My book Beyond NJ 9842: The Siachen Saga launched: A glimpse of the function

Me and my wife Neha with RAdm Sudarshan Shrikhande

Thirty years ago today, Op Meghdoot was launched. My book Beyond NJ 9842: The Siachen Saga detailing the three decade long operation and personal stories of triumph and tragedy, fear and joy of soldiers and air warriors involved in India's longest running military operation, was released in Delhi on 11 April. Here's a glimpse of that function. Some of the excerpts from the book can be found here:  http://bharat-rakshak.com/LAND-FORCES/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=419; http://www.rediff.com/news/interview/pakistan-cannot-be-trusted-on-the-siachen-glacier/20140410.htm 

Former Home secy Gopal Pillai, Gen VP Malik and Bloomsbury's Suresh Gopal

 

 http://www.ndtv.com/article/india pakistanis-were-not-buying-snow-clothing-for-picnic-497802

Param Vir Chakra Bana Singh with Siachen veteran Gopal Karunakaran

Lt Gen Vinod Bhatia (r) with me and Siachen veteran Ashu Beri

 http://nitinagokhale.blogspot.in/2014/03/how-and-why-i-wrote-book-on-siachen.html

http://www.rediff.com/news/slide-show/slide-show-1-exclusive-secure-the-siachen-glacier/20140318.htm

http://www.mid-day.com/articles/book-review-of-nitin-a-gokhales-book-beyond-nj9842-the-siachen-saga/15203068

Brig VN Channa (r) with Suresh Gopal and Ashu Beri

Gp Capts Maheshwar, Sandeep Mehta and Capt DK Sharma of the Indian Navy

Me with G. Parthasarathy and Gen VP Malik

 http://epaper.deccanchronicle.com/articledetailpage.aspx?id=459981# … They got publisher wrong though

Felicitating the Chief guests

Felicitating Bana Singh

On stage

Introducing the book

Friends Ravi and Lakshmi and Brig Chatterjee behind Ravi

Lt 

NDC Commandant VAdm Sunil Lanba and Andamans Lt Governor Gen AK Singh

The distinguished audience

Gopal Pillai, Air Marshal SG Inamdar and DG Air Ops, Air Marshal SB Deo

Friends Gopal and Geeta Karunakaran
 KS Bajwa; back row Lt Gen Prakash Katoch and Maj Gen Sheru Thapliyal

Maj Gen BK Sharma (green shirt), Maj Gen Ian Cardozo, IDSA's Ajey Lele behind Gens Katoch and Thapliyal

Friends Ajay Banerjee, Capt DK Sharma, Maj Gen Subrata Saha, Maj KG Krishna (from left to right)

Maj Gen Bobby Mathews (2nd from left)

Explaining the making of the book

My brother Atul (in tie), Journalists Sandeep Bhushan and Rajeev Ranjan

Blommsbury Staff who contributed to the book immensely

Our children Harsh and Utkarsh

MC Nandita Bhardwaj

My better Half Neha (in saree) and sister-in-law Kalyani

Gopal narrating his experience on the glacier

Reacting to a remark

Gen Malik smiling at Bana Singh's remarks

Gen Katoch speaking about his command of the Siachen briogade

India's only Param Vir Chakra winner on Siachen Bana Singh recounting the 1987 battle

Bana Singh: authentic hero

Getting ready to unveil the book

The book is relaesed

Gen VP Malik speaking

G. Parthasarthy explaining why Siachen can't be given up

Brig VN Channa, his wife beside him, speaking for the first time in public

Various guests

A naval trio

Veteran journalist BG Verghese giving me a word of advice

Signing copies

My brother Atul, wearing tie, with the Sandip and Perveen Joshi

Lt Gen Vijay Narula, DG Artillery (in a tie) with Mayank Singh (r) and Col Rohan Anand, Army PRO

Indu Anand of BAE telling me to sign a copy for her fauji father; col Ashwini Channa standing

Gen Katoch's best wishes

My better half Neha (centre) with Mrs Chatterjee and Kalyani

Gen Narula with me and my brother Atul

Col Rajesh engrossed in the book

Signing copies for our son Harsh's friends

Our children Harsh (left), Utkarsh (r) and nephew Aditya with Bana Singh

Speaking to journalists

Brig Channa speaking with Neha and Mrs Kulkarni, wife of Lt Gen Sanjay Kulkarni who launched Op Meghdoot 30 years ago today

Pakistan Army has sold a myth on Siachen

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Rediff.com  » News » 'Pakistan cannot be trusted'

'Pakistan cannot be trusted'

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April 10, 2014 10:11 IST

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'The Pakistani army has sold a myth to its population that it is deployed eyeball to eyeball with the Indian Army on the Siachen glacier, which it is not.'
'The Indian military has rightly advised the government not to fall for the rather spurious Pakistani demand to demilitarise Siachen.'
Nitin A Gokhale's new book, Beyond NJ9842: The Siachen Saga, focuses on the little-known aspects of Operation Meghdoot -- launched exactly 30 years ago on April 13, 1984 to secure the Siachen glacier, the world's coldest and highest battlefield, from Pakistani occupation.

