BookRreviews [44/45] : 'Target 3 Billion' and 'Turning Points'

 Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam is one of the greatest advocates of Inclusive and Sustainable Development. PURA is not a radical concept but the most effective one to develop the underdeveloped rural regions of India where more than 60% of Indian population vegetate. More than 75% of Indian population lives below 2 USD a day while more than 50% lives below  1.25 USD a day, the Planning Commission says that about 30% of Indian population lives below 0.60 USD a day poverty line and this is pathetic in all dimensions.  According to 2011 Census, 68.5% of Indian Population lives in rural areas and their contribution to Indian food security is close to 100% but 90% of these rural people suffer from food shortages of all kind, nothing can be more ironical. Kalam's works endorses the creation of PURA (Providing Urban Amenities in Rural Areas) to develop the Indian villages holistically. He gives the examples of Chitrakoot PURA and Periyar PURA. Chitrakoot PURA is the handiwork of great Indian rural reformer and entrepreneur Nanaji Deshmukh, it provides medical facilities to surrounding districts and employment opportunities to the people of the region. Similar is the case of Periyar PURA. 'Target 3 Billion' is a great book and must read for all who are interested in socially inclusive and sustainable development of India.  
Highly Recommended (8/10)


'Turning Points' is a sequel to 'Wings of Fire', it records the time of Kalam as President of India (2002-2007). It's an amazing book written with lot of heart and full of inspiring stories from all corners of this great country of ours. He writes about various initiatives taken or inspired by him, various controversial or non-controversial decisions taken by him during his Presidency. What are we doing to make this world/India a better place than we have inherited from our ancestors? We all can learn a lot of things from Kalam, perhaps Kalam is the last great statesman or preacher of this country. This book is a must read. 
Highly Recommended (8/10)

Book Reviews [42/43] : 'The Indus Intercept' and 'The Shadow Throne'

This week i started marathon of reading fictional books. Read two books 'Shadow Throne' and 'The Indus Intercept' with the main theme of political turmoil in the subcontinent. 

This book is an amazing story of a Baluchi insurgent group of Baluchistan. It exposes very eruditely the game played by various Spy agencies including CIA, ISI and RAW in the Afghan-Pakistan region, How these agencies use these insurgent groups for their own selfish tactical reasons. Amidst all the violence and espionage, this book beautifully portrays the love story of two Baluchi fighters and a reluctant CIA agent. The author has done a great research on the Baluchistan and the geopolitics of the sub-continent. The story hinges around a brave and principled Baluchi warrior who plans to create an insurgency to liberate his homeland Baluchistan from the claws of Pakistan and his exploitations of and by CIA, RAW. The use of Indus Valley Civilization script in this book is very interesting and intriguing. 
Highly recommended book (8/10)

This book was written with an 'anti-India mindset' and it really shocks and shames me that it is written by a person with an Indian name. The theme hinges around a nuclear holocaust plot by the RAW agents who want to see the complete annihilation of Pakistan by triggering Nuclear attack from Pakistan into India. In this book the ISI are the good guys while RAW are the bad guys and there are two Indian heroes. This book invokes Kushana empire and Menander rather naively and the ststrength of the entire plot is based on the legend of a great leader who will create a nation for the Hazaras in Afghan-Pak region. It took 4 hours to read this book completely. Strictly not recommended by me although it might be a time pass while traveling for some.
Not even a Time Pass (3/10)

Both these books can be ordered on Flipkart and they are pretty reasonably priced.

Book Review [41] : Himalayan Blunder

Himalayan Blunder is an incredible book by a man who himself commanded the Indian troops in the famous battle of Thagla Ridge (20th Oct 1962). This book is a must read fir every Indian although this book was banned initially by the government. This book exposes the poor planning, strategy and politicization of Indian Army. Brigadier Dalvi was taken as POW by invading Chinese troops when his entire Brigade disintegrated after giving a tough fight to Chinese in-spite of limited ration and ammunition. India lost the war mainly because of romantic pro-China idealism of Nehru, political interference in the functioning of Indian Army by then Defence Minister Mr. Menon and timidity of Indian Army Chief General Thapar, and escapades of incapable and politically connected General Kaul.

Brigadier Dalvi is spot on when he says that his regiment was used as cannon fodder by political leaders of the country to score public popularity. The poor soldiers of Indian Army did bot have food, boots, warm clothes, ammunition and no artillery support and still they fought for the ashes of their fathers, sanctity of their motherland and honour of their Army. They were massacred but before that they showed the entire world that Indian Rajputs, Gorkhas and Punjabis are the bravest soldiers in world. These soldiers repelled 3 attacks of heavy Chinese infantry supported by heavy artillery but poorly equipped minority force can not win against heavily equipped battle hardened majority force. Our posts on Namka Chu river were destroyed within a single day on 20th Oct 1962 and the disrobing of India's honour was complete.

Indian soldiers defended Ladakh region successfully for many days but they were also forced to retreat but not before destroying huge number of Chinese, specially in the Chushul  region (Battle of Rezang La). After experiencing these reverses India had to plead before UK and USA ( Nehru criticized the same countries in Korean War 1950-53 and Suez War-1956) and credit to these countries that they provided unconditional help to India. General Thapar, General Kaul and Defence Minister Mr. Menon resigned but Indian honour was lost forever.

Lets remember the soldiers who fought in the difficult and impossible conditions 50 years ago when our parents and grand parents were perhaps celebrating Diwali or Eid or both. Let's remember those soldiers for their supreme selfless sacrifice and let's take a vow to take the defence of this country seriously. 
Highly Recommended (8/10)