Lt Gen Satish Dua’s book offers insights and personal experiences about the story of Nazir Ahmad Wani, a terrorist turned hero, who was the recipient of two Sena Medals and a posthumous Ashoka Chakra.
PUNE: Amongst the plethora of books emerging on Kashmir, General Satish Dua’s, “A General Reminisces” stands out for originality and content. General Dua—himself a life-long soldier who has seen Kashmir intimately for over 40 years—offers insights and personal experiences about the story of Nazir Ahmad Wani, a terrorist turned hero, who was the recipient of two Sena Medals and a posthumous Ashoka Chakra. Nazir served in the same regiment as the author, who had interacted often with him at different stages of his life. The personal touch which is provided gives the book a vivid character that brings out Kashmir, its people, its culture and concept of Kashmiriyat, its troubled past and the future that it holds.
The book plays along three narratives. The first of course is the story of Naseer Ahmed Wani, a young Kashmiri boy who initially joined the militant ranks, then joined the government forces and went on to become one of the most decorated soldiers of the Indian Army. As General Dua himself puts it, “Much is known about Burhan Wani who became a glorified terrorist, but few know of the other Wani—Lance Naik Nazir Ahmad Wani—who had sacrificed his life for the country.”
The other narrative is that of Kashmir itself. General Dua traces the development of Kashmir, right from the early rumblings and the slow descent into insurgency. He brings out the subtle signs—the use of “Tumhare India”, the anger at a cricket match when India defeated Pakistan, the internal politics and the allegedly rigged elections of 1987, which was the trigger to violent decades of insurgency. He also highlights the slow process of getting the state back on the rails and the impact of “Life after Article 370.” This, he feels, has not only greatly improved the security situation, but also enhanced the lives of thousands of Kashmiris. There is great hope, and also a need for great caution, as he warns.
The third narrative is that of his own journey in uniform. It began with him being commissioned into the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles, (JAKLI), a regiment with troops from Kashmir itself. The different tenures in different ranks and positions culminated with the command of 15 Corps, the Corps Headquarters responsible for Kashmir. These experiences give a warm personal touch to the book.
The story of Nazir is brought through all these three narratives. As a young boy born to a humble farmer and dhaba owner, he lived in harmony in his village with Kashmiri Pandits—especially his respected Pandit teacher. Then, “In the 1990s things started changing. Strange men moved in the shadows of the village, talking to the youth or visiting the mosque. Some nights they heard gunshots.” Changes were coming in Kashmir, which led to the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits around 19 January 1990—a date when declarations and announcements were made for Pandits to leave or be killed.
Nazir’s slow indoctrination into militant ranks, began with him delivering letters and packages, and running errands for unknown terrorists, till he became an overground worker for the al Jihad group. Other members—many of them friends of his—were sent to training camps in Pakistan, from where they would return to carry out terrorist acts for a sum of money. Gen Dua calls it “A full-blown cottage industry.” He also brings out very well the feeling of confusion and uncertainty that Nazir and hundreds of other Kashmiris, when they got caught against their wishes, in his cycle of terror and violence.
Nazir moved back from the brink just in time, and joined the Ikhwanis, a group composed of reformed militants who had been recruited to counter the terrorists. He stayed with them till he joined the Territorial Army battalion of the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry—a Home and Hearth battalion composed of locals from the area. Here he truly excelled as he came into his own as a soldier. With his innate courage and skills and intimate knowledge of the land, he participated in a series of operations, eventually winning two Sena Medals for gallantry. General Dua brings out the operations in meticulous detail. He highlights the actions of the soldiers and their officers, brings out the dangers and emotions they feel, and even captures the sense of boredom that sometimes creeps in when the soldiers perform the same duty night after night, leading to a complacency that can cost lives.
Nazir’s last roar came in 2018, in an operation called Batagund, when he closed in on to a terrorist in a burning house, killed him in hand-to-hand combat and killed another terrorist before succumbing. His widow, Mahajabeen, received the Ashoka Chakra—India’s highest peace time gallantry award—from the President during the Republic Day 2019. The life of this brave son of India through the tumulus days of insurgency in Kashmir is beautifully brought out, with his emotions, hopes, aspirations and fears.
General Dua effortlessly brings out the story. Along the way, he offers vignettes and glimpses of Kashmiriyat, and the customs and traditions they follow. He also brings out the human angle with great compassion and sympathy, as he delves into the psyche of ordinary Kashmiris who were caught in the conflict.
“A General Reminisces” is a masterly book by a seasoned soldier-writer, which offers a birds-eye view of Kashmir. It brings out the story of the soldier, the militant, the Kashmiri and the state itself, and is one that should be read by all, seeking to understand the problem of Kashmir and savoured for the tales and insights that it imparts.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lt Gen Satish Dua, PVSM, UYSM, SM, VSM has served four decades in the Army, retiring as Chief of Integrated Defence Staff in 2018. A counter terrorist specialist, he has served extensively in Kashmir, and as Corps Commander in Srinagar, planned and executed the surgical strikes in 2016. He has also been India’s defence attaché in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. A highly respected defence analyst, he writes and lectures extensively on strategic affairs and security.
* Ajay Singh is the international award winning author of seven books and over 200 articles including his latest book “Ukraine, Gaza Taiwan …. A World at War”, which examines the conflicts around the globe. He is a regular contributor to The Sunday Guardian.