Soul of stories in this collection of Olive Diaries is in the heart of my personal diaries from 1984 to 2015. This was the same period when I had proudly dawned the Olive Greens. I must admit that this journey, a soldier’s life spanning over three decades was chequered with many mundane things ensconced in a rigid routine of military duties which also gave me a perfect excuse to let the inertia prevail upon my better sense of judgment. Blissfully distracted, I forgot about the beautiful moments that I had shared with some wonderful people as I travelled through the length and breadth of the country in the course of my duty with the Indian Army.
After superannuating from the corporate sector, in my second innings, I was packing up to move back to my humble abode when I accidentally hit upon my treasure trove and came face to face with my long-forgotten diaries. It did not take much rummaging through its pages to unlock a deluge of precious memories overwhelming me instantly. At that moment I realized that I owe these people, some heroes of the Indian Army more than a few strokes of a pen in my personal diaries. How can I not acknowledge the impact these Indian Soldiers had on me to make me what I am today? They had touched me gently, deep inside, in more ways the words can describe. In my moments of solitude, I realize that no school, college, or training institute could have taught me these life lessons in such a subtle yet effective way as these wonderful souls have.
I realized looking at them that deep down we all are extraordinary, but only a few of us rise to the occasion when confronted and challenged by adversity. Transforming these threats into opportunities is not always possible but how gracefully one could accept this was something that I learnt from them. So well, here is the outcome of it. My first book as an author of a military fiction, Olive Diaries, is out for everyone curious to know about the Indian Army and its soldiers.