“Kargil – From Surprise to Victory” is one book you’ve got to read from cover to cover. It’s almost impossible to put down this book once you have started reading it. It’s all about the Kargil War of 1999 and it’s authored by General V.P. Malik, who was the Chief of Army Staff during that period. The book describes the war as it happened – the problems faced by the Indian Army in perhaps the most hostile terrain on Earth and the grit and courage shown by its soldiers. There’s a lot of emotion that goes with this book. Read it and you’ll know what I am talking about.
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Drop me a note if you do purchase this book.
7 thoughts on “Kargil – From Surprise to Victory”
I guess il purchase this book..soon..
I wouldnt dare reading such books, coz I become too moved to complete and end up crying mid way… I refrained myself from watching any of those movies also – Kalapani, Bhagat Singh and all.. I just cant handle those…
Great Vinay!!! I was looking for a book on Kargil for a long time now, the Landmark store in Bangalore did not have any. Good that you found one, Will get hold of this and give my view on the bood :-).
I would have liked real time photographs of the battlefield, jawans and the life on the LoC. But that being not there in the book sets my expectations right now, and I wont be that dissappointed when I buy it.
*** I do have a comment on “SMILING GIRL’s” view. Forgive me if you find me being rude, but I just voicing my opinion about refraining from reading such great stories. Being emotional is one part of it, but people have gone through such emotions and sacrifices for the sake of our future. They did not do it for being called out in HISTORY, but they have a major stake in the way we live today. We atleast should read and get to know their minds, their sacrifices. They did it for US. I know you did not mean any disrespect there for sure, but refrained. Sacrifices are never bed of roses and if they are they do not qualify as a sacrifice. ***
Its only my personal view :-) Forgive me …
Well Goutham,
As you are entitled to a personal view, I am also.. and my view is that – I know the sacrifices that those great souls have done for us, but I just cant handle all the pain in those stories. For my happiness (I know I am selfish here!), I refrain from reading such stories or seeing such movies, coz the person I am, I tend to be thinking about all the sadness in the world for days at a stretch if I see a small puppy being beaten on the road..
If I react so strongly to such an incident (its not small, I know!), then imagine how I react to such heart-wrenching sacrifices.. so to save myself from all the pain, I dont let myself go anywhere near the pain too…
Well.. so this is my defense..
But at the end of the day, I respect all of them as much as every responsible Indian does..
Oops! I never thought I would get a response. Great to see you clarifying your view on this. I was mistaken, I apologize.
The one thought that still lingers in my mind is the mindset that drove people towards such a sacrifice. And to understand that, I read their stories.
I do lack the spirit to sacrifice my life for anything and hence I wonder what drove them and how different was their thinking. Probably they grew up on much stronger values and that got lost in due course.
If they come back today, will they go thru the same again. I will do anything to find this out, but I won’t be able to.
I think I spoilt Vinaya’s blog here with some serious talk…Sorry Vinay. Bye for now :-)
:)
Sorry Vinay for spoiling ur blog with some serious talk… :)
And thank God, Goutham didnt mind my rather rude reply!!!
Does any one know whether this book is available online for free????