AS Dulat IPS former Chief of RAW in conversation with Ajay Singha

A Life in The Shadows- A memoir by AS Dulat
Amarjit Singh Dulat IPS retd is a former head of India’s external intelligence agency the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW). His first book “Kashmir: The Vajpayee Years” was followed by “The Spy Chronicles RAW-ISI and the Illusion of Peace”, a book he co-authored with his Pakistani counterpart, Gen. AsadDurrani. Jane’s Intelligence Digest famously commented “Well known for his social skills, Dulat preferred dialogue to clandestine maneuvers…” This comment befittingly describes Dulat’s style of functioning and operations throughout his career. His memoirs “A Life in the Shadows” has just been published and the contents have aroused considerable debate not just in the world of intelligence and spying but also in political and social circles. The following interview with Ajay Singha highlights some interesting anecdotes and brings forth certain key points from Mr. Dulat’s memoirs.

Ajay Singha: Sir, your latest book is great reading and has something of interest for each one of us. It has also led to much debate both in political circles as well as the media. What all have you included in the book and what really encouraged you to pen your memoirs “A Life in the Shadows?”
AS Dulat: It was in the lockdown during the pandemic that I first thought of writing this book. This is my story, told from the heart, in my own words. Since I have authored two books previously a lot of material was still available and my abilities to read and write are in fine fettle. In this book I commence with my family history in pre-partitioned India and our move to Delhi. My early years in school and how I met Paran in college, finally tying the knot sometime later. Then I write about the world of espionage, my early days in IB, my personal experiences relating to some known public figures. There is of course a lot on the role I have played in this entire business of Kashmir as well as our neighboring nations. So this book is not just an autobiography but vignettes arbitrarily picked from the life I have led. To paraphrase Kafka, I have followed my most intense obsessions mercilessly.

Ajay Singha: “Wilderness of Mirrors” is the title of your second chapter. Can you please elaborate on this phrase and explain its critical relevance to the world of spying and intelligence?
AS Dulat: Espionage is a treacherous game,you might decorate it with noble principles and patriotism but in reality this would only act as a shroud for villainy and skullduggery. Angleton the master of mass surveillance was seen as the father of the so called deep state in the US and yet he was fired by the CIA Director once his operations were exposed. The phrasealso aptly describes the myriad of stratagems, deceptions, artifices which the Soviet bloc used in order to confuse and split the West. In my early years I didn’t know much about counter-intelligence but ironically I spent most of my career doing just that. Nothing is above board in the world of spookdom, there are very few rules and there is nothing gentlemanly or civilized about it. This phrase in my opinion best describes what is going on out there in the world of espionage.

AS Dulat with Gen Asad Durrani former Chief of ISI

Ajay Singha: With regard to Kashmir a more muscular policy is now in place and is presently being played out by the central government. Yet you recommend dialogue with terrorists instead of just eliminating them.
AS Dulat: Governments of all political shades repeat ad-nauseum that they will never talk to terrorist groups. Yet they almost always end up doing just that and engage with the public faces of these outfits. I saw my task as engaging with these outfits at every level of their organization, especially when all other options stood exhausted. It is important to differentiate between intelligence officers and policemen.The State among other things is also a coercive instrument and it must from time to time exercise its option to use force. In the case of Punjab KPS Gill combined force with psychological operations and dynamic leadership to counter terrorism. In Kashmir today nobody wants Azadi, and nobody wants Pakistan either. They are currently dying in the name of Allah. Today’s muscular policy hampers the process of constructive engagement. Not engaging makes no sense as our main objective from the beginning has been to mainstream Kashmir.

Ajay Singha: You touch upon “Trust” or the lack of it, in various chapters of the book. It seems to lie at the root of your trade. What has been your experience in this regard?
AS Dulat: Trust and reciprocity are key elements of human nature and come into play if any worthwhile engagement is anticipated. Even in normal situations humans don’t trust each other very easily. In spookdom, where cold business coupled with a transactional approach is the order of the day, trust becomes even more elusive and difficult to come by. Greed, monetary gains, vulnerability are a deadly mix which co-exist in a relationship between an intelligence officer and an agent. Who is fooling whom, we often wonder! I have shared some of my own positive experiences with regard to “trust” and you can read more about it in my book.