• Exclusive: Secure the Siachen Glacier!

Gokhale, NDTV's Security and Strategic Affairs Editor, spoke to Rediff.com's Vicky Nanjappa:
How has your book been received?
So far, the reaction to the book has been very positive.

Even before it has reached the bookstores, there is a buzz, both in the military and among military enthusiasts because Siachen has largely been an unseen and under-reported conflict.

Once people came to know that the book's focus is on the human element -- the untold stories of valour, sacrifice, innovation and incredible camaraderie among soldiers serving there -- I have been flooded with queries about the book's actual availability.

Selected excerpts on Rediff.com and other Web sites have spurred further interest.

How important was Operation Meghdoot for India?
Operation Meghdoot pre-empted Pakistan's plan to occupy the heights leading to the Siachen glacier and link the uninhabited areas between the KarakoramPass and the Saltoro ridge.

Although many pundits have now said, in retrospect, that Siachen does not have any strategic significance, in 1984, both the military and political leadership in India was alarmed enough not to take any chances of a military link up between China and Pakistan.

Thirty years later that decision has proved to be correct, given the increasing Chinese footprints in Gilgit-Baltistan and Pakistan's northern areas.

What similarities do you find between Operation Meghdoot and the Kargil war?
There are no similarities, but there is a link.

Pervez Musharraf, who was at once in charge of operations against India in the Saltoro-Siachen area, wanted to cut off Ladakh and Siachen by intruding deep across the Line of Control in Kargil.

By doing so he had hoped that India would be forced to withdraw from Siachen. But the Indian military not only pushed back Pakistani intruders from Kargil but also thwarted Musharraf's designs on Siachen in 1999.

Do you agree with the view that Operation Meghdoot antagonised the relations between India and Pakistan?
Of course, it did. But at one time in the 1990s and in mid-2000s, diplomats and 'peaceniks' on both sides saw Siachen as a 'low-hanging' fruit ripe for plucking. Thankfully, better sense has prevailed so far.

What kind of strain does India take for holding on to Siachen? What is the region's real significance?
For a country like India, the financial drain is tolerable.

According to my information and research, India has in 30 years spent about Rs 8,000 crore (Rs 80 billion) for deployment on Siachen.

The current recurring expenditure per annum is estimated to be about Rs 365 crore (Rs 3.65 billion) -- that is about Rs 1 crore (Rs 10 million) a day. This is a fraction of the current defence budget.

According to official figures given out in Parliament in 2007, between 1984 and 2007, 884 soldiers had sacrificed their lives on the glacier.
The real significance of holding on to the glacier lies in India preventing any physical link up between China and Pakistan on the northern borders in the future, however inconceivable it may seem at the moment

There was talk that an attempt was being made to demilitarise the Siachen glacier. What happens if this proposal goes through?
The Indian military has rightly advised the government not to fall for the rather spurious Pakistani demand to demilitarise Siachen.

Firstly, the Indian Army has pointed out that Pakistan, given its past record of reneging on promises, cannot be trusted.

Secondly, Pakistan is nowhere near the Siachen glacier. The Pakistani army has sold a myth to its population that it is deployed eyeball to eyeball with the Indian Army on the Siachen glacier, which it is not.

The Pakistani deployments are at much lower altitudes and west of the Saltoro ridge that towers over the Siachen glacier.

Pakistani troops cannot even sight the glacier from their own positions.

Is it possible to convert Siachen into a symbol of peace? Can the Pakistanis be trusted on this front?

Not in the conceivable future simply because, as I said, Pakistan cannot be trusted.

If at all there talks do move ahead to close down military deployment in Siachen, what do you think India should insist that Pakistan does?
The Indian military has simply insisted that both sides must authenticate the current deployments on the map, also called the Actual Ground Position Line and ratify it so that later Pakistan cannot go back on it.
If Pakistan agrees to do it, the Indian military leadership is willing to consider the proposal.

How do you rate the handling of the United Progressive Alliance government on this issue? What do you think the National Democratic Alliance government would do on the same issue if it came to power?
The UPA government sent some mixed signals on Siachen, but finally went along with the military's advice, prompting some analysts to described it as a case where the military vetoed the political leadership.

The NDA, it is expected, will stick to the well-known position of not demilitarising Siachen or withdrawing from Saltoro range.

The tireless air warriors of Siachen glacier

In less than a week, my book Beyond NJ 9842: The Siachen Saga, is being launched in New Delhi. It chronicles hitherto unknown and untold stories of guts, glory and innovation on the world's highest and coldest battlefield. Here's one excerpt carried by the Mumbai-based Mid-day newspaper last week. One correction. The book is now priced at Rs 699 and not Rs 799, as was originally planned. It will hit the bookstores and online portals like Amazon and Flipkart from next week.

(http://epaper2.mid-day.com/epaper/03-apr-2014-252-edition-Mumbai-Page-16.html)