In The News, My Take

Operation Sindoor: A Turning Point in India’s Military Strategy

As I write this, my mind goes to the powerful address to the nation made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday evening. I think he has been the greatest Prime Minister India has ever had. It was forceful, direct, and there was no beating about the bush. Operation Sindoor was a new highpoint in Indian military history. It was triggered by the cold blooded killing of 26 Indian men who were holidaying with their families in Pahalgam in Kashmir on April 22, 2025. About seven terrorists -most likely based in Pakistan- entered the beautiful meadows. They accosted innocent men, established that they were Hindus and shot them dead in cold blood, in front of their wives and children. Seldom has the world seen such targeted gruesome killings where innocents were murdered only and only based on their religion. This was reminiscent of the Second World War when Jews were shot dead in cold blood by the SS stormtroopers of the Nazis.

India retaliated with Operation Sindoor on May 6-7, 2025. In this swift operation, which lasted just 25 minutes, 9 terror camps and establishments used by Islamist terror groups such as the Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and the Hizbul Mujhahideen were attacked with pin point precision. The terror establishments were hit hard. It is estimated that over 100 terrorists were killed in these raids. It was the first time that India had attacked terror camps so deep in Pakistan occupied Kashmir and indeed well within Pakistan itself. With this India had avenged the deaths of the innocents killed on April 22, 2025.

However, on May 8-9 , Pakistan escalated by sending in waves of drones to target Indian air stations and other military establishments. All these attacks were effectively thwarted by the Indian Air Defence System. Full credit should go to those who planned and executed this defensive network. It brought to mind Israel’s famed Iron Dome. This feat is all the more admirable as many of the components/subsystems used in this intricate defence system were indigenously developed and manufactured.

India then went on the offensive. India attacked carefully chosen airfields of the Pakistan Air Force such as Nur Khan near Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Rafiqi to name a few. Extensive damage was caused by the missiles fired by the Indian Air Force.

An uneasy calm came into effect on the evening of May 10, after the Director General of Military Operations of Pakistan called his Indian counterpart and asked for a cease fire.

The key take aways for me as a a keen student of military history are:-

  1. The shape of war as we knew it in the Indian subcontinent has changed for ever. No longer will India hesitate to attack Pakistan in their backyard. Past Governments had hesitated because Pakistan had nuclear weapons and always bragged about being ready to use them, unfettered by a No First Use policy.
  2. The use of electronic warfare, drones, etc etc have changed the contours of battle. We are unlikely to see hand to hand combat and , tank warfare on a scale that characterised past wars. The attack of airfields deep in Pakistan without Indian Air Force aircraft leaving Indian skies is a major pointer in this direction.
  3. The use of economic pressure like shelving the Indus Water Treaty and banning trade etc were aligned with the military objectives making a comprehensive unbeatable strategy.
  4. India’s resolve as enunciated by the Prime Minister of treating acts of terror as attacks upon India is a major change from the past. In earlier decades, sheltering under the story of ” Non State Actors” Pakistan used to harbour, train, and fund known terror groups. This was in line with their strategy of inflicting a thousand cuts on India. Going forward, these cuts will now come at a far heavier price than in the past.
  5. We witnessed the benefits of close co-ordination between the Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force with the Ministry of External Affairs. We saw extensive briefings by the Foreign Secretary accompanied by representatives of the Indian Army and Indian Air Force. Later, we had media briefings by the DGMOs of the three Services. These went a long way in keeping people informed of the factual position. This helped immensely at a time when there was so much of misinformation especially on social media platforms.

The next few days and weeks will continue to be tense. More skirmishes could flare up. However, the families of the 26 innocent tourists who saw their menfolk hot in front of their eyes will have a sense of closure through Operation Sindoor.

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.

In The News, My Take

RCB- Romanticising The Loser

As a die-hard fan of this cricket franchise, I feel the think tank of Royal Challengers Bengaluru have had it all too easy for far too long! Year after year we have flattered to deceive. I can’t ever forget the first match of the inaugural IPL in 2008. Brendon McCullum of KKR took us to the cleaners scoring 158, we scored 82 – and we haven’t fully recovered yet! I have watched virtually every match of RCB- both men and women- over the years so I write this with considerable anguish.

The men’s team haven’t won even once in 18 years. This makes me believe RCB has made a class act of romanticising the loser! A powerful PR ecosystem and social media presence have almost indoctrinated fans in their millions to believe it is perfectly ok to lose -as long as you try!!! Instead of a strong killer instinct with little or no patience for failures, we seemingly have a bland acceptance of fate.

