Fwd: My Review Article on a book about the 1962 war - Kunal Verma's "The War that Wasn't"

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From: Jay Bhattacharjee

Friends :                        31January 2016

My review article on Kunal Verma's book has been published today in THE FINANCIAL EXPRESS :

http://www.financialexpress.com/article/industry/jobs/1962-the-war-that-wasnt-book-review-a-himalayan-debacle/204708/

E-PAPER : http://epaper.financialexpress.com/707096/Indian-Express/31-January-2016#page/5/2

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Some personal memories : to remind readers from a different generation, NCC had been made compulsory for all college students in the country immediately after the disaster of October - November 1962.  I joined the grandiosely-designated 2nd Bengal Armoured Squadron that was housed in an obscure section of the resplendent Fort William. The only  armoured hardware that our unit possessed was a WW2 Scout armoured car that had seen disticntly better days. 

Among the units then stationed in Calcutta were some that had seen action in the war. Some of the soldiers in the combat units were seconded to NCC units for lighter duty after the enormous strain they had faced during active combat. It was from these jawans, NCOs and JCOs that we heard of the incredible gallantry of our army personnel in the face of enormous odds that would have discouraged lesser mortals. These were stories of heroism and gallantry that uplifted one's soul. 

The ordinary jawans and junior officers of the  Indian Army paid a devastating price for the folly of the netas and the babus, and some of its own senior officers.  Nehru, Menon, Kaul and company got away clean. Kunal Verma meticulously recounts this tragic chapter in our history. 

Jay Bhattacharjee

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Jay Bhattacharjee MA(Cantab), FCS
Advisor (Corporate Laws & Finance)
Tele : (91-11) 4182-8165 / 2651-0174
Mobile : (91) 98102-39986
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sent from samsung galaxy note3 neo, so please excuse brevity