This is not a book but just a collection of articles written over several years. It may also seem strange that a Pongo is writing about the Navy. Though we have started moving towards Theaterisation, these writings have nothing to do with it; it’s just the continuation of the pre-NDA dream of joining the Navy. A long time back, I read somewhere that at a newly formed Tri-Services Establishment, orders were passed that all buildings would be secured by 1600h. Each Service reacted in its own way. The Naval chaps locked all the almirahs, closed all the windows, locked all the rooms and finally, the main doors of all the buildings under their charge. Thereafter all of them left for their barracks/family quarters at 1600h. The Army chaps ensured that proper Guards were deployed around all the buildings under their charge, and no one was permitted thereafter to enter the buildings without a proper pass. The Air Force chaps ensured that fire alarms etc. were in place in all the buildings under their charge and also ensured that everything inside had full insurance cover!

Different Strokes (Paper Back/ INR 499) is a collection of articles written by an Indian Army Veteran. The canvas is huge and variety astonishing rich. The book promises to take the readers across the vast expanse of our amazing subcontinent

Officers’ Mess: Life and Customs in the Regiments (Hardcover; INR 995) A compilation of traditions as these pertain to the Officers’ Messes in the British Army.

Photographed and compiled painstakingly, the book printed on superior photographic paper, carries the details that would delight any birdwatcher or student of ornithology.

HEARTY TALES is a compilation of short anecdotes from the author’s life as a student, as a cadet, as an Army officer and as a citizen of this great nation. Short and crisp, each story has a subtle lesson for each one of us. Authored by a serving officer, this book makes a light, amazing read written in a flowing, lucid language.

1984 Everest Expedition saw the first Indian woman scaling the Everest. This is the story by the Team Leader

Set in the rural part of Haryana, the story revolves around the theme of its titles. Fast paced and engrossing.

First hand accounts by the veterans from the Indian Army, Navy and Airforce, who took part in the IPKF operations in Sri Lanka. Never heard; never told before

Coming from a veteran who has been there, has served there and has seen it all

Over a period of time, the rise of China, both on the economic and military front, has resulted in a peculiar security scenario that affects one's day to day to life. This makes a solid case for every Indian to have a basic understanding of this country. This book aims to bring to the fore, as to what is the genesis of this country, its history, its thought process and an elementary understanding of it. The work will help readers by acting as a ready reckoner on China and motivate them to further their journey towards understanding this iron-walled nation.

This book offers a simplistic explanation of articles, faith, history, culture, tourism in Ladakh. Any first-time visitor to Ladakh is bound to get mystified by many strange looking objects, some unusual rituals and of course a very harsh climate. This book will help such travellers to understand Ladakh better and prepare them for what lies ahead. Then there are things of beauty that will dazzle anyone. A simple introduction into such issues like landscape, art and craft, social structure and so on has been offered for the travellers who travel out of love for the place rather than for running away from their busy lives. The core issue remains Buddhist Ladakh. Authors:- This team of TWO consists of a Ladakhi man who is a scholar and has many published works to his credit. The other one is a traveller, writer and a die-hard Ladakh addict. The work is, thus, an output of two minds- one insider and other from outside. The mix has a healthy tone to it and a traveller would identify with the explanations easily.

A collection of articles and anecdotes as these pertain one of the finest Special Forces units of the Indian Army

COMMANDOS. Those elite troops for whom nothing is impossible. A special breed of soldiers who walk dangerously and believe that “Who Dares, Wins”. Real-life action heroes who plunge into situations normally confined to celluloid. It is these men who form the cutting edge of real-life war games. Men whom Winston Churchill once described as “mad, quite mad...(but) in war there is often a place for mad people who bring glory at all costs.” This action-packed book tells the story of Special Forces worldwide and examines these forces. How are they organised, trained and equipped? What are the tasks they carry out in combat? How do they operate in the battlefield? What is their role in countering terrorism? What will be their role in the context of future warfare? Tracing the history of raids and rescue missions from the raid on Somnath Temple by Mahmud of Ghazni in 1025 to those of Shivaji on the Mughals in 1663, it goes on to describe the rescue of Mussolini from Italy, Israeli hostages from Entebbe Airport and killing of Osama. Detailed descriptions and analysis of Second World War raids as well as the Indian Army commando action against the terrorists in Jammu & Kashmir and Mumbai demonstrate the daring of the men who constitute the Special Forces today. With these modern-day Otto Skorzenys and David Stirlings at large, no citadel is secure enough, no army safe from penetration. Terrorism looms large as a major threat today to free societies of the world. It is a cheaper method of waging a war. The only way the world can cope effectively with this threat is by cooperating internationally against it. Illustrated throughout, The Killer Instinct is a highly readable account of past raids and rescues, terrorism and the face of war in the new millennium.