I hope and pray 2025 will be a different outcome but based on recent events in the ongoing Women’s IPL, I have my grave doubts. Which leads me to the question: who is responsible for decisions ? The coach, captain, owners or none of them?? Who is the think tank for RCB? Are they in any way accountable for results?

In the Women’s IPL, RCB finished a disappointing 4th in the first edition but did really well to win the championship last year. This means we are the defending champions in 2025.

Most teams do well in their home grounds- there are many reasons for this most of which are quite obvious. We somehow don’t. The fact that RCB have lost both home games played so far is shocking to say the least. Yes, of course, they tried their best; there were injuries which prevented other good players from playing etc, but why did we make some elementary blunders???

Here are two, according to me: 1. In the first match at Bengaluru versus a strong Mumbai Indians team, knowing the size of the ground, the tendency of batters to try to hit sixes, how come we had a slow over rate that penalised us in the end. With one fielder less in the outfield, was it smart cricket? 2. In the same match, wasn’t someone keeping an eye on who’s bowling? We know the 19th and 20 th overs are the most crucial. Leaving the 19th over to Kanika Ahuja, a well-meaning but not the leading spinner of the team was asking for trouble. We could have perhaps won but we lost this game in the last ball!!!

And more blunders came up in the very next match versus less fancied UP Warriorz. 1. Renuka Singh giving away 17 runs in that one over virtually gave away the match. She may have the Purple Cap but is not the best bowler at the death. 2. Worse was to follow. In the Super Over, Kim Garth was excellent to restrict UP Warriorz to just 8 runs. We needed 9 to win. Instead of sending in one in red hot form- Elyse Perry ( holder of the Orange Cap with 235 runs and an average of 117 and a strike rate of 160 including 90 not out in 56 balls in this very match), we sent Richa Ghosh – and worst of all Smriti Mandhana went in herself when she has not been a great player of spin bowling. Sophie Eccelstone added to her batting performance of 33 which got MI to the super over, by defending 8 runs. She gave away only 4!! How can you win matches if you can’t score 5 runs in the crucial make or break over????

Still we will rationalise and say it was only a game, they did their best, we are sorry to disappoint our fans, we will come back stronger next time etc etc. Another example of romanticising the loser!

I sometimes wonder based on what I have seen in the IPL over the years, whether it is the owner’s ego that propels the team’s urge to win! Looks like the Ambanis, the Goenkas, the Marans, and SRK don’t take kindly to defeat- though I am sure they accept they can’t win every game every year. RCB has no owner in that sense. We started off with a single owner, Dr Vijay Mallya. Love him or hate him he was there in your face. Today RCB is owned by United Spirits Limited, part of the Dieago Group. It is a corporate entity. Winning or losing a IPL title may not matter much to the company executives- as it does to us fans. They are more interested in revenues from advertising, publicity campaigns, brand, marketing, and social media presence. We are more interested in winning matches!

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.

Uncategorized

“The Brave :Param Vir Chakra Stories” by Rachna Bisht Rawat

Over the last few decades, I stay glued to the television on India’s Republic Day -January 26- to see the parade. This year too I look forward to the parade. Most of all I am waiting to see and pay homage to the three surviving winners of the Param Vir Chakra. This honour is India’s highest military honour and is like the Victoria Cross in the UK or the Medal of Honour in the United States. The memory of the Param Vir Chakra winners was triggered by a book I read recently. It is called, “The Brave: Param Vir Chakra Stories” by Rachna Bisht Rawat. She is a journalist and writer with a family background steeped in military history.

This book was one of the early books about the Param Vir Chakra winners. It was first published by Penguin in 2014. Since then there have been many more books on these national heroes. Since I am fascinated by these stories this book was of considerable interest to me. Thanks to the internet and the media, in recent years many of them have become household names, like Capt Vikram Batra of Kargil War fame. However, to be honest, I am ashamed to say that some of the early winners of the Param Vir Chakra were unknown to many in my generation. One of them was Major Rama Raghoba Rane of the Bombay Sappers who got his PVC in the Indo-Pak Kashmir War in 1947. He was one of the rare braves who lived to receive his award. Most of the Param Vir Chakras were awarded posthumously. This means the winners of the nation’s highest gallantry award made the supreme sacrifice while carrying out their acts of bravery.

All the winners were worthy of the high honour bestowed upon them by a grateful nation. It would be unfair to single out one or the other from amongst them. However, we are humans and cannot resist having our favourites. Mine have been Major Shaitan Singh of 13 Kumaon of Rezang La fame during the Indo-China War of 1962 and 2nd Lt Arun Khetarpal of 17 Horse, who won his award in the Indo-Pak war of 1971. Mention must be made of Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon, 18 Squadron, IAF, who won his PVC during the Indo-Pak War of 1965. Till date, he remains the only Param Vir Chakra awardee who was not from the Indian Army.

