The Indian Army

Summary

In the essays that comprise The Indian Army: Reminiscences, Reforms & Romance, Lieutenant General H. S. Panag examines burning questions surrounding the Indian armed forces: their exploitation by neo- nationalists; an intrusive media’s projection of the army as the sole flag bearer of patriotism; the obsession with Pakistan as an impending threat to national security; the intense militarisation of Kashmir post the abrogation of Article 370; and equal opportunities for women in combat, among other issues.   Divided into six sections - Human Rights, Reforms, Leadership, Reminiscences, Conflict and Unforgettable Heroes - the book compels the listener to think deeper and with greater nuance about a much-discussed and much-maligned institution. The Indian Army is also a glimpse into the general’s own life and reveals hitherto unknown aspects of his long career in the army. A writer who straddles the serious and the idyllic with equal ease, he unequivocally condemns the tying of a citizen to the bonnet of an army jeep in Kashmir in 2017 in one piece, and in another tells the intensely passionate, albeit tragic love story of a soldier and a Kashmiri girl.   As candid as it is incisive, The Indian Army is a must-listen for every Indian who has stopped to think about the powerful institution that the army is.

©2020 H. S. Panag (P)2020 Audible, Inc.