Valour & Betrayal: Last Man Last Round Battles of Brigadier Rajinder Singh, Saviour of Kashmir 1947

The Princely State of J&K was the largest among its 564 siblings. It had contributed immensely to the war efforts of the British and its army had won laurels in many battlefields across the globe. The British, transfixed by the dynamics of the Great Game, wanted the State to go to Pakistan. When that didn't happen, and Maharaja Hari Singh appeared to be standing firm, they evolved a plan. That plan had two sub-plans—Operation Gulmarg and Operation Datta Khel— to annexe parts of J&K. 

The British, however, knew that with the kind of soldiers that made the Dogra Army of the State, execution of plots would not be easy. It was then that they decided to play a game of deceit, treachery and betrayal. And while they almost succeeded in achieving that, their worst fears came true when the Dogra Army stood in their path that led to the seat of power at Srinagar. The British then used their influence to stir the situation in favour of Pakistan, but their dream of handing over Kashmir to Pakistan remained unfulfilled and forever!

Largely based on first-hand accounts, this story has never been told before.

About the Authors

Maj Gen Goverdhan Singh Jamwal, AVSM, is the man who saw it all and that too from very close quarters. He holds the distinction of being the first and the last General of the erstwhile J&K State Forces. An authority on the subject, he has many seminars, speeches and much-appreciated interviews to his credit. While in service, he had the privilege of serving as an ADC to the then Sadr-e-Riyasat, Dr Karan Singh, as also as the Military Secretary to the President of India. Post-retirement, he was the President of the Dharmarth and Mata Vaishno Devi Trusts, a member of the J&K Legislative Council and the President of the J&K Ex-Servicemen League.

Colonel Ajay K Raina, SM, is an Indian Army veteran and a military historian. He has authored 25 books, including a five-book series on the1947-48 Conflict in Jammu & Kashmir. He is the founding Trustee of the Military History Research Foundation ®, which aims to enable military historians and authors to take their well-researched works to the public. The author can be contacted at ajaykrraina@gmail.com