A Soldier’s Life in War and Peace

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This book chronicles the life and times of Major General A.S. Naravane, both in peace and war. He joined the Indian Military Academy, Dehra Dun in 1936 and was commissioned in 1938. He was amongst the first few who were accepted for the Indian Artillery, which, till 1934 was offered exclusively by the British. is early days in the regiment were one of very hard work and training. The profession of arms was a very highly prized occupation and all was done to make the young officers worthy of being in it. The training methods then are described with much pride and nostalgia. aravane went to war as a captain and his artillery regiment, the 2 field, soon saw action against the then invincible Germans under Rommel. At Bir Hachiem he was taken prisoner. The trials and tribulations while a prisoner are worth reading, especially for the young officer, as they show that whatever the conditions, the first duty of every prisoner of war is to try and escape. Liberty may be lost, but courage and pride in oneâ€™s regiment, never. The transition from the British Indian Army to a national army is brought out frankly but with restraint. His career and rise to the post of Director of Artillery is, in a way, the conflict of the old and the new that every pre-war officer had to face. The book should be of interest to all: not only to the people who were, or are, in uniform but also to the civilians, especially the bureaucrat, for there is much to be learnt from its pages.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Major Gen. A. S. Naravane

Major General A.S. Naravane was born on 9th November, 1916 and was educated at Bombay and Poona. He was commissioned in the Indian Artillery on 19th July, 1938. It should be remembered that prior to 1936 Indian officers were not posted in the Artillery branch and General Naravane was amongst the first few to be posted. During the Second World War he saw active service with his regiment in the Western Desert of North Africa and was taken a prisoner of war after the very famous battle of Bir Hachiem. His enterprising spirit could not be curbed and he escaped from the Italian POW Camp only to be recaptured after six months and sent to Germany. His nearly three years as a prisoner were of great physical and mental hardship. After the war he returned to India and took up many important staff and field appointments. One of the notable assignment was as the Alternate Delegate with the International Commission of Supervision and Control in Vietnam. He retired from the Army in June, 1968, after nearly thirty years of distinguished service, while serving as the Director of Artillery in the rank of Major General. The post was upgraded to Director General later. After retirement he served as the Managing Director of Kirloskar Tractors at Nashik Road and as the Chief Executive Manager at Synthetic and Chemicals at Bareilly. He is now settled at Pune.