Siachen, 1987 : Battle for the Frozen Frontier

I love this book so far. This is because the language is easily accessible to me and is really engaging. Siachen is unarguably the harshest and coldest terrain in India without exception. And to not just survive, but fight and win in that area, is itself a testament to the bravery of our soldiers.

In 'Siachen 1987' Lt. Gen. Ramesh Kulkarni pens a momentous chapter of his army life, with able support from his daughter Anjali Karpe as co-author. The book is an account full of candour, of his 22-month command of the infantry division in Siachen from April 1987 onwards. Coming from a place of deep empathy, the book goes well beyond a memoir, chronicling the events and military operations of 1987, at the world's highest battlefield. These are stories of men possessing immeasurable grit, battling as much a mortal enemy as an extremely inhospitable terrain. The intense narrative carries thrilling episodes of combat as well as great lessons of leadership and humaneness. Certain passages unwittingly give you goosebumps and a choked feeling in the throat. These tough journeys are of survival and conquering the insurmountable. Anecdotes and stray glimpses of the personal lives of the men in uniform, including the author's own, speak volumes of the sacrifices in equal measure by the families. 'Siachen 1987' is eye-opening in a myriad ways. In Lt. General Kulkarni's words, it is truly a story worth sharing!

Well written, this is not a war memoir but an account of a period when the writer served at the World's Highest Battlefield, Siachen.The writer, a decorated military commander, fought with Pakistan's Pervez Musharraf at the tactical level, and on the battlefield, and won!The reader would also be surprised with how little they know about the efforts the Indian Army makes, to hold onto Siachen.My Salutes to the Indian Army and to this commander who defeated Pervez Musharraf on the battlefield!

Thank you sir for the wonderful book and a deep appreciation of your service to motherland. The book gives a wonderful peek in to the happenings in the glacier.

The majority of us are ignorant about the significance and challenges of the Siachen sector. This book “Siachen, 1987 : Battle for the Frozen Frontier “ is unique and incredibly special about Siachen, the highest battlefield in the world. The area's neighbor Pakistan, attempted to invade these crucial strategic heights in 1987, but the Indian Army successfully repulsed their attempt with a powerful response. In this book, Anjali Kulkarni Karpe has penned the memoirs of Lieutenant General RV Kulkarni, who served as the region's commanding officer during that time.The book also mentioned the challenge of setting up housing, acquiring proper clothing, weaponry, healthcare resources, and other items and their logistics for the soldiers to survive in the Siachen region.Military officers and planners are always aware of the potential risks and possible casualties in a given operation. The officers are under a great deal of mental stress when they make these choices since the lives of their soldiers are on the line. The soldiers execute the task with complete trust and faith in their leaders, adhering to their orders in letter and spirit.There are many mentioned incidences which highlight human values, the attachment, bonding, empathy and care for the men he commanded. The collaboration and contributions of everyone — from front line jawans, officers, pilots, doctors, office staff, commanders, and others—have been recognized and thanked for each operation, challenge, and success.It is a wonderful experience to read the memoirs of a general himself, who carried out the feat of the Indian Army in winning the war in the most difficult unimaginable terrain of Siachen, and maintaining the occupation of India's territory.A must read and highly recommended for those who wish to know about the valor, courage, sacrifices, and professionalism of the Indian Army.

Siachen,1987 - co-authored by Lt. Gen. Ramesh Kulkarni and his daughter Anjali - outlines the passage of play (over a few weeks) where Indian troops bravely fought with their Pakistani counterparts in an extremely testing environment where both the men and the machines are stretched to the limits.I happen to have a peek into the life of an Army Officer because of my Father in Law (Brig V Mahalingam). But most civilians like me have an impression of the Army that is based on movies like Border and Lakshya.This book brings to life the various challenges of operating at the Siachen frontier (apparently the third harshest weather condition in the world after the North and South Pole). It then gets into specific detail around what it takes to keep the men motivated to keep the will to live in those situations (leave along fighting).What I really found valuable were the various situations where the co-authors speak about a "Dharamsankat" where the leader was torn between following rules and procedures versus using their subjective judgment and doing the right thing while embracing risks. A great book about valour, courage, resilience and leadership in the fog of war in an extremely challenging environment.A Must-Read.

I want to recommend this book to everyone going to serve in High altitude area. This book provides a holistic account about World's highest battlefield and the author has successfully drawn important leadership lessons which are invaluable.

In depth book on the battles fought after the Meghdoot ,the daily lives and the role of the AOC and AAC .