Story of Indian warfare
M. R. Dua
This book is a brief
‘story of India’s
warfare.’ It
begins from
where it all
started over
5,000 years ago, on the
sacred grounds of
Kurukshetra. It concludes
with the most recent
flashpoints in Kashmir’s
Pulwama, Balakot and
beyond.
The author of this book.
Ajay Singh, is a former
soldier. He dwells on fortytwo battlefields armed
confrontations. At the end of
every armed encounter, the
author’s doleful conclusion is:
‘a story of collective valour, of
men fighting impossible
odds, and then, even in
death, remaining unbowed,
and undefeated.’
But, it’s only after the
Indian Army’s resounding,
thrilling wins from the IndoPak armed offensives in ‘The
Race to Srinagar’, ‘Battle of
Zojila’ and ‘The Indo-Pak War
of Kashmir’ that Singh’s
spirited descriptions bring
the battles ‘come alive.
The author has written
accounts of many skirmishes
-the Afghans against the
Rajput Empire; the Mughals’
Panipat battles; Britishers
‘momentous battle’ of Palashi
(Plassey); establishment of
the East India Company in the
18th century, followed by
unlikely alliance of Bengal’s
Nawab Mir Qasim, Awadh
ruler Shuja-ud-Daulah, and
the Mughal, Shah Alam II, to
oust the British from India;
Tipu Sultn
Tipu Sultan’s uprising; the fall
of the Sikh empire in Punjab
in 1846; the 1857 first war of
independence and a
complete takeover by the
British Crown of India.
The author has succeeded
in bringing out the story of
Indian warfare, describing
why the rulers failed and the
country suffered extreme
torments of slavery.
However, the book cann’t be
described as an authoritative
historical text. This book is
without a bibliography and
proper referencing. At best, it
can be read during a
short rail/air journey, some
leisure time.