interestingly, the difficult technique of writing a story within another is brilliantly and deftly handled by Dr Bhyrappa. Within Razia/Lakshmi’s story, in parallel is a story she is writing about the Mughal period. She writes of rulers like Aurangzeb who wantonly destroyed thousands of Hindu temples.

Through this book, Dr Bhyrappa raises the issue of how many post Independence writers in India have downplayed many vile aspects of Mughal rule.

I think this book deserves to be widely read. I would recommend this strongly to all, especially the youth of India who for too long have heard only one side of the story.

Authors, Book Reviews

“Nine Minutes Eleven Seconds” : L V Pederson

Firstly, hearty congratulations to L.V. Pederson for writing such a blockbuster of a debut thriller. “Nine Minutes Eleven Seconds” is the title of Pederson’s fast- paced novel published in January 2025. Guess what? Pederson worked as a film censor in Canada and a script writer in Hollywood, apart from being an entrepreneur and innovator! He brings all these experiences to bear in this thriller which I enjoyed reading!

The story begins with a young, attractive lady called Madison Maxwell joining Know Inc, one of the most renowned tech firms in the world. This, of course, is situated in the Silicon Valley. Madison wants to put her past life at Boston behind her- to make a fresh start in a place which seems so promising. She feels this firm and her position as Executive Assistant to the Vice President would fulfil her career dreams. The plot of the story that unravels is crisply woven together with apt back stories. This makes for very exciting reading.

Shortly into the job, Madison comes across people who are totally different from who they at first appear to be. She comes across several mysteries in that firm which folks don’t talk about. Circumstances force her into situations which test her endurance to the limits. To complicate matters further, there is a deeply personal angle from her past which resurfaces to haunt her.

The story brings back to the reader memories of that unforgettable tragedy- the 9/11 terror attacks on the United States. It is a gripping story which you must read for yourself! Highly recommended.

Authors, Book Reviews

“Capture The Dream: The Many Lives of Capt. C P Krishnan Nair” by Bachi Karkaria

It was only a few days ago that I had dinner at The Leela on Bengaluru’s Old Airport Road. We enjoyed the drinks at the tastefully furnished Library Bar followed by a delicious dinner at Jamavar, the Indian restaurant there. As we savoured the food and the overall ambience, my mind went to the book I recently read about the man who founded the Leela Group of Hotels in India.

Sadly, the Leela at Bengaluru no longer belongs to the Leela Group as we know it. But therein lies the story of a truly remarkable man. He came from a very under privileged background to become -in his heyday- one of India’s biggest hoteliers: Capt. C P Krishnan Nair.

Bachi Karkaria’s book ” Capture The Dream: The Many Lives of Capt. C P Krishnan Nair” (Juggernaut, 2020) portrays the man as he was- larger than life, generous to a fault, a stickler for detail, and one who always strove for excellence. He dared to dream big and perhaps became over ambitious at one stage of his life. He set new standards in hoteliering ensuring that his chain of luxury hotels -named after his wife, Leela- grew at a scorching pace.

Capt Nair served in the Indian Army in the days before Independence. He had no prior experience of running a hotel when he ventured into the very demanding hospitality industry when in his 60s! From a humble background, he first gained fame in the textile export business, pioneering “Bleeding Madras” which became a rage in the 1970s.

Reading the book makes you feel you have met the man himself. He was a man who lived life to the full, always optimistic, always looking for an opportunity to further the interest of his business empire. A true bon vivant – who lived life to the full- and on his own terms. He had the human touch and could mingle comfortably across the spectrum of society. He was as much as ease with Kings and Heads of State as he was with the doormen and gardeners at his hotels.

Overall, a well- narrated story of an extraordinary nationalist who was immensely proud of being an Indian. Highly recommended.

Book Reviews

“Shanti” by Arun Patel

You, like me, would associate every place you have been to with some sights and sounds. I am back in Bengaluru enjoying the lovely weather we are blessed to have. Being fond of nature, I admire the trees and greenery near where we live. I find this relaxing especially with birds chirping in the trees and shrubs. ” If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere” said Vincent van Gogh!

We recently visited the United States. In this trip we had the pleasure of spending a few days at The Sea Ranch, in Northern California. The waves of the Pacific Ocean pounding the beaches, coves and craggy cliffs is a sight to behold.

At The Sea Ranch, we were delighted to meet with Arun Patel, the renowned photographer. To know more about his brilliant work do check out his website : Arun Patel Studio . You can also follow him on Instagram.

When we met at the Sea Ranch Lodge, we heard first hand from him about his passion for photography. He described how he took to this highly interesting and challenging field. I can only imagine and admire the immense patience he must have while photographing.

His book, “Shanti” (which comes from a Sanskrit word for Peace, Calm, and Quiet) is a collector’s item for sure. The layout of the book is striking. There is little or no text. The pictures, printed on high quality paper, are crisp, clear, and speak for themselves. You can interpret them in your own way. Frankly, you lose all sense of time as you admire each of the pictures in the book.

All the pictures in ” Shanti” have one thing in common. They were shot by Arun in and around The Sea Ranch. They portray the many different aspects of this lovely place. The pictures range from the redwoods on the hills to the waters of the Pacific Coast. Some pictures have stayed in my mind. The mist swirling midst the tall redwood trees. The rays of sunshine illuminating a path in the woods. The cascade of spray as the waves meet the rocks on the coast. The weather beaten rocks themselves that have been through many a storm.

Interestingly, Arun shoots all his pictures in black and white. This choice stands out in today’s world. You will find most pictures are in colour perhaps thanks to modern technology.

The beautiful photographs in “Shanti” reminded me of this famous quote by Andri Magdalena Cauldwell. ” To see in colour is a delight for the eye, but to see in black and white is a delight for the soul. “

More power to you, Arun! I look forward with great interest to your future works.