Ms Rawat has written about the battles in which the heroes won their awards and about these men themselves. Their stories have been pieced together following interviews with family, colleagues, superior officers and others who could speak authoritatively about their feats and about themselves as persons. Overall, it was well written as it focussed as much on the human element of the awardee as it did on their feats of incredible bravery facing all odds.

These errors may have been corrected in subsequent editions but the Kindle version of the book I read had two which were unexpected. It is stated that “Nehru appointed Lt Gen B M Kaul as Chief of Army Staff in 1961”. Gen. Kaul was undoubtedly his favourite and perhaps informally overshadowed the then Chief of Army Staff, General P N Thapar but he was never the Chief of Army Staff. It also refers to the late Capt Saurabh Kalia of 4 th Battalion, Jat Regiment , as Major Kalia. Capt Kalia, you may recall, was perhaps the first casualty of the Kargil War. He was cruelly tortured by the enemy. I am not aware of his promotion to Major nor could I find this substantiated anywhere. These are minor glitches in what’s otherwise a good read. I wish more of our youth read this book to be inspired by these heroes.

And yes, please do watch the Republic Day Parade on January 26 to salute the surviving three Param Vir Chakra winners: Sub Major (Hon. Capt) Bana Singh, 8 J & K Light Infantry; Subedar Major(Hon. Capt) Yogendra Singh Yadav, 18 Grenadiers; and Subedar Major (Hon. Capt) Sanjay Kumar., 13 JAK Rifles. Jai Hind!

My Take

General K S Thimayya: Legacy of a Distinguished Soldier

Most in my generation would agree that General K S Thimayya, DSO, (1906-1965) was one of the finest Generals to command the Indian Army. “Timmy” as he was popularly known as was the Chief of Army Staff from 1957 to 1961. As a keen student of military history, I was delighted to recently visit the Museum set up in his memory. This is in his ancestral home, “Sunnyside” in Madikeri, Kodagu his hometown.

This Museum is truly a labour of love. Those responsible must be commended for the pains taken to establish such an informative and interesting place. A fitting tribute to a great son of India. It was inaugurated by the then President of India, His Excellency Ram Nath Kovind in February 2021. The museum traces Thimayya’s life from his early childhood till his death. This is especially useful for the younger generations who may not know much about Gen Thimayya. The General passed away in 1965 while commanding the United Nations Peace Keeping Force in Cyprus.

He had an illustrious career of 35 years in the Indian Army. He was a product of the Prince of Wales Royal Indian Military College, Dehradun and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. Commissioned in the then British Indian Army in 1926 he first served in the Highland Light Infantry as was the practice at that time. Indian officers were first attached to a British regiment before moving to an Indian regiment. His was the 19th Hyderabad Regiment which later became the Kumaon Regiment. This famous Regiment has given us three Chiefs of Army Staff and two posthumous winners of the Param Vir Chakra. Thimayya was awarded the prestigious Distinguished Service Cross (DSO) by the British during the Burma campaign.

In his exceptional career, he became the first Indian to command a brigade in the days of the British Raj. He became famous for his professional work during the 1948 Kashmir War with Pakistan. Thanks to his remarkable personality he handled two difficult assignments for the United Nations in Korea and in Cyprus.

His years as the Chief of Army Staff were unfortunately not as satisfying as he would have wished. The Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru and Defence Minister Krishna Menon were seemingly jealous of his popularity. In those days military coups were quite common in Asia. They may have feared that in India too the military would carry out a coup.

Thimayya’s conduct based on his principles created more problems for him. First was the incident when he stood up to Nehru and the powerful Chief Minister of the Punjab, Pratap Singh Kairon to defend the honour of a woman. After a series of other disagreements with the Defence Minister in 1959, General Thimayya handed in his resignation. Prime Minister Nehru persuaded him to not publicise his resignation to which Thimayya agreed as a gentleman. Much to his chagrin Nehru went ahead and spoke about it in the Lok Sabha.

Many say that General Thimayya was not as effective after this unsavoury incident. His recommendations were not accepted and he lost his influence. After he retired from the Army, India – under the same leadership of Nehru and Menon- was thrashed by the Chinese in 1962. This article in the Hindustan Times has more details.

India’s loss was the United Nations gain. Post his retirement , he was requested by the United Nations Secretary General to head the United Nations Peace Keeping Force in Cyprus.

The museum is well maintained and a fitting tribute to one of India’s greatest soldiers. The moving tributes in the visitor’s book show how highly General Thimmaya is still regarded- 59 years after his death. When you are next in this beautiful part of India, please pay homage to General Thimayya by visiting this museum in Kodagu.

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.