Aroor Shiv - Indias most fearless. 2: more military stories of unimaginable courage and sacrifice

Either I will come back after hoisting the tricolour, or I will come back wrapped in it, but I will be back for sure.

Captain Vikram Batra, Param Vir Chakra

These immortal words of one of Indias bravest warriors encapsulate the spirit of the Indian Armed Forces. Our fine men and women epitomize the highest standards of honour, courage and commitment. They meet the myriad challenges of our volatile security environment with an unflinching sense of purpose, fully prepared to make any sacrifice required to protect the nation.

Over the last four decades, there have been innumerable acts of valour by our men and women from the three services. Many a times, in challenging situations at sea, one has seen extraordinary feats being performed to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds. Similarly, stories about the heroic acts by our soldiers and air warriors, against the enemy and in protection of the citizenry, abound. These chronicles are an affirmation of the strength of our ethos, conviction and resolve.

This sequel to Indias Most Fearless offers the reader a poignant insight into a few such instances. The willingness and confidence of the individuals to surmount all fear and push the limits of the possible, described in each of these stories in the book, will leave an indelible mark. The stories about our heroic submariners give a unique insight into the obscure, hostile and unforgiving realm in which these silent warriors operate.

Readers will undoubtedly gain a deeper understanding of the culture of our forces, as well as an appreciation of the sacrifices made in the defence of the nation. In this day of incessant Breaking News and short-lived societal memory, accounts such as these serve to rekindle our memory of those who made enormous sacrifices for Indias security and our tomorrow... lest we forget.

Our heroes, through their sacrifices and bravery, have continued to strengthen the very foundations of our great nation. By remembering them, we ensure that their example continues to guide us in all walks of life.

Jai Hind.

Admiral Sunil Lanba

PVSM, AVSM, ADC

Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee, and Chief of the Naval Staff

Always do everything you ask of those you command.

General George S. Patton, Jr

3 June 1999 seems like yesterday to me. I remember taking off from Srinagar with my Flight Commander in a pair of MiG-21 jets, soaring over the Drass-Kargil heights and dropping 250 kg bombs on Tiger Hill. Our squadron had moved from Punjab to the Kashmir Valley a fortnight earlier to help hunt down and destroy the enemy intruder positions.

Being deployed for war was a dream. As difficult and dangerous it was, this was what my squadron and I had trained tirelessly for. What could be more fulfilling than to be called upon to do what you had joined the Indian Air Force for?

Those few weeks threw up some of Indias best known and most beloved heroes. Men whose actions have deservedly won them a valuable price in public memory. But as I have always held, India has never needed a full-scale war or conflict for its heroes to step up. In a country that faces threats from across the spectrum, the demand for courage and gallantry remains high. History is rife with acts of courage and valour by the three services.

Air power and employment of the Air Force is frequently seen as an indisputable act of hostility in a conflict. The nature of military aviation and the many other roles of the Indian Air Force mean that our men and women are uninterruptedly in difficult and demanding lines of duty. From a fighter cockpit thats on fire, to a transport plane headed to a dangerously small airfield high up on a mountain, from daring helicopter rescues during floods to the extensive ground operations that occupy thousands of our ranks, it does not stop.

In Indias Most Fearless 2 , you will gain insight into the story of an air warrior, amongst others, in a role that you would not normally associate with the Indian Air Force as you know it: Anti-Terror Operations. The other accounts, equally, must occupy us with questions not only about the will to survive and the skill of our three services, but also about what it takes to make peace with ones own likely demise, if in the bargain many more lives are saved.

My compliments to the authors for the sequel, for very aptly highlighting the valour of our heroes once again.

Jai Hind.

Air Chief Marshal B.S. Dhanoa

PVSM, AVSM, YSM, VM, ADC

Chief of the Air Staff

The wide readership of the first book, Indias Most Fearless , has been a source of great satisfaction to the Army fraternity. The book undoubtedly brings to light the bravery against all odds of a few of the heroes of Indian Army, amongst many such stories of unparalleled guts, glory and courage.

The book and its popularity is an affirmation that despite many distractions in our modern and hyper-connected society, millions are still interested in the stories of our men and women in uniform. The soldiers keep themselves professionally abreast and ensure that they are available for the call of duty at all times to uphold the sovereignty and integrity of our great nation.

Our men and women in uniform have never let the nation down in the highest traditions of the Armed Forces. After having seen the entire spectrum of challenges in which Indian Army soldiers operate, I can say with conviction that we will continue to put the nation first, always and every time.