From Sepoy to Subedar (Hardcover; INR 895) Sita Ram’s splendidly evocative chronicle of his forty-eight years in the service of the English is a piece of first-hand military history. First published in 1873, in translation from original Hindi, it eventually became a standard text book for the British officers.

Short write-ups about 75 prominent Indians who made the difference

"A Hundred Years" Probably the 'blows' part was taken literally from his oft-quoted speech regarding "the first few blows on the anvil of life which shaped human destiny...."; and ever since then, we have been at the receiving end of blows! "No Woman No Cry" Well, actually Woman is definitely more than a Man, as she has the "Man" within her; in other words, those of us who are not Mathematically challenged would sum up that Man is actually a sub-set of Woman. "Mosquito Menace", Man proposes, and the mosquito disposes, and with disdain. Like a kamikaze, he just approaches his target; he even warns the victim of his intent with his gentle humming that here I am, 'catch me if you can'! "Casus Belli" This motherly affection which is centred on the stomach, is a universal phenomenon across the length and breadth of the country and knows no caste, religion, region, culture or language barriers. Whether we have a Uniform Civil Code or not, we have a Uniform Feeding Code for Mother India. "Ripped Jeans" Somewhere down the line, these tatters became a fashion statement; the beggars in India can now have their own line of prêt a porter (ready to wear) and can proudly boast of their high-end attire while serenading on their daily promenades on the streets' walking the ramp' rather than 'street walking'. "Tool Kits" Hack saws and chisels are languishing in the carpenter's bag as even 'hacking' these days is associated with these cyber warriors, gradually chiselling away at their domain. In fact, the domain has already been usurped by the good-for-nothing DNS, which at one time was supposed to be the job of the tool kit of an ENT surgeon's scalpel. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Brig Suyash is a serving Army officer with an outstanding career spanning more than three decades. A recipient of the Vishisht Seva Medal for distinguished service, he is widely travelled, which includes a stint in West Africa as part of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cote d'Ivoire and Europe on a fa

One of the highest decorated of the Indian Army, Colonel Chhewang Rinchen is popularly referred to as Lion of Ladakh. This work, based on his life and gallant deeds is a joint effort by his daughter and a reputed military historian.

Was it her fault that she became her soldier’s widow? Does it matter whether he was a battle casualty or a physical casualty? No. Death matters!! Her husband’s death matters. But only to her. For everyone else she is either a trophy to be used at glamorous patriotic events or a money minting machine in the name of a trust or an NGO. And she is soon forgotten. Her pain, her trauma, her problems are no one’s business. It’s her battle and her battle alone. A battle she must win, for herself, for her children and for the supreme sacrifice of her husband. Shouldn’t we as a nation support her in this battle of hers or should we just disown her, like we do? Or was it really her fault that she became her soldier’s widow? About the Author- Ambreen Zaidi has been a well known journalist & columnist. She has won accolades & several awards for her ground work related to the forgotten heroes of the Indian Armed Forces, in leading news papers like Times of India, Hindustan Times, Dainik Bhaskar. She was the founding editor of world’s first blog magazine Blogger’s Park. She has her own venture called The Changemakers, where she and her team hand hold, the forces widows & orphans and helps them in whichever area they need help, from education to training to placement. All free of cost. She regularly writes for national & international publications about the social issues which need immediate attention.

