Q. You are no stranger to Army life being a fourth generation Army kid. What kind of a transformative experience or epiphany, if any, did you experience while writing this book from what you have known as being an Army person all your life and what you emerged into once the books are finished?

A. I will share a small anecdote. I was going to pay my condolences to Ummer Fayaz's family. I was supposed to be stationed in the Shopian district. The only language we spoke of when I went to pay condolences to the family was my tears because when we go to a martyr's family, we relate to them at many levels, be it family, regimental, Army, forces or the nationalist. So it has just been a month since they had lost their son. It was a very life-changing moment for me because I could relate to their situation. If I ever step into their shoes, I would wish death comes to me before it comes to any of my family members. We tend to take it upon us and not our family members.

Q. We often see most of the English books focus on officers when dealing with such topics. But in Nagrota Under Siege, you wrote about two people- soldier Lakhwinder and Dev Burman (Chittaranjan Dev Burman, jawan who was martyred)- extensively. 

A. Lakhwinder was a part of the Nagrota operation from the beginning till the end. When I got in touch with him, he came all the way from Punjab to Nagrota to show me the incident site. I went to the incident site thrice because I wanted to know where these people served and how paras conducted the operation. Lakhwinder was there with me. He was showing the bullet marks which were still there. Lakhwinder was also one of those soldiers who jumped from the first floor when Major Kunal (Major Gosavi Kunal Mannadir who was martyred) got hit, took out his turban and tied it very tightly on him but unfortunately he couldn't save him. He put Major Kunal in the ambulance, came back and carried out the operation again.

So Lakhwinder came to my book launch in Delhi. Now, he is an inspiration in Punjab. He goes and motivates students in schools and colleges to join the Indian Army. The book, maybe, has given him that platform and made him a national hero. He very well deserves that.

Q. You have done extensive research which is obvious for the genre you are dealing with. Can you share some of it?

A. The story started with Major Akshay Girish, then it became the story of two more soldiers- Major Kunal and Naik Chittaranjan. Then it became the story of para commandos. Fortunately, one of the para commandos, who was involved in the operation and shot the third terrorist, got retired and again it was a cosmic connection that the entire operation could be put together. Otherwise, paras are very confidential about their operations. They don't share information. I tried my level best to get to the nine paras. Usually they don't speak even after their retirement. Fortunately, this officer had retired, he was serving in the police and he could talk about the operation. So I was fortunate there.

Then I wanted to do interviews with the investigating officers of the NIA. This is because the NIA had made four arrests in 2018. I got in touch with one of the officers who offered me to interview the terrorists in jails! So I interviewed all four terrorists who are still in jail and hopefully will be hanged.

Q. Were the terrorists outspoken?

A. I think I am the most non-threatening human being (laughs). So they were very open. They actually thought that I had gone there from Human Rights organisations. A lot of people from Human Rights organisations interview them, show compassion, love and empathy.

Q. Could you get to understand their psyche behind joining the anti-India forces?

A. They had a jihadi sentiment. It was not that I had spoken to only these four people. I had spoken to police there and jailers who were looking after them. Once they are in judicial custody, police can't raise their hand on the terrorists. Police have to treat them nicely. Even sometimes jail is a place for plotting another attack. I don't have the authority to say but this is the information I have received from them. So the terrorists are kept in separate jails.

Q. Would you be open to giving rights to make a film based on your book?

A. I have got offers for both the books- Undaunted and Nagrota: Under the Siege. These books are my babies. I would like to hand them over to a person who can responsibly bring out the authentic story. Sometimes a film doesn't reflect the book or the story keeping 'creative freedom' in mind.

Q. Can we see authors visiting the classrooms and speaking to students with the book?

A. While I was still writing my book Nagrota Under Siege, my neighbour's daughter was given an assignment to write on our Indian heroes and the first name she wrote was Major Akshay Girish (Major Akshay Girish Kumar was one of the two officers of rank major to be martyred)! I gave first-hand information to that little kid, who later went on to deliver a great speech. I think she marketed my book even before it was published (laughs).

(Images by PKF)