Ajay Singha: In reference to the business of spying and intelligence gathering you have mentioned someplace that “Rascality serves its own purposes” please elaborate.
AS Dulat: We must work with rascals too instead of just labelling them as “Haraamis” and dumping them. Double agents working for Pakistan have rarely been used by India because we don’t trust them. They have great potential for intelligence gathering if handled well. Counter intelligence, moles, double agents are roles in intelligence gathering where rascals can be used best. It was a mole, a plant or a walk-in who led to the assassination of Osama bin Laden at the hands of the CIA

Ajay Singha: You have been a proponent of HUMINT (human intelligence) as opposed to TECHINT (technical intelligence) What drove you to prefer intelligence gathering and spying through individual interaction rather than depending on technology.
AS Dulat: At the end of the day human beings decide the course of action in any given situation. With all their strengths and weaknesses, it is individuals who take decisions which impact the ground reality in areas of conflict and bilateral engagement. Technology is only a means towards that end – of gathering information via surveillance and interrogation. I enjoy interacting with people and perhaps that is why I enjoyed being out in the field. Call me old fashioned but nothing beats the good old spy or agent on the ground.

Ajay Singha: Abrogation of article 370 of the Indian constitution by the BJP government: What are your views on this historic decision?
AS Dulat: In parliament, home minister Amit Shah said that the erosion of article 370 was happening for such a long time that the BJP government merely completed the process. In this respect I agree, he is perhaps quite right. But I for one do not think that the abrogation of article 370 was necessary in the first place. Why deprive the Kashmiris of that one fig leaf of dignity? Today the Kashmiri mind fears a state of chaos, hence it pleads for Indo-Pakistan peace and stability. There is no longer a dream of Azaadi or to join the near defunct State of Pakistan. The real nightmare for the Kashmiris today is of being reduced to a minority in their own land. That fear hangs over the valley like a shadow. Article 370 is done and dusted. It is now time to move ahead politically and elections are the only way forward.

Ajay Singha: What has been your experience while dealing with some of our neighboring countries? You’ve had your experience with Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan of course.
AS Dulat: I have a full chapter on Nepal. In the 70s the perception that Delhi viewed the Palace or the King of Nepal as antiquated institutions had travelled to Kathmandu. We found it difficult to enter the palace for any worthwhile talks and this was a big failure on our part. Later Kathmandu became a busy station for ISI operatives resulting in the 1999 hijacking. Lack of vigilance in the late 70s came to haunt us years later. Sometimes I think Nepal is even more complicated than Kashmir. Chandrika Kumaratunga of Sri Lanka and Sheikh Hasina the PM of Bangladesh had one thing in common. They liked to meet and maintain direct links with the heads of intelligence.

Ajay Singha: You have dedicated a chapter to “Kashmiriyat- The Kashmiri and Delhi.” Can you please explain this concept of “Kashmiriyat” and what exactly does it stand for?
AS Dulat: “Kashmiriyat” is that elusive but most integral definition of Kashmir. It is widely used during any discourse on Kashmir, signifying a socio-cultural and secular Kashmiri identity. I feel that the concept of “Kashmiriyat” is integral to the Ganga-Jamunitehzeeb. Yet neither the BJP, the separatists, the Pakistanis and even a large number of Kashmiris themselves want it. To my mind the concept is beyond a concrete definition but it does signify togetherness and a sense of unity. People say that of late things have changed in Kashmir – Mahaulbadalgayahai! For myself, I believe “Kashmiriyat” can never be over.

Ajay Singha: You have dealt with Kashmiris all your life. You seem to have a love hate relationship with the kashmiris. It seems you like them more than you dislike them ?
AS Dulat: Kashmir has been ruled at various points by the Mughals, the Afghans, the Sikhs, the Dogras and so on. Therefore there exists this exaggerated feeling of oppression among their people. History has forced the Kashmiris to adapt, to adjust themselves to the vagaries of foreign rule and domination. If you threaten him, the Kashmiri will lie down, and may even play dead. But given the first chance he will rise again. I have often observed this curious mix of aggrieved oppression and defiance in the Kashmiri. Time and again they have been betrayed. Over the years the Kashmiri has learnt to be devious, it is their key to survival. They will not trust you easily and moreover they will never trust each other either. As Brajesh Mishra often said “The only thing straight in Kashmir is the poplar tree.” Lord Curzon supposedly said “If you think you know the Afghans, you need to have your head examined.” I would say the same for Kashmiris but my love for the Kashmiris has remained unwavering. On a lighter note I often told the Kashmiris, albeit jokingly “ Tum log bahutharaami ho, but pyare ho bahut”

Ajay Singha: You were once offered by the Soviets to examine a Russia-China-India cooperation in the field of intelligence. How did that play out? AS Dulat: It was a bold diplomatic initiative by the Soviets. Just imagine the Pakistani reaction if a tripartite Soviet-Chinese-Indian intelligence meeting would actually take place. Unfortunately the Chinese shot down the proposal the moment it was suggested to them.

