Commanded By Destiny

‘. . . for only men with courage and a sense of patriotism join the Armed Forces.’That is what General Satyawant Mallanah Shrinagesh wrote to his son Satish as he contemplated a career in the army.As one of the earliest Chiefs of Army Staff of newly independent India, he believed deeply that no institution embodied unity or nationalism more than the armed forces. Witnessing the transition of the Indian Army from a colonial force to a national one, he was steadfast in his conviction that a free India required a strong army to defend it.General Shrinagesh played a pivotal role in modernizing the army and shattering the myth that Indians were incapable of strong military leadership. As Corps Commander in Jammu & Kashmir during the 1947–48 War with Pakistan, he was the first to deploy tanks at Zoji La, overcoming heavily entrenched Pakistani defences at such formidable heights. From commanding missions abroad to holding senior positions within the army, from becoming Chief of Army Staff to serving as the first military officer to be appointed governor of Assam, Andhra Pradesh and Mysore (now Karnataka), his journey was marked by a distinguished career of service to the nation.Based on his personal notes, carefully preserved by his family, this book presents an exhaustive and inspirational account of an extraordinary soldier who emerged as one of India’s greatest generals.