A collection of anecdotes from Major General Rajpal Punia's close to four decades in the Indian army Rejoice in Adversity Triumph in War is a rare electrifying memoir. It is a testament to how the army is not a livelihood but a way of life one that can transport you from a social soiree to a dangerous jungle in the space of a night and where postings are often to places that the GPS cannot navigate to.
Punia's dream of a career in the army began when he was ten years old and donned a Sainik School uniform for the first time. His career has taken him from patrolling the hotly contested Line of Actual Control to United Nations Peacekeeping Paper Backsions in warzones across the world. Among his many achievements was the peaceful evacuation of the Dera Sacha Sauda complex at Sirsa now considered a textbook case for deploying armed forces in disturbed civilian areas.
This is an exciting first-hand account of one of the most thrilling jobs in the world and a must-read for anyone who has ever wondered about the men and women who serve in India's armed forces.