Ajay's Book Review

The true story of the father of Hindutva. Having been raised in a maharashtrian family you grow listening to the heroics of Veer Savarkar, this combined with some little text and media surrounding the freedom fighter at later stages always piqued my interest in the subject. After watching a movie on the subject I decided to read about the man the legend and also someone who is equally loved and equally dismissed by his supporter and opponents alike. On the very onset I must admit that finding a book on Veer Savarkar which is based on facts and no bias for or against him was difficult and this book just did that. The book brings to light so many facets of his life that are either unknown or known by very few like his ask to include the Ashoka Chakra on the Indian flag instead of the Charkha or the spinning wheel, which came as a complete surprise to me. Also Savarkar the poet which is something not usually talked about and is not known by many like his poem "Sagara Pran Talmalala ....

An extraordinary book on the life of an extraordinary Indian This would be perhaps in my humble opinion the best single-line review of the book. Ever since Parrikar Ji became the defense minister of India with his simple living and a man known to get the job done, I have been intrigued by him. So when it came to choosing my next book I actively scouted for books on him and by far this book was the highest recommended. The moment you start reading the book you are struck by two things the objectivity of the authors and how well written the book is. On the objectivity part while reading the book it gives a 360-degree view of Mr. Parrikar and it gives the good and the bad about him in a completely subjective manner, without shying away from the shortcomings of the 4-time chief minister of Goa. On how well the book is written the authors have kept the language simple enough for the public to read while also using the appropriate words while required, which the reader may sometime need to l...

Research & Analysis Wing (India's External Intelligence Agency) A rare and first-hand view into the workings of the most secretive government agency Research & Analysis Wing, India's external intelligence agency.  The book written by a retired R&AW officer B Raman who spent more than 3 decades working for the agency right from its inception in 1968, provides a detailed insight into the workings of R&AW and its work and relations with the Intelligence Bureau, Ministry of External Affairs and other foreign intelligence agencies. The book derives its name from its first chief R.N. Kao and the officers under him who were the cause of its success and came to be known as "Kao boys of R&AW". The book is in chronological order of the author's service in R&AW and the most outstanding thing about the book is how objectively it is written and by that, I mean the author has rightly praised but has also criticised various people right from the chief ...

A rare insight into America's prized possession, SKUNK WORKS. Skunk Works, the legendary R&D centre, a dream of so many aerospace engineers producing state of the art weapons and surveillance systems that are probably 8-10 years ahead of the world. From building the worlds first and only operational Mach 3 aircraft that could fly at altitudes just shy of space, needing the pilot to wear pressurised suits to the worlds first operational stealth fighter which remained a mystery to intelligence agencies around the world until it took out the most defended capital, Baghdad, during Operation Desert Storm. I have been wanting to read this book longer then I would like to admit. Having been a lifelong fanboy of the SR-71 blackbird and the F-22 Raptor I constantly stumbled upon the term "Skunk Works" in literature while reading about the planes. This book was literally the first suggestion I got as I started researching about Skunk Works. The book enchants you from...