Amarinder pens book on 1965 Indo-Pak war

New Delhi: As the country celebrates the golden jubilee of the 1965 India-Pakistan War, former Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh says his new book seeks to present the "right perspective" of the war fought 50 years back.

Singh has penned the book 'The Monsoon War: Young Officers Reminisce 1965 India-Pakistan' along with Lieutenant General Tajindar Shergill, who was the Troop Leader 1 Troop C Squadron Deccan Horse during the war.

"I was in the thick of the action. I was ADC to the GOC-in-C (Western Command) Harbaksh Singh. And most of the action took place in the Western Command only. So, I wanted to present the right perspective of the war. The book tries to put the record straight," Singh said told PTI about what motivated him to write the book, launched at an event here yesterday.

During the event, the authors shared their experiences about working on the book, the Congress MP serving as ADC to Harbaksh Singh, situation back home after Shergill was put in prison by Pakistan, and putting forth their account of the war.

The attendees mostly comprised of serving and retired defense personnel.

Replying to an often-debated question of who was the actual winner of the war as both the countries claim victory for it, Shergill said it was India given the objectives set out to armed forces by then Central Government and the context in which it was fought.

They also gifted copies of the book, published by Roli Books, to the kins of war heroes including wife of Veer Abdul Hamid, Rasoolan Biwi, and Harbaksh Singh's daughter Harmala Gupta.
A documentary on the war was also screened during the event.

In the past, the Congress leader has penned several books including 'Honour and Fidelity: India's Military Contribution to the Great War 1914-1918' and 'The Last Sunset: The Rise and Fall of the Lahore Durbar'.

Shergill, winner of Param Vishisht Seva Medal, has in the past written a book 'Counter-Insurgency Support to a Host Nation'.