4/5 GR (FF) was first raised on 15 March 1941 at Abbottabad, fought WW II in Burma Theatre, were awarded four Battle Honours and Theatre Honour ‘Burma 1942-45’. After the WW II Battalion was disbanded in December 1946 and was re-raised on 1 January 1963 at Dehradun. Right from the time of its re-raising till date, Battalion participated in the 1965 War (J & K) and 1971 War (East Pakistan). Conducted First-Ever Heliborne Operation of Indian Army at Sylhet on 7 December 1971, resulting in the surrender of Two Infantry Brigades (202 & 313) of Pakistan Army on 15 December 1971 to the Battalion, 26 hours before official surrender at Dacca on 16 December 1971. Awarded Sylhet as Battle Honour and East Pakistan as Theatre Honour. IPKF Operations in Sri Lanka (1987-88) brought added laurels to the Battalion. During CI Ops in Nagaland (1971, 72-73), Assam (Op Rhino-1997-98) Battalion had prize catches of insurgents. An operational stint in Bhutan, UN Peace Mission Congo and five tenures in LOC/LAC environment, including worlds highest battlefield; Siachen(2009). The Battalion also topped sports/professional events at National and Command level; Khud Race, Boxing Football, Shooting, Archery etc. In Oct 21 won Gold Medal in Prestigious Cambrian Patrol Competition held in Wales(UK) amongst 95 competing Nations Youngest in the Regiment crowned itself with glory with bravery, honours and awards. Best tribute to the Battalion; Brigadier S A Hassan Pakistani Garrison Commander Sylhet; ‘If this Battalion (4/5 GR(FF)) was not there, we would have fought for at least another 10 days’. No wonder the Battalion has started third-generation legacy; Grandfather- Father- son, in the Battalion. Excellence is not a singular act but a habit. You are what you do repeatedly. (Shaquille O’Neal) 4/5 GR (FF) was first raised on 15 March 1941 at Abbottabad, fought WW II in Burma Theatre, were awarded four Battle Honours and Theatre Honour ‘Burma 1942-45’. After the WW II Battalion was disbanded in December 1946 and was re-raised on 1 January 1963 at Dehradun. Right from the time of its re-raising till date, Battalion participated in the 1965 War (J & K) and 1971 War (East Pakistan). Conducted First-Ever Heliborne Operation of Indian Army at Sylhet on 7 December 1971, resulting in the surrender of Two Infantry Brigades (202 & 313) of Pakistan Army on 15 December 1971 to the Battalion, 26 hours before official surrender at Dacca on 16 December 1971. Awarded Sylhet as Battle Honour and East Pakistan as Theatre Honour. IPKF Operations in Sri Lanka (1987-88) brought added laurels to the Battalion. During CI Ops in Nagaland (1971, 72-73), Assam (Op Rhino-1997-98) Battalion had prize catches of insurgents. An operational stint in Bhutan, UN Peace Mission Congo and five tenures in LOC/LAC environment, including worlds highest battlefield; Siachen(2009). The Battalion also topped sports/professional events at National and Command level; Khud Race, Boxing Football, Shooting, Archery etc. In Oct 21 won Gold Medal in Prestigious Cambrian Patrol Competition held in Wales(UK) amongst 95 competing Nations Youngest in the Regiment crowned itself with glory with bravery, honours and awards. Best tribute to the Battalion; Brigadier S A Hassan Pakistani Garrison Commander Sylhet; ‘If this Battalion (4/5 GR(FF)) was not there, we would have fought for at least another 10 days’. No wonder the Battalion has started third-generation legacy; Grandfather- Father- son, in the Battalion. Excellence is not a singular act but a habit. You are what you do repeatedly. (Shaquille O’Neal)

Written by an army veteran who takes keen interest in Indo-China affairs, this book presents the Chinese though process, ambitions and strategies in a simplified way.

A personal account be a reputed scientist from Kashmir. His struggle with bias both inside Kashmir and USA where he is settled now.

This book covers everything about Sansevieria plant, the oxygen plant.

Obscured behind an iron curtain, the PLA of China has progressed leaps and bounds, quite in synch with the economic growth of the Asian giant. Post two decades of defence reforms, the PLA is now in the process of transiting beyond mechanisation and informatisation

A companion of the subunit commanders in the Indian Army, the book serves as a prompter rather than a copy-paste guide and invites attention to the finer aspects of command by a subunit commander.

This book is mostly an exposé of a scam of unbelievable proportions. The scam is a popular or rather popularised belief that chronic diseases are inevitable and mostly irreversible. The fact is that they are not; we practically invite them in and refuse to take simple actions to reverse them when they do occur. There are many angles to this.

This is not a book but just a collection of articles written over several years. It may also seem strange that a Pongo is writing about the Navy. Though we have started moving towards Theaterisation, these writings have nothing to do with it; it’s just the continuation of the pre-NDA dream of joining the Navy.

Accounts of life inside a submarine. Written by a career submariner of the Indian Navy, this book gives its readers a peep into the living and operating conditions prevailing inside a submarine. Authentic, crisp and gripping!

This work is by someone who has had the privilege of serving for more than a decade in the oldest Parachute (later Special Forces) unit of the Indian Army. His other assignments during the service took him to places and desks from where he remained very closely associated with the evolution of the parachute battalions into Special Forces ones. Written by someone who has done some hardcore foot soldiering in an SF unit and who has also had an interrelated exposure at a macro level of conceptualisation and perspective planning, this work takes its readers on a unique journey. NINE runs in his blood and the esprit de corps is hard to miss. This book tells us what it takes to be an SF soldier and what soldierly bonding is all about. An unputdownable piece of work for those who like to read about unknown aspects of an SF soldier’s life.

