This book, as a part of a series of literary works that, together cover the whole expanse of the 1947-48 conflict, focuses primarily on the Kishanganga (also referred to as Kishenganga) Valley (and Northern Kashmir as a stepping stone to the said vale). As the readers would know and realise, the bow-shaped river basin of Kishanganga (KG) River provided depth and a huge geographical cushion to the Kashmir Valley during those fateful days. If we were, hypothetically, to take out Kishanganga Valley from the map for a while, the vulnerability of Kashmir Valley and Ladakh region would stand out, needing no further aggrandizement. The KG valley with steep gorges, fast-flowing streams and the KG River, was a tough terrain to evict the well-entrenched enemy from, i.e., after the presence of such elements had been discovered or reported many months after the commencement of the conflict. Post recapture, the extended frontages that the defenders then had to hold against a numerically superior, well-supplied enemy, turned out to be a tactician’s nightmare. When we factor in the realities like lack of an air strip, lack of motorable roads and highly erratic supply lines, the challenges that Indian forces faced in the KG Valley, become apparent. It was, definitely, not a mean task to first throw the invaders out of the river basin and then hold the long stretch of the formidable mountainous terrain with just a handful of troops. As a result, many stretches were re-occupied by the enemy even after Indian troops had evicted them from such areas during the course of the conflict. The KG Valley, incidentally, sat in the middle of two secret plans, Operation Gulmarg (Kashmir and Jammu region) and Operation Datta Khel (Gilgit area), being put into action by Pakistan at that time. And unlike elsewhere, regular troops faced Indian troops from the very beginning of operations in and around the Tithwal area.
This work aims to focus primarily on the operations undertaken in the general area bound by Rajouri in the South to Haji Pir Pass in the North to Jhelum River in the West to mighty Pir Panjal in the East with its centre around Poonch. In the present context, the geographical segment being addressed actually covers the whole of Poonch District with a spill over into Northern part of Rajouri District and some areas now under illegal occupation of Pakistan (PoJK or Pakistan illegally occupied J&K). In order to keep readers in sync with the events happening in other sectors of the erstwhile Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) State, suitable mentions have been made without digging too deep into such actions. Within the Jammu region, details of the events surrounding Naushera-Jhangar, Kathua-Samba and even Jammu have been mentioned in passing so as not to lose the focus or widen the scope. Similarly, brief references have been made of the events happening North of Pir Panjal Range.
Treachery & Gallantry: Gilgit-Skardu-Ladakh 1947-48 (Hardcover; INR 1495) is an unparalleled account of events that happened in the Himalayan Highlands during 1947-48. The book with never told before content is unique in itself. This book is the fifth and the final book in the series of 1947-48 Conflict history.
A never before told account of military operations in the Kashmir Valley during 1947-48 conflict. Plundering of Baramulla, Uri and Muzaffarabad and atrocities committed by the Pakistan army led invaders and details of the fight put up by the Indian Army and forces of J&K Princely state!
This is a detailed account of military operations in the geographical territory of Naushera-Jhangar in the present day UT of Jammu & Kashmir. Not told before stories of valour and courage of both J&K State Forces and Indian Army.
Last Man Last Round (Hardcover) is truly the only detailed account of the warfighting along the Jhelum Valley Road, between Uri and Baramulla during the days prior to the landing of Indian troops at Srinagar on 27 October 1947. We vouch for the fact that no other account with such authenticity and detail exists in the literary world.