Ajay Singha: Rajesh Pilot was a political leader of great importance from Rajasthan. He became a good friend of yours and jokingly addressed you as “007”. Could you share some of your experiences with him?
AS Dulat: Rajesh was Rajiv’s man on the subject of Kashmir. I got to meet him around 1988 when militancy broke out in Kashmir. He never stood on ceremonies and when he wanted to meet up or get briefed on the situation he would call and tell me “007 kyakarrahe ho? Aa jao chai peeteyhain.” His friendship with Farooq deepened over the months and they became great buddies. Once he very casually asked me to join him and brief Mrs. Sonia Gandhi on some internal issues. I had to remind him that I had joined RAW and such an act may not go down too well with some. After I left the service Rajesh and I continued to be friends. Surprisingly there were never any politicians present at his birthday parties. Even at his daughter’s wedding I didn’t see any of the people I was expecting to see. I lost a dear friend when Rajesh died. Now Sachin is in active politics in Rajasthan. I wish him all the best.

Pilot was Rajiv's man for Kashmir

Ajay Singha: You were also close to GianiZail Singh the President of India and travelled with him extensively. He was a political person till the very end, wasn’t he?
AS Dulat: He was originally Jarnail Singh but changed his name to Zail Singh when he was sent to prison for establishing a unit of the Indian National Congressaround 1938 in what was then Faridkot State. I was once asked to meet him when he was CM Punjab. After much bonhomie and lunch he enquired rather pointedly about the situation within the congress party. When I told him it was Mahinder Singh Gill who went around bad mouthing him, he was taken aback, as he considered that gentleman to be his dearest friend. “Beware of him” he would later humorously say when introducing me to others, adding “He is from the IB.” I pleaded with him to stop this style of introduction. Though he spoke only in Punabi, Gianiji was an excellent orator, he possessed great charm and candor. I accompanied him to Houston for his heart operation, a trip I have described in detail in my book.On the appointed date and hour doctors entered his room and asked him if he was “Ready” It is then that he is supposed to have replied “No I am not Reddy, I am Zail Singh” and that became an evergreen Giani joke. Rajiv never trusted Giani fully and when his Presidential term was coming to an end there were rumours that Giani might sack Rajiv before demitting office. Around that periodI went to bid him farewell. He said “I have some news for you, Home Minister Buta Singh came over, enquiring if I was going to float my own political party. I told him – So, why don’t you also join.” In that sense he never lost connect with politics, but at his core Gianijiwas an honorable man and an even more honorable Sikh.

Ajay Singha: Can you share some interesting snippet relating to any important dignitary which some of us may find amusing?
AS Dulat: One comes to my mind instantly. When the PLO leader Yaseer Arafat came to India I noticed they didn’t have much security on board the aircraft, except that he was carrying his trademark loaded revolver on person. I asked their security supervisor“Aren’t you worried someone might hijack your leader’s airplane.”Prompt came the reply, “By whom? We are the ones who do all the hijacking!” There are some more snippets relating to Prince, now King Charles, Mrs. Thatcher and others, which you can read in my book.

Ajay Singha: We don’t come across any lady spies in your memoirs. Are there women spies too or is the field of espionage an exclusive reserve for men?
AS Dulat: As of now this is the common perception, perhaps because no women have made it to the top job in IB or RAW. But we are in 2023 and that may change in the future.

Ajay Singha: You have devoted the last chapter to Ajit Doval, India’s present National Security Advisor (NSA). Expectedly that has generated a lot of discussion in the media. Can you share some of your views and comment on the “Doval Doctrine.”
AS Dulat: I first met Ajit some thirty years ago when both of us were in the Intelligence Bureau (IB), he was three years my junior. I remember him telling me what a privilege it was to work for MK Narayanan, then our boss in IB. What struck me was the ambition that lies behind such a declaration, he was determined to go places. Ajit’s process of intelligence gathering is based on the dual process of trickery and a tough line. He was ruthless and perhaps a better spook of the both of us. He was far more detached and therefore able to take colder, calculated decisions. He was everyone’s friend and nobody’s friend at the same time. A line that is vastly difficult to sustain over a long period of time. When Ajit became NSA in 2014 it was no surprise for me. He lost no time in putting out information that would go a long way in building a legacy. It is what is called the “Doval Doctrine”. He asked what would be my advise on Kashmir. I told him my advice would always be to talk. “No” said Doval “There’s been enough talking. Now we are no longer going to talk” Kashmir is therefore now the biggest theatre where muscular power of the State is playing out. Doval wants nothing to do with talking. His focus is on toughness, on ruthlessness. Little wonder that our difference in styles of functioning and operations are often compared. AjitDoval and Prime Minister Modi are made for each other.

Ajay Singha: Thank you sir for sharing your thoughts and excerpts from your memoirs. Would you like to add anything or make any concluding remarks?
AS Dulat: My experience is that Intelligence is defenseless against propaganda. Its successes are seldom made public and more often than not it is known only by its failures. The lyrics from an old Eagle’s song, Welcome to the Hotel California pretty much describes the life of a spook “You can check out anytime you like; but you can never leave!”

