Gen Naravane pens new book, draws inspiration from Shashi Tharoor

New Delhi: A chance glance at Shashi Tharoor's "A Wonderland of Words" at a friend's house two years ago gave former Army chief Gen Manoj Naravane the idea of his new book - a lively exploration of the "underexplored, bizarre and often wildly amusing aspects" of the Indian armed forces.

The general, who was in the news recently over his unpublished controversial memoir "Four Stars of Destiny", mentions some of the most riveting nuggets about the legends and lore of the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force in his book "The Curious and the Classified: Unearthing Military Myths and Mysteries".

In its introduction, he writes about how he was impressed by Tharoor's book, which is a collection of essays centred around the idiosyncrasies of the English language.

"If such a captivating book could be written on the quirks and peculiarities of the English language, how about a similar one about the Indian Army," Gen Naravane, who served as the 28th Chief of the Army Staff from December 2019 to April 2022, wondered.

"The germ of this idea had popped up in my mind on the very first day when I looked at the book, but I could start thinking about it seriously only in mid-2025...," he writes.

In the book, published by Rupa, Gen Naravane shares several vignettes - how the popular cheer of 'Chak de phatte' actually has its roots in the Sikh army of the 17th and 18th centuries or the inspiration behind the foot-tapping number 'Badluram ka Badan'. Badluram was killed in action in the decisive Battle of Kohima in 1944.

"Be it the enduring spirit of Baba Harbhajan, the fate of INS Khukri, the extraordinary sagas of airmen and their call signs, or the raw courage of Pedongi, the military mule, you will find it all and more in this thoroughly entertaining yet meticulously researched foray into the underexplored, bizarre and often wildly amusing aspects of our armed forces," the publishers said in a statement.

On 'Badluram ka Badan', which has become the regimental anthem of the Assam Regiment and sung at the Attestation Parade (Kasam Parade) at their Regimental Centre in Happy Valley, Shillong, during passing out ceremonies, the general describes how the song, complete with marching, stomping, clapping and spirited footwork, has even transcended borders.

Badluram was a rifleman in the 1st Battalion of the Assam Regiment, who was part of the garrison deployed at Kohima, and was killed in the early stages of the clash.

"After his death, Badluram's CQM (Company Quartermaster), either by accident or design, never removed his name from the ration strength. As long as the supply lines remained open, rations authorised for Badluram continued to arrive, accumulating into a small surplus.

"When the Japanese forces besieged the unit at Kohima and supply lines were cut, it was that extra ration stock that saved countless lives," the book says.

In 1946, Major M T Proktor, moved by the saga of how the absurdity of drawing rations for a dead man long after he was gone eventually served to save lives, composed the marching song 'Badluram ka Badan'.

Gen Naravane said he was keen to have the tales appeal to the wider population, be anecdotal rather than academic, and yet have an underlying theme highlighting the military ethos.

"They could not be based on some obscure military facts buried in some dusty archive. They had to be closer to the surface in order to resonate with a wide readership through aspects the latter could identify with, possibly through frequent encountering though sans any knowledge of the historical background or importance," he writes.

All the stories, according to him, have their origin in some real-life event, which, over a period of time, has got embellished through telling and retelling.

The purpose of each story is to bring to life momentous events or characters, to bridge the gap between the Armed Forces and civilian society while giving a glimpse into our world, he adds.

According to the general, his book is "supposed to be an entertaining read and not a serious academic endeavour intended to be a competitive exam aid".

Amid reports of unauthorised copies of Gen Naravane's "Four Stars of Destiny" in circulation, publisher Penguin Random House India had in February said it holds the exclusive publishing rights to the memoir and clarified that the book has not yet been published.

Gen Naravane had also clarified that no copies of the book "in print or digital form have been published, distributed, sold" or otherwise made available to the public.