The complex comflict environment of Jammu and Kashmir has been a subject of much discussion and debate.
Diplomat Correspondent
Jammu,DD; ” Mukhbir”, a collection of short stories written by Brigadier Sushil Tanwar, a decorated serving Indian Army officer, provides a fresh thoughtful perspective to the vagaries of life in Jammu & Kashmir
The book consisting of seventeen short stories beautifully captures the essence of Jammu & Kashmir. The stories , seemingly inspired by real life incidents, provide an exciting portrayal of the region and sheds light on the challenges faced by not only the security forces but also the common people.
The stories are written in a simple lucid style and cover a wide range of human emotions.
While the title story ” Mukhbir” highlights the struggles of an informer who has to prove his utility to the security forces, the story of “Mujahid” captures the moral dilemma of an intelligence officer after he trains a young boy for a difficult and life threatening mission.
While most of the stories revolve around the intelligence operations carried out by the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir, they also provide the reader with a fascinating insight about human behaviour in a conflict environment.
Although it is difficult to pick out any one story out of the fascinating collection, ‘Love Jihad” surely stands out for its realistic portrayal of a love story between a Pakistani terrorist and a Kashmiri Girl. While this intriguing story keeps the reader engaged & guessing, another story of love between an Army officer and a local girl in ” Ishq Mohabbat” shakes the reader with its unexpected climax.
Being a serving army officer , the author has brought realism into his characters and the compelling narrative is often interspersed with the vicissitudes of army life.
“Yeh Manzil Nahi Asaan” is one such story about the journey of a young military intelligence officer as she finds herself grappling with multiple challenges.
Brigadier Tanwar , while crafting his stories, has managed to stay away from cliches and rhetoric , which turn his work of fiction ,into a much needed balanced commentary on Jammu and Kashmir.
These are human stories of valour, sacrifice , love , compassion and resilience. Read them.
The book published by M/s Rajpal and Sons , Delhi is available in book shops and various E –
Commerce sites such as Amazon and Flipkart.DD