Tomb of Sand by Geetanjali Shree - book review by Ajay Singha, Raconteur Indica

The story line of this book is easy to sketch out but the story itself defies simplistic description. Tomb of Sand was awarded the international Booker, in addition to the many other accolades it received along with excellent reviews worldwide. As the story is based out of north India, perhaps the India-Pak setting provides all the situational props, possibly required by the author in order to 'show and not just tell' her story. What makes the Hindi to English translation by Daisy Rockwell of ‘Ret Samadhi’ to ‘Tomb of Sand’ truly enjoyable is the ease with which the author moves from the routine to the unexpected and on to the indefinable.

As the story commences, a staid family drama unfolds but soon the characters with some potential deflate while those with our least expectations bloom. The worldly confidence of the practical and influential ‘Bade’ and his wife start appearing commonplace after some time, especially as they prepare for retirement along with their aged and immobile ‘Ma’. Then the unexpected happens and ‘Ma’ like Rip van Winkle wakes up, moves in with her bohemian daughter ‘Beti’ and starts savoring every bit of her newfound life. As the tale unfolds, the life of the bohemian now starts appearing conventional in comparison to Ma’s antics. Ma intensifies her old friendship with Rosie, a transgender whose character escapes easy definition. As Ma’s life takes center stage, the action borders on the surreal and the story shifts into high octane overdrive. Locations and situations whirl around us, as do the observations around love, longing, relationships, nostalgia and other human emotions. The reader continues to dive deeper into the labyrinths of the author’s narrative as complex human sentiments are portrayed through the principal protagonist and other characters.

Summarizing the book or quoting some excerpts may not do justice to an outstanding effort by the author and the translator. In the last quarter of the book one does develop a feeling that the story should finally end and the whirlwind making us giddy must cease. As the story concludes one gets to appreciate the simple joys surrounding our lives and the complexities needlessly smothering individual existence. The author’s ability to wrap the mundane around the sublime, intertwining the experiential with the unreal may well lead some to identify this book with the genre of magical realism. Like a fine drink this one must be savored, sipped leisurely and not gulped down in a hurry.

Anti-Clock by VJ James-Review by Ajay Singha Raconteur Indica

In this somewhat allegorical work the author builds a story around fundamental life questions which has fascinated thinking minds from time immemorial. As individual characters play out their roles, the uncommon plot of this novel keeps the reader busy, chasing both the plot and what it helps unravel, namely the author’s views on death, life, fate and related issues surrounding the concept of time. The plot, I suspect is a mere ploy to hold together a series of very powerful views, as the author shares his deep understanding of complex questions plaguing our common appreciation of subjects mystifying humanity and our social existence.

From inside his coffin shop, Hendri the protagonist, a quintessential working class man watches the world go by as his tragic but eventful life unfolds. He develops an intense hatred for Loppo, the antagonist, a capitalist with an avowed disrespect for the law who among other acts also tries to defile Hendri’s most beloved wife. The guilt associated with seeking vengeance in place of piety and forgiveness weigh heavily on Hendri’s mind which is deeply influenced by the socio-religious mores he is born with. This novel is a great effort at trying to unravel lofty concepts while retaining the somewhat narrow and limited world view associated with the protagonist who belongs to and therefore represents a particular region and religion. He views and unravels his understanding of these lofty concepts surrounding our lives from this most interesting perspective. The story and the commentary around it may also sound familiar for the older generation of readers who often desire to travel back in time, reminisce and inadvertently relive the agony of past memories.

Hendri, the protagonist befriends his neighbor shop-owner Pandit, who explains his own concept of reversing time and develops the Anti-clock which promises to turn back time. This naturally fascinates Hendri but Loppo and later his daughter in law set their eyes on possessing the Anti-clock. Towards the finish the story takes some convoluted twists and turns and the concluding segments are a bit forced, making it a classic ‘Deus Ex-Machina’ ending.

The book has been excellently translated from the Malayalam by Ministhy S. who is an IAS officer from UP and had to read many reference books to complete this excellent work. Anti-clock received the Sahitya Academy award and was also short-listed for the JCB prize. The uncommon plot and the resultant worldview will keep the reader greatly entertained. The author VJ James commented that “Instead of plucking high sounding philosophies from thin air, showcasing such perspectives evolving naturally from a common man’s life was the toughest challenge while writing this book” No wonder this fast paced book has been a best seller in Malayalam and now in English. I for one thoroughly enjoyed it.

