Courage and Conviction: An Autobiography

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Courage and Conviction
General V. K. Singh served in the Indian Army for forty-two years, retiring as Chief of Army Staff on 31 May 2012. His distinguished career saw him on the front lines of combat in the Indo-Pak War of 1971 which led to the creation of Bangladesh and in Sri Lanka as part of the Indian Peace Keeping Force. Considered one of the worlds foremost experts in counter-insurgency operations, he is also known for the principled stand he took on many issues during his tenure, from arms procurement to the deployment of the army against the Maoists.

Trained at the National Defence Academy and the Indian Military Academy, VK Singh served in regions crucial to Indias security. From his early days as company commander on the Line of Control in Poonch, to commanding elite formationsVictor Force in Jammu and Kashmir and the vast Eastern Command that shares international boundaries with Nepal, Bhutan, China, Myanmar and Bangladesh to his experience of military operations and exercises such as Blue Star, Brasstacks and Trident, General Singhs story makes for fascinating reading. Candid, compelling and occasionally controversial, this is the story of a straight-talking soldier not afraid to stand by his convictions

Interesting Facts About the Book
Gives the reader hitherto untold stories about the Generals experiences during the IPKF operation in Sri Lanka, the 1971 Bangladesh War with Pakistan, Operation Bluestar and anti-insurgency operations in Kashmir and the Northeast
Reveals information about bribery and corruption scandals in the armed forces during his tenure as Chief of Army Staff
Gives the full story about various lobbies who tried to victimize him over the issue of his falsified date of birth
Gives a worrying picture of how senior officers in the armed forces are constantly harassed by top bureaucrats.

About the Author

A third-generation army officer, General V. K. Singh served with both the 2nd and 25th Battalion of the Rajput Regiment. A highly decorated soldier, he was the twenty-fourth Chief of the Indian Army. In the course of his tenure he took a principled stand on multiple issues and this often brought him into conflict with powerful lobbies both inside and outside government. Writer and filmmaker Kunal Verma has produced many critically acclaimed films for the Indian armed forces that include The Standard Bearerson the NDA and a documentary on the Kargil War. He has also authored The Long Road to Siachen: The Question Whyand the Northeast Trilogy.