A General’s Odyssey by Army Commander Lt Gen (Retd) Vijay Kumar Ahluwalia is far more relatable to the young women and men of India than the heroic journey of Homer, the king of Ithaca, from whose story this book draws a portion of its title. The subheading ‘Giving Up Is Not an Option’ tells the reader that behind every success is a story of hard work, grit, determination, and sheer persistence.
This synoptic review of Vijay’s life is a first-person account of his own Odyssey – his refusal to take ‘No’ for an answer after a debilitating injury during his IMA cadetship. On the unusually cold morning of February 15, 1971, he crashed into an unyielding concrete wall of the obstacle course, and his patella (right kneecap) was shattered into several fragments with irreparable damage to the ligaments and cartilages. Even after the four-hour-long successful operation at the Army orthopaedic centre in Lucknow, the prognosis was that the damage was so acute as to render him unfit for service in the army. But Vijay was not ready to give up, and Col. N. S. Brara agreed to his request for additional physiotherapy. After months of ‘medieval torture,’ this Squadron Cadet Captain, Academic Torch and Bayonet Awardee of the NDA, was declared fit to rejoin the IMA, albeit in the ‘C’ medical category. The psychological impact was more painful than the physical injury, especially when Brigadier C.M. Cariappa, the Deputy Commandant, issued the relegation order. However, unbeknownst to him, his mentor (then) Col R.S. Pannu had already made a strong case for him to the Commandant, Major Gen Rajendra Prasad, who had concurred with the view that Vijay was in fact a victim of circumstances rather than a ‘willful recalcitrant’ — he had to be admired for his courage in the face of adversity. Two life lessons are learned from this episode: first, that willpower can overcome many a difficult physical handicap; second, that leaders must support the ‘legitimate aspirations and concerns of those under their command.’
Reflecting on his life, Vijay gives full credit to his parents and his grandmother, who had the perspicacity to motivate him to take the Sainik school entrance exam, after which there was no looking back. After his arranged betrothal to the very charming Dehradun-based Shobha – in fact, it was she who selected him at a social gathering – life began in right earnest on the personal and the professional front, and there was no looking back from that point.
Vijay describes the regimental spirit of Naam, Namak, and Nishaan – Reputation, Loyalty and Flag – this is what keeps the soldier going on the battlefield in the midst of all the chaos. Another excellent articulation of this spirit is captured in Philip Mason’s book A Matter of Honour, which I recall having gone through during my own two-week army attachment with the 7 Sikh Light Infantry at Akhnur in the 1980s.
Having opted to join the artillery rather than the infantry, Vijay became an aviator and was chosen to induct the Bofors into the Indian Army. Contrary to the political controversy about the selection, purchase, and intermediaries, Vijay tells us that this gun was in fact one of the best in its class.
With over four decades in the Army, Vijay commanded at every level and led units and higher organisations in Tawang, Rajouri, Uri-Gulmarg, Kargil, and Leh-Ladakh. As the Commanding Officer (CO), he was called ‘Tiger’ by his jawans, who looked up to him as the head of the family. And he maintained this duty well: when a Naik who had been refused a promotion was unwilling to contest this decision, Vijay walked the extra mile to ensure the creation of a supernumerary promotional post for him. And regimental honour transcends service span, as exemplified by the examples of Majors Pavitra Singh Virk and K.B. Thapa.
Uri and Kargil represent the toughest theatre of war in the country. As a brigadier, Vijay was tasked with conducting a war game within one week, but this rigour held them in good stead. Soon thereafter, they neutralised six mercenaries of Lashkar-e-Toiba’s fedayeen squad. This was the year (2001) when terrorism was at its peak in J&K. Intercepted intelligence reports hinted at an IED attack, but Vijay drew inspiration from the Bhagwat Geeta and the Dasam Granth of Guru Gobind Singh: “Deh Shiva Bar Mohe Ihe…Nishchay Kar Apni Jeet Karoon” — he remained undeterred.
As Major General of Kargil Division, he hit upon an audacious triad of a “strategic-ecological-economical intervention”: the planting of a dense row of poplar and willow saplings, punctuated by local fruit and medicinal plants like junipers, along specific stretches of NH 1A to provide long-term cover from enemy surveillance. In less than a year, the initiative was acknowledged by the then PM Manmohan Singh and the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) as a shining example of collaboration between the armed forces, local community, forest department, and the Defence Research Laboratory at Leh.
Let us now discuss his interactions with legendary generals – the polymath COAS SF Rodrigues, whom Vijay was privileged to serve as his PSO from 1989 to 1992. It was he who first supported the idea of inducting women into the fighting formations of the army. As a brigade commander in Uri-Gulmarg, he also got an opportunity to interact with his Army Commander General Rustom K Nanavaty, whose biography, Shooting Straight by Arjun Subramaniam, is also being featured at VoW. Following in the footsteps of General Nanavaty, Vijay is now on the board of the Raphael Centre for Disability at Dehradun.
As this is the 60th anniversary of the 1965 war, let me draw upon Vijay’s tributes to three outstanding soldiers: the Western Army Commander, Lt. Gen. Harbaksh Singh (then Brig., later Lt. Gen. Zorawar Bakshi), and Major Ranjit Singh Dyal (later Army Commander). While capturing Haji Pir and Point 13620 in the Kargil sector, General Harbaksh rejected the hint from the COAS about the tactical withdrawal to the Beas. On the contrary, he launched a counteroffensive; the Indian army fought and won the fierce battles of Dograi, Burki, Phillora, and Assal Uttar.
Post his retirement, Vijay has donned many more hats – as a member of the Armed Forces Tribunal at Jaipur, helmsman of Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS), Independent Director with a corporate entity, and an academic and author with a PhD on Internal security and conflict resolution, besides serving many social service organisations as a mentor. And of course, he is an inspirational speaker, much in demand by educational institutions not just in Doon, but across the country! He shares fresh perspectives on today’s warfare, the biggest security challenges facing the nation—including the Naxalite issue—and the significance of Operation Sindoor.
Let me close by saying that a review is not a substitute for this remarkable book – copies of which are available at the VoW Café and library at Sahastradhara road, as well as online. Odyssey brings out lessons from India’s military leaders who thrived in ambiguity and uncertainty in various operations. They did not treat challenges as roadblocks—they saw them as opportunities to move forward and complete their missions. As he says in his message to the youth of the country ‘There is a value in facing challenges with a positive mindset…never shy away from lessons that come from failure…the path ahead may be uncertain, but it is also full of potential and opportunities. Embrace it, learn from it, let it guide you to become the best version of yourself.’