The Idol Thief by S. Vijay Kumar. Review by Ajay Singha - Raconteur Indica

“The Idol Thief” (Juggernaut) is a first-hand non-fiction account uncovering the theft and sale of priceless idols from India to overseas collectors. S. Vijay Kumar is a Singapore based shipping and finance expert who started a blog on art in 2007. This led him to discover the murky world of idol thieves operating in India and a chain of well entrenched middlemen and smugglers spread across the world. The book goes on to unmask the many influential people, the elite of the art collecting world, involved in this unsavory business. The villains who buy and trade in stolen art, specially idols of gods, reside overseas and comprise of private collectors and museums of international repute.

I met S. Vijay Kumar after he had spoken about his book at the Jaipur Literature Festival 2022. His deep understanding of the subject convinced me that the man was highly committed to what he preaches. What makes his book so meaningful is that Vijay Kumar is actively engaged in bringing to justice the full range of what he calls the unholy triumvirate “The Robber-smuggler, the Buyer and finally the Experts”. According to him, these three types drive a thriving trade involving millions of dollars and operating across continents. From a thousand-year old village temple, the author takes us on a riveting journey across countries, to posh hotels and museums in New York and Singapore. The author understands the iconography, style and methodology to date ancient idols and statues. Metal and stone images are imposiible to date as they have no carbon content, hence this is aformidable task for any expert. Unfortunately for India this book is not a piece of fiction and the theft of these priceless statues and idols is very much an ongoing reality. It appears that even today many continue to ply this reprehensible trade of looting India’s rich heritage.

Fearlessly the author names many individuals whose business of stealing, smuggling and selling ancient idols from India is brought to an unceremonious end with his active assistance. He is unsparing when it comes to unmasking the corrupt and lackadaisical approach of the Indian police, ASI and other departments. The famous museums and auction houses in UK, USA and Australia seem to be complict and almost hand in glove with the sellers of stolen idols. On the other hand the author praises overseas enforcement agencies especially in USA and Germany who are very committed to their work once they decide to take up the matter for investigation. He is deeply indebted to one “Indy” from the US enforcement agencies who actively assists in putting some of the key Indian and American criminals behind bars and returning many stolen idols back to India. The author describes the glamorous life of one Subhash Kapoor who is the king pin of this business. Some good investigative work and the revenge of a jilted lover helped, and he is finally locked up in jail.

From his childhood, the author developed a deep love and respect for idols of gods and goddesses of his village temples in Tamil Nadu. He writes about the unfathomable affection and regard of the priests and villagers as the temple idols are bathed, fed and taken for rest with lullabies. As Vijay Kumar puts it “They (idols) are meant to be seen when your senses are consumed by the smells of ghee and incense and fresh flowers and camphor. They are not meant to be seen behind cages of glass, inside sterile museums”. He pleads that collectively we must ensure that these “idols remain in their homes, in these temples. They belong to the village commune first and then to all of us”. It becomes quite apparent that individual efforts can yield noticeable results in the seizure of stolen idols. Between 2014 and 2018 twenty-seven artefacts were brought back to India, the author and his team played their part in this process. There were zero restitutions between 2000 and 2012.

The Rougue Subhash Kapoor

For S. Vijay Kumar this book is a product of his immeasurable love and affection for the idols of India’s temples. When one reads this detailed account one is shocked at the unimaginable level of greed human beings are capable of, for enriching themselves. The appendix and notes provide valuable information to support the author’s assertions and would be most useful if a reader wishes to get more involved in this subject. I am so glad to have met the author and introduced him to friends during the Jaipur Literature Festival. They could possibly assist him on his unfinished journey of putting a complete stop to this unholy and shameful business of looting idols from Indian temples and selling them to rich collectors overseas. I am confident that this book will be made into a film someday as it has all the elements of a successful Bollywood movie.

Songs of an Uncaged Parrot by Rajendra Shekhar IPS. Book Review by Ajay Singha Raconteur Indica

The book’s title shares some commonality of nomenclature with a 12th century compilation of stories narrated by a parrot. The book under review by Rajendra Shekhar sticks mostly to solving crime, more socially acceptable as opposed to semi-erotic themes of the Seventy Tales of a Parrot or the Tutinamah of yore. But I notice another similarity between the two, the format of a story within a story, concluding with a subtle lesson for the reader. The author Rajendra Shekhar is a Mayoite and a Stephanian who joined the IPS, rose to become Director CBI and later DG of Police, Rajasthan. He has written several books which contain incidents and anecdotes from a most eventful career.The personal touch and informal style of writing is what makes the stories in this book most enjoyable to read. The author starts by recollecting the very positive impressions a police officer in the district of Tonk made on his young and impressionable mind during the formative years.

In one of the first cases of his career the author nails the fake charge of a complainant on a technical point as the alleged victim claims he heard the “ping” of a bullet going past his ear. Shekhar notes that the weapon in question was a double barreled shotgun which would go off with a bang when discharging pellets but never produce a movie style “ping” which only a rifle or pistol firing a bullet could make. The complainant realizes that his false claim has been uncovered and settles for a compromise. He then moves to uncovering “A murder most foul” where a child has been killed in a case of kidnapping for ransom. With sustained investigation they are all in for a surprise only to discover that the most vociferous complainant is in fact the murderer.

