Literary

Chiefs of services gather in Delhi winter to release book on India's valiant soldiers at Prabha Khaitan Foundation event

by Trans World Features | @twfindia 18 Jan 2023, 11:10 pm

New Delhi: It was an evening dedicated to valour and sacrifice of those who showed exemplary courage in the face of death while fighting for their Motherland.

Braving not just the cold winter evening of January 17, but also a huge traffic jam around New Delhi’s Connaught Place area, personnel from the Armed Forces, their families, veteran officers, and the Capital’s literati saw the launch of 'India's Most Fearless 3 -- New Military Stories of Unimaginable Courage and Sacrifice' written by Shiv Aroor and Rahul Singh, at IGNCA (Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts).

The Kitaab event was organised by Prabha Khaitan Foundation (PKF) and supported by Shree Cement as part of their CSR activity. The event was moderated by Ms Aakriti Periwal of Ehsaas Women from Jaipur.

Published by Penguin, the book -- as the cover also states -- also includes an exclusive first-hand account of the 2020 Galwan clash.

India's Most Fearless 3 was released by the Chief of the Army Staff General Manoj Pandey, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Radhakrishnan Hari Kumar and Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari event in the presence of IGNCA’s Pratap Anand Jha, Ehsas Woman of Delhi Neelima Dalmia Adhar, the editor of the book Milee Ashwarya, and Anindita Chatterjee, executive trustee of the Prabha Khaitan Foundation.

Taking to the dais, Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari complimented the authors for a fascinating narration of well-researched and documented stories.

“The success of books such as India's Most Fearless 3 is a testimony of the fact that people are fascinated by the courage of men and women in uniform. These stories not only offer a glimpse into the indomitable spirit of the soldiers in the face of overwhelming odds but will also serve as a source of inspiration for many generations in the future,” he said.

Calling it an exceptionally good book, Admiral R Hari Kumar said that each of the stories in the book is “wholesome. The authors have talked extensively to families, fellow officers, friends of the martyrs, etc. rather than letting them just be an account of events."

He spoke about the two vividly written naval stories that highlight the challenges of the seas as an operating environment which is a facet not understood by many.

Picking up stories from the different arms of our Services including one from the Medical Corps, the book, said, General Manoj Pandey, encapsulates the courage and sacrifices of our intrepid soldiers in a simple yet lucid manner.

“The USP of the book lies in the fact that it gives a vivid account of what they have to endure 24X7, 365 days of the year, while also giving insights into what their families have to go through," he added.

The gathering also felicitated some of the close family members of the martyrs who have been written about in the book. The evening concluded with a Q and A session between Nilima Adhar Dalmia, the three chiefs, and the authors.