New Delhi: The tales of India’s Para Special Forces or Para SF — a group of the Indian Army entrusted with counter-terrorism operations — remain invisible. The legacy of these men seem almost mythical, since the missions are secretive, and nothing is known beyond their codes, like Ghost, Viper or Desert Scorpio.
In the book ‘Balidan’, author Swapnil Pandey recollects the stories of the courageous men of the Indian Para Special Forces, which remained unknown for years. Pandey extensively researched for the book as she visited the Special Forces Units near the Line of Aactual Control and the Line of Control, conducted more than 200 interviews with friends and families of these men, all in attempts to resurrect their legacy as living, breathing tales of courage, sacrifice and valour.
“I consider it a matter of great pride and privilege to write about legendary names from the Special Forces who have served the nation and, in some instances, sacrificed their lives for it. To meet the operatives and their families was an honour. I hope with this book, the people of India realize who their real superheroes are,” says Pandey.
The book details the stories of Colonel Santosh Mahadik, Captain Tushar Mahajan, Brigadier Saurabh Singh among others. Many of them lived the different phases in the history of the Special Forces, through the 1990s — when terrorism was at its peak — to the present day when modern warfare is threatening the country’s safety, she notes.
There are stories of young operatives like Captain Tushar Mahajan, who was martyred in a terrorist encounter in Pampore in Pulwama district in 2016, at the age of 26. It talks about Paratrooper Chhatrapal Singh, one of the five army jawans killed in a standoff with militants in Kupwara.
Another focus of the book are the families that are left behind. Pandey poignantly notes that families learn to live without the men they love, and in this act lies a sort of courage that is seldom talked about.
HarperCollins’ associate publisher Swati Chopra remarks: “Balidan is truly exemplary in its recounting of the stories of some of Indian army’s bravest heroes, who ironically remain unknown in the course of their professional lives. A must-read for all those who relish stories of adventure, bravery and patriotism.”
Swapnil Pandey considers it her mission to bring the stories of India’s most inspiring stories before the readers. She was the author of ‘The Force behind the Forces,’ written on real life stories of the women who stand strong behind the men in the Army, detailing the sacrifices they have to make once the soldiers are gone. An alumnus of Birla Institute of Technology, Pandey has also worked with Wipro and HDFC, and taught at Lovely Professional University and Army Public School.