In his stint in the CBI the author works on the famous Bofors case involving the high and mighty. He explains the twists and turns that such high profile cases take and when investigations are stymied he shares a quip from Shri Atal Behari Vajpayee : “Guru toh gud bane rahe, chela shakkar ban gaya” (the guru continues to be jaggery but the disciple has become as sweet as sugar). Obviously alluding to the soft and benign approach towards the case preferred by Prime Minister Chandrashekhar who was severely dependent on Congress support to continue in power. Shortly thereafter the author is posted back to his home cadre. Unravelling the daylight heist in a Ludhiana bank by terrorists and the Nirankari Baba murder case both require painstaking research and an eye for detail. In the unfortunate assassination of General Vaidya the terrorists leave a tell-tale clue scribbled unwittingly on the last page of a Ken Folllet novel. Then there is the LN Mishra murder case which has political undertones and requires deft handling as once again the high and mighty are involved. The author takes us through these and other cases, admitting that providence plays a role but only if combined with hard work and patience.

The author narrates a comical sequence of events during the Indo-Pak conflict which led citizens of the border district of Barmer to believe that enemy paratroopers had landed in the middle of the city. The incident ends leaving the citizens a bit embarrassed as the suspected paratrooper turns out to be dog whose head is stuck in an earthen pot and hence the unusual sounds. After a fair exchange of opinions with his spouse the author observes “There is a bit of a cat in every woman, just as there is a bit of a mouse in every man!”

“The Tunnel of God” is another true episode where a crafty Godman almost succeeds in cheating a village full of gullible believers but a series of funny events leads to the fellow getting caught at the last moment. “Catching up with greed” is another true story from his early career and some of us will be surprised by the level of reluctance exhibited by Shekhar’s superiors in allowing him to dutifully proceed against and catch a corrupt senior official.
He fondly recollects his tenure in Jhunjhunu with a District Collector who was called “Allaudin Khilji” and who was also a great non-vegetarian Chef. Before anyone new could comment on his name the Collector would invariably quip “Funny name isn’t it - Jhunjhunu”.
The book ends on a personal note describing how well he and his family appreciated the immediate staff from the police force who worked very closely with them over the years. Both the lay reader and the people who know or have heard of Mr. Shekhar as an upright police officer will greatly enjoy reading the book. Written in an easy going style and bereft of the usual bombast which accompanies famous crime cases, this is an account by a sensitive personality narrating some most interesting and well known cases in recent public memory.

Old Parr Gone Sour! by Ajay Singha - Raconteur Indica

Mirthful Vignettes from a Bygone Era !
Much after India’s independence and the merger of Rajputana’s Princely States into the State of Rajasthan, Ajmer-Merwara continued to be centrally administered from New Delhi till, as late as 1956. It was just a couple of years after India’s independence when Rai Bahadur Capt. Seth Sir Bhagchand Soni, who went by the sobriquet ‘Merchant Prince of Rajputana’ invited Mr Kriplani ICS, the new Chief Commissioner of Ajmer-Merwara for dinner. The top brass of the State’s administration and prominent citizens of the city, including my father were invited at this VIP banquet. The British Raj had ended some years ago but Kriplani, an ICS officer of the old school was, as they say, more English than the Queen and expected that the Merchant Prince would serve nothing less than his favourite Old Parr whisky. Much like in the days of the Raj their respective staff had exchanged notes about the Commissioner’s dietary preferences and confirmed that Old Parr would rule that evening. The evening commenced with the chief guest being served first and the host announced “Cheers – long live the Republic” instead of “To Her Majesty – Long live the Queen” in the years gone by. Chief Commissioner Kriplani sipped his favourite scotch and as Old Parr made its way into thirsty gullets, Kriplani made quite a sour face.

To everyone’s great surprise the chief guest, after taking a sip, put his glass aside and refused to imbibe any more of his favourite whisky. Out of politeness the other guests too put away their glasses. My father went up to the chief guest whose position was comparable to that of a Ruler of any Princely State of the past and quietly asked him if his drink was fine. Kriplani made another wry face, wrinkled his nose and whispered quite aloud ‘You see this Grand Old Parr is a sensitive scotch, it doesn’t sleep well in moth balled cupboards, but never mind, I will go home and have a drink.’ The whisky was moth balled. Seth Bhagchand who was a teetotaller didn't know better and his servants had dutifully stored his whisky in an outhouse, amongst woollen blankets along with insect repelling moth balls. Non-vegetarian food was absolutely prohibited from entering his palatial residence but over the years Sir Bhagchand had permitted serving alcohol to VIPs, as long as the whole exercise was carried out in the lawns and never inside his home.

