Two volumes of the same name gifted to me by Mythily. Fourteen stories of valour and courage by the men in uniform under fire. Well researched and well written, I really breezed through the book in a hurry. And gifted it to Nitesh Kanala who is a reader as well.
The first of the stories is about the Uri surgical strikes on September 2016 when Major Tango and his 19 men of Special Forces led an attack to retaliate the killing of 19 Indian soldiers. 3 separate teams accessed 4 launch pads across the LoC and killed 38-40 terrorists and made it safely back. Tango earned a Kirti Chakra and his boss's compliments on his return - bring the bottle, these men eat glass.
Then the surgical strike in Myanmar as a retaliation to an attack on army jawans in Manipur where 18 jawans were killed - 3 units led by Lt Col Delta, bumped off 64 men and returned safely. Lance Naik Mohan Nath Goswami who died while trying to save his fellow soldier in Udhampur. Havildar Handpan Dada who umped out at terrorists and fired at them killing 3 and injuring a fourth in J&K in 2016. Captain Jaidev Dangi who killed three terrorists including Adil Ahmed Mir in J&K in 2011. Major Mukund Varadarajan who killed a terrorist by using tactical brilliance but died in action. Colonel Santosh Mahadik who died in action, Lance Naik Hanumantha Koppad who somehow survived being trapped under an avalanche and tons of ice
Lt Cdr Niteen Anandarao Yadav in Dabolim Goa who somehow landed his flight despite no electrical power, no navigation, no communication and limited control over his engines. Captain Varun Singh of Indian Navy's MARCOS who killed two terrorists in J&K. Cdr Milind Mokashi who evacuated civilian Indians from Aden where a civil war had broken out on his ship INS Sumitra - and rescued in all over 500 people, including 600 foreigners in dangerous circumstances. Squadron Leader Rijul Sharma whose Mig 29 canopy was shattered and left with an option to bail or stay, stayed despite a damaged shoulder and landed his flight. 'Don't let the situation overwhelm you. You can tackle any situation.' Squadron Leader Vikas Puri who had VIPs on his helicopter when both engines failed and the chopped was preparing for a crash landing - when he tried to relight and restrat the engines and it worked - with only 2 minutes to spare. And Wing Cdr Gaurav Bikram Chauhan whose flight had issues when the wing was destroyed and the flight broke up in Pokhran Rajasthan.
Amazing stories, very well told. I am glad they wrote these stories because we get a peek into the world they live in, the way they work, the way they live..and the way they die. Now to read the second volume.
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