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An Autobiography
The book written by General Joginder Jaswant Singh is an example of an influential, brilliant and charismatic individual whose autobiography runs to nearly 400 pages. There’s a wealth of detail about his family, the army tradition, days in the NDA/IMA and the highlights of his army career. This book is not just about his life’s journey but is also about his inferences out of the experiences that he has had in this journey so far.
Former army Chief Joginder Jaswant Singh popularly known as General JJ, has been one of the more noted and decorated people the country has seen. General JJ, the first officer of the famed Maratha Light Infantry, having risen to the rank of the Chief of Staff and also the first Sikh to occupy the post, was a soldier par excellence.
The book is a fine read for a young officer who has just been initiated as a military leader. The language is plain and lucid. The chapters have been kept very short. It will provoke thought on various aspects of soldiering and how things should be handled. The chapter on Kargil, to take an example, is a nice insider’s view from General JJ, who was at that time posted as ADG military operations in Military Operations Directorate in the army headquarters. It gives a from-the-cockpit view of operational direction and policy-making in modern short campaigns.
Especially interesting are the parts where he talks about how he led his men in operations. As a battalion commander, he led his men to destroy a major insurgent camp in the difficult north - eastern region. As a brigade commander, he got injured while leading an operation. He was also able to contribute intellectually to the future operational concepts and doctrine of the Indian Army as a commander of the Army Training Command (ARTRAC).
Throughout his career, he always advocated a judicious mix of the iron hand and the velvet glove. A case in point is his ‘khopdi drill’. While his men used to comb the village of the terrorists, he used to exhort the people to come out of the clutches of the conspirators. He used to motivate the locals in Urdu and used to apprise them of the bluff they were part of. He writes, “I considered targeting and influencing the minds of the people more important than catching or killing a few terrorists.” He adds: “Winning their hearts and minds with the velvet - glove approach and a humane touch was an important facet of counter - insurgency operations.” His tears when he got the post were perhaps a run - off of the humane touch.
However, being the autobiography of a man who has been handling very important appointments at Military Operations Directorate to commanding Strike Corps, 1 Corps, ARTRAC and Western Army Command, the book seems a tad docile, especially given his antics during his career. A ‘play safe’ strategy is apparent and a little disappointing.
It is a light read at best, being neither contemporary history nor having the details to qualify as a guide to national security. He has touched upon every aspect, right from deficiency in arms and equipment to higher defense management to national internal security but has left all of them at the introductory phase.
The writing is simple and unremarkable, which is what one expects from a soldier. The book is welcome because so few Chiefs (for that matter so few army officers) write about their experiences. It may not change the perception of those who served with or under the General and it is a fact that he has many critics.
Indeed, the autobiography is an accurate reflection of General Singh’s personality, putting him not only at the centre of the book but at the centre of every event in it. In that respect, both the book and the author have been extremely faithful to one another. It’s another matter that Khushwant Singh, whose advice General Singh sought before embarking on this literary journey recently wrote that he had advised the former Chief not to praise himself too much. People get put-off by that, he said. However, the General obviously didn’t take that hint.
General Singh is currently the Governor of Arunachal Pradesh. The General was appointed as Governor of the State of Arunachal Pradesh in January 2008 by Her Excellency the President of India Pratibha Devi Patel Singh and was sworn in on 27th January 2008. Arunachal Pradesh is strategically located in the North East part of India and has common borders with China, Myanmar and Bhutan. Immediately after taking over as the Governor of Arunachal Pradesh General JJ Singh hosted the Prime Minister of India on 31st January 2008 during his maiden visit to Arunachal Pradesh. The Governor is taking keen interest and is monitoring all the developmental activities and security of the State, as well as taking care of his special constitutional obligation with regard to maintenance of law and order in the State. In fact, with his presence, the pace of development has multiplied manifold.
His autobiography A Soldier’s General, has already been released three-times over. It was released in Delhi on June 9th by the Marshal of the Indian Air Force Arjan Singh; in Mumbai on June 23rd by the Governor of Maharashtra K. Sankaranarayanan; and in London on June 25th by a British member of parliament Paul Uppal and the Shaheed Nanak Singh Foundation.
He is married to Mrs. Anupama Singh and they have a son and a daughter. A multi linguist who speaks fluent French and some Arabic among other languages, General Singh is widely considered to be a thinking and perceptive soldier who is a thorough professional. His distinguished and dedicated service of forty six years to the nation and his current assignment is reflective of his avant-garde leadership, professional excellence, vision and humanitarian values in his memoirs.
On the day of releasing his book a proud General JJ Singh said, “I am a secular son of India. I never considered myself as the first Sikh to become the Army Chief.” But the retired General added in the same breath that he is proud to be a Sikh and a Maratha. He admitted that writing an autobiography was not very easy and he realized why very few former Chiefs have entered this territory. But whatever he put in came straight from the heart.
Many of his well wishers the likes of Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam former President of India, Arjan Singh the Marshal of the Indian Air Force, Colonel Viscount John Slim, OBE former British Indian Army Officer (Gorkha Riffles), T.S.R Subramanian former cabinet secretary and many others have showered wholesome praise for him.
In his remark, the former President of India Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam said that the book is the story of a third generation soldier, who works with integrity to reach the highest position in the Indian army. “I liked the message given to General JJ Singh by his grandfather, Sepoy Atma Singh, that ‘Good leaders command respect and not demand it; respect has to be earned.’ I am sure the book will become a benchmark for soldiers and inspire the youth,” he added.
Arjan Singh, the Marshal of the Indian Air Force has also said that the book is a brilliant account by one of our foremost soldiers in recent times. In this candid and straightforward memoir JJ Singh has recounted many interesting events of his life in uniform and as the Governor of a sensitive state.
Although writing an autobiography for him, must have been a challenging job presenting all the details concisely, it must have proved to be a rewarding experience in the end for the Soldier’s General. The book which is a non-fiction autobiography was gifted to me on 7th February 2013 by General JJ Singh himself with a message “Dear Chow Bilaseng Namchoom, with my best wishes and warm regards.” The book is an enjoyable read till the last 400th page and has been written with great care and responsibility. One can draw inspiration from the determination and grit showed in tough times of the past and move on with a positive attitude. This book is an example of one of the few autobiographies you can read and get inspired by. The book is available in all leading book stores across India and can be grabbed for Rs 799 only but one must not expect it to give a paradigm changing insight into the security and military organizations of the country.