(The palatial residence of Sir Bhagchand Soni as it stands today)

The host was dutifully informed by my father of these sudden developments. As conversation dwindled and guests exchanged nervous glances, Sir Bhagchand sensed that the evening was heading for a disaster. ‘What if the chief guest departs without having dinner? That would be the last time he would accept my invitation’ thought Sir Bhaghchand. He turned to my father requesting him to salvage the situation and urgently arrange some bottles of Old Parr whisky from someplace. No one present had any bottles of this particular brand at home and the Ajmer club’s well stocked bar from the British days was closed that day. It was the 15th of August and young India had decided to celebrate independence by declaring it a dry day. The entire top administration of Ajmer-Merwara was involved in the evolving fiasco and at risk was the impeccable reputation of the perfect host, Sir Bhagchand himself. My father told Sir Bhagchand to keep the chief guest busy for just fifteen minutes and he would be back with a solution. He rushed to the Ajmer Club, yanked open the bar lock and was back within no time with a few bottles of Old Parr.

With Kriplani’s favourite whisky flowing once again, jollifications quickly resumed and Sir Bhagchand’s reputation of being the perfect host, the ‘Merchant Prince of Rajputana’ continued unscathed. As it happened my father, in those days was an honorary office bearer of Ajmer club as well as a senior officer of the State Police. No one stopped him on his way in and out of the club. The Chief Commissioner and the select few of renown had an enjoyable evening and life in the small State of Ajmer-Merwara moved on.

Ajmer early 1950s: a private cocktail party in progress

The Ajmer Club as it stands today

The Loss of Hindustan:The Invention of India-by Manan Ahmed Asif, Book review by Ajay Singha Raconteur Indica

The title announces a subject of deep concern to the people of the Indian subcontinent in present times. This is not a chronological narration of history, but a premise, which states that the people of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh share a common political ancestry. A people who liked to describe themselves, at least in the past, as Hindustani. The book examines the very philosophy of understanding and narrating history especially as propagated by colonial historians. It seeks to explain what exactly was this idea of Hindustan? How did it evolve and come about? What made it persist for over a thousand years? What caused the eventual loss of Hindustan and why did it run out of steam? And finally how did it get replaced by the invention of India?

FIRISHTA 17th century Scholar-Historian

The author, Manan Ahmed Asif was born in Pakistan and went to school during the dictatorial regime of General Zia, where he was taught that his country’s history went back only as far as the advent of Islam. He went overseas for further studies and now teaches history at Columbia University. The abstract philosophies of history composed by Voltaire, Hume and Kant led the author on a wider search to examine their critical original sources. Discarding the interpretations of the ‘soldier-scribes’ whose writings dominated the region’s colonial and post-colonial historiography, the author hinges his research on pre-colonial sources, particularly Firishta, a 17th century scholar historian, located in the Deccan, outside the Mughal domains. The author believes that historians had relied on Firishta as a common source of information but deployed his writings to strengthen their own viewpoints.

Up until the 18th century, ‘Hindustan’ was regularly embossed on maps, travelogues and histories relating to the sub-continent, printed anywhere in the world. Operas and magic shows in Europe would use the term to describe and depict the sub-continent. The Mughals did not create the concept of ‘Hindustan’. It already existed as an area of territorial integrity where diverse communities of believers lived harmoniously. In Sanskrit, Prakrit, Arabic, Persian and later Urdu the idea of Hindustan persists.

The British ‘soldier-scribe’ historians constructed India’s past as a golden period of five thousand years which was disrupted by the invasion of outsiders who threw India into a dark age of tyranny and stagnation. British rule rescued India from this plight, putting it on the track of universally accepted modernity. Elaborating on the history of the sub-continent, James Mill set the ball rolling by describing the ancient ‘glorious’ period followed by the ‘dark’ medieval Muslim despotism and finally the fair and just British rule. By carving out selective information from historical sources these ‘soldier-scribes’ as the author calls them, greatly distorted the understanding of subsequent generations of writers and historians. Manan asserts that the colonial episteme worked to erase the idea of Hindustan, supplanting it with the concept of India. The “Loss of Hindustan” as a colonial project commenced in the early 18th century and their ideas had jelled by the early 20th century, finding final fruition in 1947. The Sarnath capital, as the excavation came to be known, established the visual vocabulary for an “ancient” and triumphant “Golden Age” before the Muslim conquests and the “decay” that came after. It gave ancient India a geography, an ethics of awareness, nonviolence, and tolerance as opposed to the darkly violent Muslim kings. Ashoka, the ‘chakravartin’ who conquered the four quarters of the world came at the beginning and after him, was the decline. With the discovery of Ashoka and the Arthasastra, ancient Indian history finally had a pronounced teleology outside of Muslim conquest.

