Almost five decades after the passing away of an army commander, his memoirs are being published to introduce him to the new generation.
In an era when army generals are forgotten the moment they come out of their uniforms and get faded into oblivion, there are few commanders who live in the hearts of soldiers, officers and common men because of their legendary deeds.
Stories about Field Marshals Sam Manekshaw, KM Kariappa, General Bipin Rawat (India’s first chief of defense staff who died tragically in an air crash) are part of folk lores associated with the defense forces. One more name is joining this Hall of Fame as the memoirs of General Satyawant Mallanna Shrinagesh, who was the second Indian Chief of Army Staff (COAS) is on the anvil.
Titled “Commanded by Destiny -A General’s Rise From Soldier To Statesman”, the memoirs is the Kolhapur born Shrinagesh’s 34 year long career as a soldier in British Army, British Indian Army and Indian Army.
Post retirement the General served as Governor of Assam, Andhra Pradesh and Mysore and also as chief of the Administrative Staff College of India at Hyderabad. General Shrinagesh has seen action in Burma and Japan during the tumultuous years of the Second World War. Old timers’ reminiscences rate him as soldiers’ soldier and commanders’ commander.