A GENERAL'S REMINISCENCES

General Satyawant Mallanna Shrinagesh (11 May 1903 27 December 1977), the third Indian Army Chief (between 1955 and 1957), left copious notes that were preserved by his family.

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Commanded by Destiny is the outcome--a memoir full of little nuggets of his life and times.

What makes the book so engaging-though it comes nearly five decades after his death-is the crystal clear recollection of events of both his days as the head of the Indian Army and later as Governor in three different states.

The USP of the narrative is its precise depiction of military and political events during the formative years of India's growth as a democratic nation state, with the stalwarts of the independence movement holding centre stage. General Shrinagesh's insightful perspectives on various critical matters, including civil-military relations, the need for a cohesive national security framework, the concept of federalism, centrestate relations, J&K and the modernisation of the forces, are still as valid today as when the notes were first recorded.