Author : Lt Gen Prakash S Chaudhary PVSM AVSM SM VSM
ASIN : B09NKR66FF
Publisher : Genericc (1 January 2021)
Language : English
Perfect Paperback : 175 pages
Country of Origin : India
This recently published book BLOOD BAYONET BOOTS by Lt Gen Prakash S Chaudhary PVSM AVSM SM VSM provides a panoramic glimpse of the author’s military career spanning forty glorious years. That is excluding his training period at the National Defence Academy and prior to that his schooling in a military school. I have known him from our NDA days where we spent some memorable years in the same Squadron. That perhaps gave me a bit of headstart on what to expect from him. Considering his vast experience as a soldier one would have expected a new theory or a Doctrine on warfare to flow from his pen. Instead the General has settled for a very basic theme of ‘soldiering’. In his very first line he makes this clear. Right from the time he joined the oldest Battalion of his Regiment till the time he hung up his boots his focus has been on to ‘lead from the front’. His recollections of some of the highlights of his military career are frank , honest and full of humility. His narration of incidents as they happened is refreshing. He is not judgmental about his actions, whether they were right or wrong. That he leaves it to the readers. Nor is there any ‘self-glorification’ of his achievements. These are incidents that every Infantry Officer goes through but few grab the opportunity and convert it into an experience worthy of cherish. As an Infantry man myself I can empathize his predicament during critical times.
Be it the 1971 Bangladesh war, or the Kargil conflict or the counter insurgency operations in the Punjab , J&K or Aid to Civil Authorities, Lt General Choudhary always found himself at the helm and handled the situation with dexterity. It is this hard work and sincerity that saw his steady rise to become a 3-Star General with a string of decorations acknowledging his velour and leadership. He retired as the Director General of NCC , world’s largest voluntary organization of Cadets force that trains the youth for a disciplined life and a military career.
The book is highly inspirational and a must for those youth aspiring for a military career full of action and adventure. In the end the General has also some well meaning propositions to the Lawmakers and military leadership based on his war experience.
The book is written in simple and easy style keeping in view the target readership who are mainly the youth. It is also very modestly priced. I recommend the book to anyone interested in the life of an Infantry Officer behind the glitz and mysticism.
