Kargil Strike
Lt. Col. Thakur Kuldip S. Ludra (Retd.)
Book available in the Library of Congress

Right at the outset let me state that this is Kuldip Ludra's fifth book whose forward has been written by me and I have enjoyed every bit of the task. I have found his books perceptive thought provoking and more important, provocative.

This particular book titled "The Kargil Strike" is essentially a book of contemporary history and history has a bad habit of repeating itself. While instances abound to confirm this, sometimes there is a dynamic force which helps bring about a change for the better as a results of lessons learnt from the happenings of history. On the reverse side there are many instances where nothing is learnt and the participants are thereafter condemned to repeat the happenings to their detriment and, in case of nations, to the deteriment of the people.

Kargil is the best example when due to plethora of reasons the nation woke suddenly to a situation, where strategically important areas, on the Indian side of Line of Control and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir were discovered to be under Pakistan control. Loose statements and unnecessary jingoism by the political leaders of the ruling combine did not help matters except to shake up the entire nation to the magnitude of the disaster. The nations security was at stake and it goes to the credit of the Defence Services specifically the Army and the Air Force, that they rose to the occasion . More than two months of a "war like situation" and very heavy casualties had to gone through before the situation was restored.

There has been a gross failure at the political and bureaucratic level that has cost the nation thousands of crores, which should have been avoided. In the oldest democracy in the world one body bureaucrates an upheaval. The largest democracy allows intruders to enter, then suffers nearly 500 dead and thousands wounded, to evict the intruder and then raises the 'V' sign

Lieutenant Colonel (Retd) Thakur Kuldip S Ludra has, in his latest book adopted a novel way to research, analyse and comment on the 'Affaire Kargil'. A serious and a good attempt, plus a lot of hard work has gone into producing this book. He has come to some definite conclusions which would be of interest to the politician, the bureaucrat, the soldier and the comman man on the street.

The author in his own particular style has been strong in his views and critical at times, in the extreme. Perhaps when the ethos is reactive, such a treatment is to be welcomed, as otherwise, as is the wont with us, the 'V' sign, euphoria is very likely to result in no lessons being drawn. The commission of enquiry going the way of the Henderson Brookes Commission of enquiry. And re -retun to square one. I, therefore feel that what Kuldip Ludra has to offer must be judged, individually, and debated widely so that the price paid is not in vain.

One aspect that deserves comment is the strong criticism about the causes of the Kashmir problem and the roles of the various personalities at that time. There is no denying that what went wrong is being paid half a century later. The perfidy of the British who were reluctantly giving freedom to their 'Crown Jewel' and in fact reading the requiem mass for their once glorious empire, on which the sun never set, cannot be denied. The manner in which it was done leaves no doubt that there was a strong desire that the chaos so created should in some way resolve in their further role in the subcontinent. The leadership to whom they were handing over had fought a long and but peaceful battle for independence. They were also new to the game of ruling and governance. With hindsight it is easy to condemn them but with religious and ethnic divide, unequal assets, different levels of progress, abject poverty for the majority, lack of infrastructure, to name a few problems, plus empty coffers after centuries of plunder, was not an ideal place to start governing from day one.

A very commendable book which, I am sure will be very educative for everybody.

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