ABOUT THE BOOK
fjrigjwwe9r0pp_Books:Description
There is no career like the military. You will never be
rich, but you will have what no money can buy; a magnificent company of people
who simply live by different sets of values. Buddies who will give their life
for the man next to him, who has no blood relationship, but whose
unwritten commitment to each other is far stronger than the marriage vows of a
couple.
Written in his humoristic style, this book, Four
Decades in Olive Greens: Pride, Passion and Perspectives is an interesting
story of Maj General Anil Sengar, whose only ambition in life was to be a
soldier for the love of the Olive Green uniform. He realised his potential
early in life and rose above the ordinary by choosing to serve as a ‘soldier of
conscience’ and stood by his values despite the challenges and risks throughout
his service. The author’s pride and passion as a soldier are clearly visible. He
demonstrates that, notwithstanding the dynamics of an extremely competitive
military career, it is possible to live by the highest military values and yet
succeed as a soldier, while making it fun all the way.
The book also gives an insider’s view of the internal
dynamics of the Army, that is not exactly flattering. It is laid out in two
parts. Part 1 is the author’s inspirational journey of accomplishing his goals
through self-belief and surmounting odds. ‘Do not just live-leave your trail’
is a lesson in leadership as it demonstrates what can be achieved by selfless
and value-based leadership. It contains his thought-provoking experiences, both
pleasant and otherwise, and his so-successful command philosophy.
Part 2 deals with the author’s critical perspective on
many sensitive issues that ail the Indian Army, which need immediate attention.
These include aspects such as promotion policy, military professionalism,
quality of senior leadership, awards and rewards and the dynamics of having
women in the army.
The Army today stands compromised on trust amongst the
combat arms and between the services and the army leadership. The fact that
officers in droves and across all ranks seek justice through the courts against
the promotion policy, speaks of the trust deficit in the Army policies and the
redressal system.
The author`s critique is necessitated on the belief
that the Army tends to remain in a state of inertia and rooted to the status
quo unless nudged hard into action, even when the need for change is an
operational imperative. Coming from one of its own, it is hoped that this book
will trigger an introspection to honestly address issues which are eroding the
basic fabric and foundation of this great institution and directly impacting
its war fighting.
ABOUT Author
fjrigjwwe9r0pp_Books:aboutAuthor
Maj
General Anil Sengar is an alumnus of Sainik School Ghorakhal and the
National Defence Academy, Pune. He is a recipient of the coveted Sword of
Honour and the Gold Medal at the Indian Military Academy. He commanded 5
GUARDS, which remains the most cherished part of his soldiering career and
remains connected with it emotionally.
The General Officer epitomises excellence in all walks
of military life. He complements an outstanding academic record with the
old-school soldiering and serves as a role model to many.
General Sengar, with his distinctive command
philosophy, left a legacy wherever he commanded. A man who has carved a niche
for himself in the Army, he carries the reputation of a man who always walked
the talk, whose word you could trust and never compromised on military values
and moral courage, no matter the consequences. Right through his career, he has
questioned the status quo and raised difficult questions and given tough
feedbacks.
He has vast operational experience having served and
commanded his battalion, brigade and the division in variety of operational
environments and challenges. He was part of the group that established the UN
Mission in Cambodia in 1992. He also served as the Defence Attaché in Turkey
accredited to Lebanon and Syria, where he was awarded the Medal of Honour,
Silver Degree, by the Government of Lebanon. As the Deputy GOC, he was part of
the team that raised a new division in the North-East in record time.
As a leader he believed in hundred per cent work and
hundred per cent fun and created an environment of loyalty and commitment,
growth and fulfilment for all in his command. He is gifted with a sense of
humour and a ready smile and has written two popular books - Militarily
Crazy, the Lighter Side of Life in the Indian Army and the second, Battalion
Command: Dare to Lead, on leadership.
He retired in 2016 after a distinguished career.