50 years have passed since India lost its first war with China. The defeat has left scars that will never really heal for Indians who were around at that time. Even as a 7 year old I remember the general atmosphere of doom and gloom. The older people would wait for the newspaper every morning hoping for some positive news, and crouch around the radio at night for more of the same. They were disappointed day after day. The shame was recreated in movies, fiction, art and poetry, and also of course in all the political discourse of the day. Fifty years on the media is busy with other stuff but some brave souls persist in holding up a mirror to all the scars of 1962. In hindsight it was all so avoidable.
Mohan G. has provided a short summary of the events. He, boldly, names the two people who played a big part in first building up and then mismanaging the crisis. Both the key people cleverly managed to protect their lapses subsequently. http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/in-dubious-battle-at-heavens-gate/article3992126.ece
Abheek Burman has brought out several aspects of the crisis that were suppressed around that time. So much so that one whistleblower were hounded till long after the war. And one brave officer whose foresight and judgement was questioned in the build-up to the crisis -and who suffered the ignominy of capture and public humiliation in China- was further stigmatized by a gross and unfair whispering campaign. He later wrote his memoirs in an attempt to clear the air. Appropriately it was titled "Himalayan Blunder"...
http://blogs.economictimes.indiatimes.com/folk-theorem/entry/lies-forgeries-and-a-war
Madhu Gurung has chosen to share the human stories associated with the terrible events of that period. In three parts she has covered a lot of ground with survivors and witnesses:
Part 1: http://www.thehindu.com/arts/history-and-culture/memories-of-an-unsung-war/article3941699.ece
Part 2: http://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/society/meenakshis-tezpur/article3967935.ece
Part 3: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-sundaymagazine/for-the-debt-of-salt/article3995720.ece
Madhu and her husband Shakti are both from my school. Shakti is a batchmate and a serving general in the Indian Army. Madhu's family also had a link with the Services. The shame, the pain and the urge to do right by the sufferers, the survivors and the witnesses is therefore even more pronounced in Madhu's case.
The Hindu seems to have done its bit by carrying Mohan and Madhu's writing. Economic Times' coverage was a pleasant surprise. But the definitive account of the debacle still awaits its Shirer...
Mohan G. has provided a short summary of the events. He, boldly, names the two people who played a big part in first building up and then mismanaging the crisis. Both the key people cleverly managed to protect their lapses subsequently. http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/in-dubious-battle-at-heavens-gate/article3992126.ece
Abheek Burman has brought out several aspects of the crisis that were suppressed around that time. So much so that one whistleblower were hounded till long after the war. And one brave officer whose foresight and judgement was questioned in the build-up to the crisis -and who suffered the ignominy of capture and public humiliation in China- was further stigmatized by a gross and unfair whispering campaign. He later wrote his memoirs in an attempt to clear the air. Appropriately it was titled "Himalayan Blunder"...
http://blogs.economictimes.indiatimes.com/folk-theorem/entry/lies-forgeries-and-a-war
Madhu Gurung has chosen to share the human stories associated with the terrible events of that period. In three parts she has covered a lot of ground with survivors and witnesses:
Part 1: http://www.thehindu.com/arts/history-and-culture/memories-of-an-unsung-war/article3941699.ece
Part 2: http://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/society/meenakshis-tezpur/article3967935.ece
Part 3: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-sundaymagazine/for-the-debt-of-salt/article3995720.ece
Madhu and her husband Shakti are both from my school. Shakti is a batchmate and a serving general in the Indian Army. Madhu's family also had a link with the Services. The shame, the pain and the urge to do right by the sufferers, the survivors and the witnesses is therefore even more pronounced in Madhu's case.
The Hindu seems to have done its bit by carrying Mohan and Madhu's writing. Economic Times' coverage was a pleasant surprise. But the definitive account of the debacle still awaits its Shirer...
No comments:
Post a Comment