Appu Kamath

“Maj Bakshi: The Dragon’s Nemesis” by Sudip Talukdar is a fictional story interwoven with contemporary events, replete with brilliant conversations that reveal strategic thinking and incisive geopolitical perceptions of countries in the region. All the parallel occurrences that have been spun around the story are true historical facts. Now let me go down to the book; the story is gripping. The storyline is absorbing and continuously runs throughout the book like a sine wave with ups and downs as in the life of an army officer who has a passion to live life on the edge. What is very interesting is the international events that are taking place have a bearing on the story taking the reader to different sectors of our borders and operations in the territories of our adversaries. The geopolitical events have pirouetted around the story giving it realism. The future build-up of the events which have been visualized cannot be disposed of only as a product of imagination. I would not be surprised if the author’s development of the story may stand the test of time in the future, though it is fictional now? It may well turn out to be true in times to come, as geopolitics has become a fast-moving concatenation of circumstances based on unpredictable happenings? The book has in places discussion that is taking place among the veterans and planners. It is so realistic that it well could be held in the decision-making meetings in the corridors of power. The author appears to be well informed in geostrategy and has a clear idea of power-play indulged by countries. The shenanigans of different countries and the concept of proxy war have been abundantly and exquisitely brought out in the book. Also, watch out for China is an upper riparian state of rivers flowing from Tibet into India. It could well use its geographical advantage as a force multiplier during the war by disrupting road communication? Again, there is a plethora of information as to how wars can be fought in the current environment, where conventional wars are avoided and conflicts happen in the spectrum of Grey Zone Warfare. A minor observation; the painting of the hero of the story; Maj Bakshi is shown wearing Maj’s rank when the caption says it was taken after his promotion to the rank of Lt Col. A must-read for someone who is a student of geopolitics and international relations, and what’s more? You are absorbed in a story as well while learning your subject!