Tuesday, July 19, 2005

Book : The India-Pakistan Air War of 1965 by PVS Jagan Mohan and Samir Chopra [www.bharat-rakshak.com]




The India-Pakistan Air War of 1965 by PVS Jagan Mohan and Samir Chopra

The above link takes you to something that was the result of more than six years of hard work on my part and my friend Samir Chopra. A work that took up interviews across four continents - Asia, Australia, Europe and America, and over 40 veterans of the IAF, this is the ONLY comprehensive work on the History of the Air Force in the 1965 conflict.

I am sure years down the lane, this book will be much sought out as the first work from the INdian side.. and I have already stashed away several copies as a nice investment option! ;)

My Publisher wants me to sell bout a 100 copies for him. And I have to say the sales are going on nicely as of now.

Missing in Action..

OK, so I have gone missing in action for about a month.. But I have some great excuses to justify it. I was away to Delhi for about a week towards the end of the month. The trip was made to coincide with several objectives - 1. to interview a couple of WW2 Veterans, 2. to check out the publishing of my first ever book 'India Pakistan Air War' (More on this later).

I had a great time interviewing/Videographing Air Vice Marshal SN Goyal, all of 89 years and an original Cranwell graduated officer - he had many tales to tell and it was great to talk to him.

I then got to ride on the Delhi Metro, of which I made this illegal video (Hosted on IndiaMike.com - Thanks mike). The Delhi Metro is one of the best things happening to Delhi. And I look forward to the day that I can catch the metro to go visiting the IAF Musuem in Palam, and make a journey in about 19 min flat from CP to Palam!

I was also there at an interesting place called Paharganj, that very much resembles the old city in Hyderabad, but this dump is actually habited by foreign tourists on a budget. So the whole business approach was aimed at them and the place has a funny feel to it.. Old City, but westernised for the gora tourists.. Anyway I liked it much more than the much hyped Karol Bagh as far as food and shopping goes..