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Ex-IAF Chief Tipnis Blames Nehru for Defeat in 1962 China WarNew Delhi, November 20, 2012: Aformer IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal(retd) A Y Tipnis has sought to blameformer Prime Minister JawaharlalNehru for India’s defeat in the 1962 warwith China, amid a continuing debateon why air power was not used duringthe conflict.Speaking at a seminar ‘India andChina: After five decades of 1962 war’here, Tipnis also alleged that Nehruhad surrendered national securityinterests to realise his “ambition” to bea world leader.“It was more or less universallyaccepted perhaps grudgingly notopenly in some Indian quarters that toserve the dubious purpose of politicalsurvival that Pandit Nehru with hisgrandiose vision of a conflict free nonallignedworld surrendered vital nationalsecurity interest to the ambition ofbeing a world leader,” he said.The remarks made yesterday cameagainst the backdrop of the recentcomments by the current Indian AirForce Chief Air Chief Marshal N A KBrowne that the outcome of the 1962war with China would have beendifferent had the IAF been used in anoffensive role.Asked to expand on his remarks,Tipnis today said Nehru was the “majorcontributor” for India’s debacle.72-year-old Tipnis, who had a threeyeartenure as IAF Chief fromDecember 31, 1998 wascommissioned as a fighter pilot in1960, two years before the hostilitiesbroke out between India and China.Tipnis said he had also seen an ArmyChief in those days being “ticked off” likea school-boy by Prime Minister Nehrufor his alleged petulance. The issue ofIAF not being used in the 1962 hostilitiesis still debated by military historians andexperts and there is no clarity as to whythe air force was not used.Browne had said the IAF was notallowed to be used in an offensive roleand confined only to provide transportsupport to the Army. “These are openand glaring lessons we should haveimbibed,” he added.For the first time in last 50 years,India celebrated the anniversary of the1962 war with China on October 20where Defence Minister A K Antonyalong with the three Services chiefslaid wreaths on the Amar Jawan Jyotito pay tributes to the martyrs andparticipants of the war.(http://zeenews.india.com/news)German Publisher Brings out Book on Sankardeva- Irfan KhondkerGuwahati (Dec 22): LambertAcademic Publishing, a renownedpublishing house Germany, haspublished an English book onMahapurush Sankaradeva and hiscontributions.The German publishing house thathas direct marketing in as many as77 countries and online marketing haspublished the book titled SrimantaSankaradeva’s Contributions.The book is written by well-knownscholar on the Mahapurush and hisideologies, Dr Sanjib KumarBorkakoti.Speaking to Seven Sisters Post,Borkakoti said that the articlesincluded in the book deal with themulti-faceted contributions ofSrimanta Sankaradeva.“Through these I have tried to bringout the pioneering role played by thesaint in both philosophical as well associo-cultural arena. The Eka SaranaNama Dharma founded by SrimantaSankaradeva is unique in the absenceof a female deity worship, which isfound in some degrees in all otherHindu orders. Not only that, SrimantaSankaradeva was a forerunner of evenphilosophers like Spinoza,” said theauthor.He also said: “The curiosity ofknowing the saint and hiscontributions is high abroad. But manycomplaint lack of reading materialsthere.”Borkakoti added: “This is arenowned publishing house with agreat reach in over 77 countries. Andthis is not the end. The publisher willprint the book all round the year andmake the book more available toreaders.”Borkakoti, till now, has written over25 books on the mahapurush.He added: “The schools of artevolved by Srimanta Sankaradeva inpainting, dance and music have beenrecognised as unique by scholars. Butthis process of recognition has,however, been late due tocommunication gap between Assamand the rest of the world.”The writer, who had earliersuccessfully written SrimantaSankaradeva’s Borgeets andMadhavdeva’s Namghosha in English,hopes that the present book will go along way in bridging the gap. Theauthor has explained the process ofcreation of those cultural assets withingredients from ethnic groups in theBrahmaputra valley and Sankariculture that bonded the Assamesecommunity together have been shownin the book.Borkakoti further explains,“Srimanta Sankaradeva’s activitieswere not confined to only religion andsocial reforms but for creating a newsocial dynamics also. In the book, Itried to bring out the greatness of thegreat man in management, who usedmany concepts that are beingpracticed by management experts.”The ISBN of SrimantaSankaradeva’s Contributions is 978-3-8465-1276-0, and is alreadyavailable for online shopping inamazon.com.(http://sevensisterspost.com)Heritage Explorer 14 January 2013