In contrast, the entire history of Muslims, in the European imagination, came to be understood as one of “conquest” epitomized in the motif of the “sword of Islam.” In 1897, Zakaʾullah a late Mughal period historian produced the ‘Tarikh-i Hindustan’ perhaps the last great document to bear the title “History of Hindustan.” Though critical of European scholars, the author asserts that Zaka too was conceptually not too different from Elphinstone who had framed history as a corrective to the popular accounts of James Mill. He points out Sayyid Ahmad Khan, a historian who offered a lived history of his contemporaries in Delhi in which the houses and households gave testimony to the richness of the past two hundred years. A good hundred years after the battle at Plassey, during the 1857 rebellion, people spoke of getting ‘Hindustan’ free and getting rid of the firangi rule. But then quite suddenly the term began to fade from colonial archives and after 1857 ‘British India’ replaced the idea of ‘Hindustan’.

Brahmins presenting sacred Hindu texts to Britannia

The author introduces Firishta or Muhammad Qasim Hindu Shah, a scholar of Persian descent. His patron Ibrahim Adil Shah II, who ruled the Deccan, gave him the mandate to produce a comprehensive history of Hindustan. Firishta proceeded to compile an archive spread across nearly nine centuries, covering themes ranging from politics and culture to geography. Written mostly in Arabic and Persian, he also included texts from the Mahabharat and Shahnama giving it his own novel interpretations. His account is not a chronology of empires and kings but a historical geography and his idea of Hindustan was thus beyond and even greater than the Mughal court. He writes that Hindustan was always a melting pot of multiple cultures, languages, religions and people within a geographically defined sub-continent. He saw Hindustan as an eminently hospitable space, with political structures that were accommodating to a diverse population.

Sultan Adil Shah II - Patron of FIRISHTA
With over a thousand folio pages, the writings by Firishta offer an elaborate account, becoming foundational to European historical thought in the century that followed. He writes that before the dawn of Islam, Maldeo was the last ruler of Hindustan who could unite its various regions under his rule and after his death, there were no more kings of consequence, as he puts it. Firishta’s history is the first serious attempt at describing Hindustan as a concept, an idea, and a place that contains multitudes of faiths and polities. Firishta starts his observations with the polities in the Northwest, moves to the sub-continent’s southern centre, travels up to the eastern shores and returns again to the South by the sea route. He expresses his love for this geography in the conclusion, titled “An Account of Conditions of the Heaven-Representing Hindustan.” Manan, the author of this book writes that “Not one community, nor people, are described in terms of ‘otherness’ nor does he remark that one faith supersedes another”. Firishta ends his treatise with the advent of the Portuguese and the English in Malabar and the arrival of the Jews and Christians to Hindustan. His words predict the coming apocalypse, for he understood the inherent dichotomy of the Europeans, who outwardly appeared at war with each other, but remained united in their intent to subjugate the sub-continent.

The colonial episteme has been regularly challenged from the nineteenth century onwards to the present times, prominent historians who have done so include Romila Thapar and Irfan Habib. Manan’s singular effort in interpreting Firishta’s treatise and drawing attention to his work will re-introduce Firishta as a reliable source in contemporary scholarship. Scholarly works delve deep into the subject to conduct their research and quote multiple references to support their thesis. With a third of its contents dedicated to notes, bibliography and index, this book is no exception. Those not conversant with the history of this sub-continent may therefore find the going a bit tough and may leave with more questions than answers. Then there is the question of the sources and texts on which Firishta built his own narrative. Perhaps these need to be examined and assessed more rigorously before building an authoritative voice, signalling a sort of finality in opinion. The central theme of the book ‘The Loss of Hindustan’ is replaced by the invention of India. But this begets the question, what exactly did ‘Hindustan’ replace in the first place? To retain focus on the subject under review the entire narrative centres around a few centuries of India’s history. This is understandable because a certain period of history is under scrutiny, but purely from a lay reader’s point of view, this deep dive does get a bit tiresome.

The author explains the position and interpretation of the Hindu ideologue Savarkar on this subject and the fine distinction in accepting the nomenclature with an additional ‘h’ calling it “Hindusthan” the place where Hindus reside rather than the land, east of the Indus. The book concludes with an appeal, perhaps to the people of the sub-continent, that we confront a terrible crisis emerging from the past. The author offers two insights: The acceptance that History can impact real lives as the narratives of separation gain momentum. More importantly, he suggests that we should not accept the past as a certainty or seek to romanticise what is lost. He suggests reimagining the past in order to rearticulate our extant understanding of the region’s history. This approach may certainly help us breathe easy, as the battle about writing history in the present is also the battle about the future of the sub-continent.