Indian Military Officers Who Turned Writers—and Gave Us History From the Inside

A highly decorated naval aviator and former Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Arun Prakash flew combat missions during the 1971 Indo-Pak War, earning the Vir Chakra for gallantry. After a four-decade career at sea and in command, he turned to writing and strategic commentary. His book From the Crow’s Nest and numerous essays reflect a sharp, insider view of maritime strategy, defence policy, and national security.

A staple on any list of military authors, Gen VP Malik served the nation as the 18th Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army. He earned his place among the most respected voices in military writing.

He has given readers a definitive insider account of the 1999 Kargil War in Kargil: From Surprise to Victory and chronicled India’s unique intervention in the Maldives through Operation Cactus. He also offered rare insights into strategic and diplomatic decision-making in India’s Military Conflicts and Diplomacy.

From the battlefields of the 1971 Indo-Pak War to being the 24th Chief of the Army Staff, General VK Singh’s career is defined by resilience, conviction, and leadership. Currently, he is the Governor of Mizoram. As an author, he reflected candidly on his forty-two years of service in his memoir Courage and Conviction. He also explored timeless leadership lessons through Leadership in the Indian Army, cementing his place among soldier-authors who documented history from lived experience.

General Manoj Mukund Naravane served as the 28th Chief of the Army Staff and spent four decades of service in the Indian Army. When he finally laid down his baton and retired, he turned to the written word and ventured into military fiction with The Cantonment Conspiracy. He is now set to release his new book, The Curious and the Classified, which pulls back the curtain on strange and spectacular military stories that are not taught in history class.

With a long and distinguished military career, Lt Gen Satish Dua served the Indian Army in some of its most senior appointments, including Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee and General Officer Commanding of XV Corps in Kashmir. His operational experience finds reflection in his books, such as Bravest of the Brave and India’s Bravehearts, which highlight inspiring, lesser-known stories of courage and sacrifice.

A highly decorated Indian Army officer, Lt Gen KJS ‘Tiny’ Dhillon, is respected not only for his service during critical operational tenures but also for his writing. His books, like Kitne Ghazi Aye, Kitne Ghazi Gaye, Operation SINDOOR, and Wafadari Imaandari Zimmedari, are favourites among military enthusiasts for their insights into leadership, conflict, and service to the nation.

Maj Gen Ian Cardozo holds a unique place in Indian military history as the first war-disabled officer of the Indian Army to command both a battalion and a brigade. Undeterred by injury, he went on to become a prolific military writer. He gave India a rich body of work on warfare, leadership, and heroism through books such as Cartoos Saab, Beyond Fear, 1965: Courage Unleashed: Short Stories of the Indo-Pak War, and many more.

Lt Gen Harbaksh Singh was one of the Indian Army’s finest officers, best remembered for his fight against the Japanese in World War II and his leadership during the 1965 Indo-Pak War. A recipient of the Vir Chakra, he later chronicled his wartime experiences in War Despatches and In the Line of Duty, offering a candid, first-hand account of command decisions, battlefield realities, and leadership under pressure.

A retired Air Vice Marshal, Dr Arjun Subramaniam, is also one of India’s most respected military historians. Combining operational experience with academic rigour, he authored books such as India’s Wars: A Military History, 1947–1971; its sequel, India’s Wars II: A Military History 1972–2020; and Shooting Straight.

A Kargil War hero, Lt Gen YK Joshi commanded 13 JAK Rifles during the 1999 conflict, leading his battalion to victory in some of the most decisive and high-altitude battles of the war. Under his leadership, the unit captured two strategically vital mountaintops in the Dras and Mushkoh Valley sub-sectors, significantly altering the course of operations.

He later documented these intense combat experiences, leadership challenges, and moments of grit in his memoir, Who Dares Wins: A Soldier’s Memoir, offering a gripping, first-hand account of courage and command in extreme conditions.

A third-generation soldier, Col Ashutosh Kale served the Indian Army for over 23 years, with operational tenures in some of the country’s most challenging theatres—Siachen, Kashmir, and the Northeast. After leaving the military, he turned to storytelling to preserve and pass on India’s military legacy. His famous works include Rambo, The Curse of Magdala, and Tryst With Destiny - Abhikrama.

A veteran of the Indian Army, Major General Virender Budhwar served as the General Officer Commanding of 3 Infantry Division during the Kargil War. His division fought in some of the world’s most unforgiving terrain, playing a key role in restoring the sanctity of the LOC. Drawing on these experiences, he made his literary debut with India-Pakistan: The Intractable Conflict and the China Factor, offering an analytical yet deeply personal perspective on India’s complex security challenges with its neighbours.

A distinguished General Officer of the Rajputana Rifles, Maj Gen Ranjan Mahajan, is a seasoned leader and scholar-soldier who served the nation for over 35 years, including commanding key operations in Kashmir. Drawing on these experiences, he pens down the unheard stories of soldiers and the people of the Valley during turbulent times in his book Kashmir in the Line of Fire.

A highly decorated retired officer of the J&K Rifles, Maj Gen (Dr) GD Bakshi, is known for his distinguished service in active combat zones, including Kargil, and in counter-insurgency operations. Beyond the battlefield, he is a prolific author and military strategist. He has several books to his credit, like The 5th India-Pakistan War, 71 Dash to Dhaka, 1971: the Fall of Dacca, The Rise of Indian Military Power, and many more that underline his strong and unapologetic voice in Indian military literature.

Also read: Inside the 1971 War: Letters, Diaries, Final Messages, and the Books Built from Them

Major Abhay Narayan Sapru is a retired Indian Army officer and former Special Forces commando, whose military experiences across insurgency-ridden theatres have inspired a compelling body of written work.

After leaving active service, Major Sapru turned to writing, bringing alive the grit, fear, and brotherhood of front-line soldiers through thrilling, authentic fiction rooted in real experience. Some of his notable books include The Beckoning Isle: The Real Special Forces Story and The Savage Hills.

These are some of the Indian military officers who carried the battlefield to the bookshelf, preserving the fauji spirit behind operations and wars as they saw, lived, and experienced it firsthand. Their books are a reminder that military history is not just about maps, timelines, and victories, but about leaders making hard decisions, soldiers holding ground against odds, and acts of courage that rarely make headlines.

Written in ink but forged in blood, grit, and sacrifice, these works leave behind India’s military legacy endure beyond medals and memorials, speaking directly to future generations who must understand what it truly means to serve the nation.

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