Legacy of a Legend: MIG-21 in the Indian Air Force (Hardcover Coffee Table Book; INR 3999) is a unique coffee table book that was released during the farewell ceremony of the legendary aircraft of the Indian Air Force. Pictures were shot by the celebrity lensman, Capt Suresh Sharma.

COMMANDOS. Those elite troops for whom nothing is impossible. A special breed of soldiers who walk dangerously and believe that “Who Dares, Wins”. Real-life action heroes who plunge into situations normally confined to celluloid. It is these men who form the cutting edge of real-life war games. Men whom Winston Churchill once described as “mad, quite mad...(but) in war there is often a place for mad people who bring glory at all costs.” This action-packed book tells the story of Special Forces worldwide and examines these forces. How are they organised, trained and equipped? What are the tasks they carry out in combat? How do they operate in the battlefield? What is their role in countering terrorism? What will be their role in the context of future warfare? Tracing the history of raids and rescue missions from the raid on Somnath Temple by Mahmud of Ghazni in 1025 to those of Shivaji on the Mughals in 1663, it goes on to describe the rescue of Mussolini from Italy, Israeli hostages from Entebbe Airport and killing of Osama. Detailed descriptions and analysis of Second World War raids as well as the Indian Army commando action against the terrorists in Jammu & Kashmir and Mumbai demonstrate the daring of the men who constitute the Special Forces today. With these modern-day Otto Skorzenys and David Stirlings at large, no citadel is secure enough, no army safe from penetration. Terrorism looms large as a major threat today to free societies of the world. It is a cheaper method of waging a war. The only way the world can cope effectively with this threat is by cooperating internationally against it. Illustrated throughout, The Killer Instinct is a highly readable account of past raids and rescues, terrorism and the face of war in the new millennium.

Poetry from the heart of a talented woman who weaves a magic with her words

From “Kashmir is J&K” to “Maqbool Sherwani saved Kashmir,” “Dogras committed atrocities on Kashmiris,” “The Instrument of Accession was never signed” to “Kashmiris are different and deserve a special treatment,” a number of narratives—both false and make-believe—have been occupying the centre-stage of political and academic discourses about J&K for many decades. This work intends to take a deliberate look at some of the narratives that are related to the most vital period of our history and continue to influence hearts and minds of people of J&K as also many an observer watching from far even today. This book may help those who have been swallowed by certain narratives floating around in our premier educational institutes across the country, to find the proverbial straw that can help them come out of the abyss. It is hoped that the readers who make an effort to go through the book, will have reasons to change their minds about the issues contained herein; the change, if at all however, is expected to be purely on the merit of the argument being presented in this book.

A compilation of unique experiences, untold tales and reviews by a senior and decorated veteran

Surprise Attack: From Pearl Harbor to 9/11 to Benghazi (Hardcover; INR 1675) is a compilation of major events that took the system by surprise and created shocks across the globe.

From the desk of the Author: My families have for four generations lived, served, worked, loved and been born in India. Ancestors served with great distinction. I am the very last of them. Now I sit at my desk and think back to last year’s two months in India journeying through four states, or the previous year’s experiences, or the year before. We have had the good fortune to return to India for varying lengths of time and each occasion provided a wealth of experiences – mostly good – sometimes challenging! This last 20 years of travelling has encompassed the length and breadth of India to its very tip. There is always something that has not yet been seen, or returned to, new places or restored places - and sadly some places that were better left in the distant past. Generally, however India repays close inspection and the approach must always be cup half full. Then, undoubtedly in some strange way, the cup will fill up with rich experiences, beautiful memories and interactions. The people are so important, be they professionals, hospitality providers, drivers of cars, hospitality staff, shopkeepers, connections and new friends plus, of course always, the old dependable friends. In this book I shall endeavour to put before the reader my experiences during the last twelve years of my travels - that is since my last book was published in 2008. There is a short book called Quicklook at India which came out in 2010 and was updated in 2012 but that is for business people who need to absorb the essentials of this great, ancient yet modern land in a quick efficient way - I am assured that 25,000 words can be read in one hundred minutes! This book India-ji, is about places, peoples, animals, birdlife, butterflies, flora, holy rivers, valleys, jungles, great heritage and architectural sites and cities, temples, palaces, forts, havelis, beaches, backwaters, mangroves, mountains and semi deserts which I will invite others to experience for themselves. Ji is the honorific used in India to signify respect and courtesy when addressing a person or writing to them or indeed, about them. Thus, I am writing about the country India-ji.

The soldierly faith is quite different from the more prevalent worldly faith. For a soldier, the Country comes first always and every time. Read the way such a faith is nourished and observed in the bet forces. The readers will also come across some real-life stories as these pertain to the faith.

Stories from personal experience of the author in the North East region of India. Soulful, different and highly readable.