Revisiting the Kargil War in ‘Despatches from Kargil’ by Srinjoy Chowdhury

Twenty-five years ago, Indian homes experienced the Kargil War through the brave and unprecedented firsthand wartime reporting of Indian journalists.
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Title: Despatches from Kargil

Author: Srinjoy Chowdhury

Language: English

Publisher: Penguin Random House India

Pages: 240 pages

ISBN: 9780140295924

Format: Paperback

Price: Rs. 350

Twenty-five years ago, in the summer of 1999 Kargil War broke out and entered the Indian homes in an unprecedented scale through print and electronic media. That happened because in this war for the first time Indian news reporters went near the battlefield risking their lives, saw what was happening and interacted with our soldiers who were fighting the Pakistani intruders. They experienced various aspects and the fall out of an all-out war firsthand.

The result was electrifying, newspaper reports and TV visuals covering the hardship, bravery and supreme sacrifices of our soldiers stirred Indian souls, a bond was forged between the fighting and the home front, igniting patriotism and civilian commitment to the war as never before. The reporting raised the morale of our Armed Forces.

The cover of the 25th edition of ‘Despatches from Kargil’ by Srinjoy Chowdhury

Kargil war was fought in remote, snow-covered, inhospitable mountainous terrain where the enemy had the advantage of well-prepared defenses with ample weaponry at higher ground. It unveiled some serious shortcomings in our military preparedness and handling of the operation at the initial stage which had to be compensated for with the blood of our brave soldiers.

In all the battles to recover the innumerable peaks from the Pakistani intruders our men had to climb impossible gradients in extreme cold, facing murderous fire, reaching the top and eliminating the enemy. The artillery played a major role in Kargil war, the well discussed 155mm Bofors proving its effectiveness. All the branches of the Army actively joined the war.

The huge civilian support was a new chapter in India`s battle history.

The first intruders were reported on May 5. Three days later, when a patrol that was sent to investigate four of our jawans came back in body bags. Various Army units were hastily summoned and sent up to the mountains. Based on their reports elaborate battle plans were finally prepared and executed. The Indian Air Force joined the battle on May 26 and flew numerous sorties to attack enemy positions to support the ground troops, three aircrafts were lost. The navy played an important role of a deterrent.

Victory was achieved at the expense of many martyrs and as per India`s stand in the bilateral talk with Pakistan, the infiltrators left Indian soil by July 16, 1999. Before leaving, they planted hundreds of almost invisible anti-personnel plastic mines to kill our unsuspecting jawans to take revenge of their defeat. Pakistanis kept the hostility alive.  

Also Read: Freedom Diary

Books on Kargil war followed after the cease fire. In them the same war was narrated from different points of view by various authors, among them were Army officers and reporters. Srinjoy Chowdhury covered the war as a reporter of ‘The Statesman`, his book Despatches from Kargil was first published in the year 2000. Now we have its 25th Anniversary Edition in hand.

The book is written based mostly on the information collected by Chowdhury himself during his visits to remote front areas and military bases, seeing and experiencing things himself. He interacted with the combatants who were actually fighting the enemy on the ground. What he saw and learned are vividly described in such a way that takes the reader on a journey to the battle affected areas and battlefields – the Army convoys, the difficult roads, civilian life in places that received Pakistani shelling, initial setback due to intelligence failure and hasty decisions, various constraints of our forces, feelings and thoughts  of our fighting soldiers at different levels in different sectors, the artillery in action firing the mighty Bofors guns, activities of Indian Air Force and Indian Navy, the mayhem of war in all striking details.  

The synopsis of ‘Despatches from Kargil’ by Srinjoy Chowdhury

The narration of the book is not a series of battle stories or an impersonal military history with statistics, rather it is an extremely empathetic account of the combatants who were looking at death in its eyes. This book vividly describes various battles, brutalities of the enemy and acts of unimaginable bravery and supreme sacrifices as recollected by the participants themselves. Those battles were fought by our forces with the highest level of gallantry against tremendous odds, in treacherous mountain terrain in sub-zero temperature to clear numerous well-fortified enemy positions in Drass, Mushkoh valley, Kargil and Batalik sectors.

The valiant leadership of our junior officers leading our jawans to victory in almost impossible battles comes through loud and clear.

The untiring dedication of the Army doctors and supporting staff to treat injured troops near the battlefield has been described. Various activities of Indian Air Force and Indian Navy during the Kargil war have been discussed quite thoroughly.

The author has described the vital role played by the members of Army Supply Corps and civilian truck drivers who kept our men going by transporting everything needed for the war, risking Pakistani shelling. We learn what a jawan of the Army Signal Corps in his solitary listening post or a lone artillery observer officer must endure for the success of an operation. We learn the ways and psyche of the armed force that keep them moving against all adversaries. In conclusion, the book is highly recommended to all interested in Kargil war.  

There are a few expectations when an updated new edition comes out after twenty-five years of the Kargil war. A few maps would have been of great help to the readers. In this era of satellite imagery that should not have posed any security problem. A list of important events of the war arranged chronologically would have helped better understanding of the unfolding of the operations.

Also Read: From The Frontline

The spent rifle bullet seen in Zojila pass was in fact an empty brass case of a .303 Lee Enfield rifle cartridge, the solid bullet already fired at the enemy. The major leading the battery of six 81mm mortars in Mushkoh must have said ‘elevation of 61 degrees’ not per cent. A few colour photographs would have been helpful to understand the war more intimately. This would have been particularly useful to the young readers who have not seen the Kargil war through any media.

This 25th Anniversary Edition of Despatches from Kargil has fulfilled the very important need to present again the narrative of a very important war of our time reminding us of its lessons and the sacrifices of our martyrs, lest we forget.

Image Courtesy: Author

Heritage conservation activist and firearm enthusiast. Specialises in identification, technical narration and history of period firearms. Writes and lectures on period cannons and guns. Extended his voluntary service to KMDA, various Museums, Police forces and Ordnance factories.

Heritage conservation activist and firearm enthusiast. Specialises in identification, technical narration and history of period firearms. Writes and lectures on period cannons and guns. Extended his voluntary service to KMDA, various Museums, Police forces and Ordnance factories.

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