Book Review The Fractured Himalaya: India Tibet China 1949-62 By Nirupama Rao Published by Penguin Viking Arun Goyal

NIRUPAMA Rao, the author of this book is a Nair warrior, speaks in slow measured polished tone

Also a multi tasker, in her long career of 34 plus years, she served throughout the world, yet was a family woman, a mother of four, and wife to IAS husband. She is an English Lit MA, author of seven books, poet, and crooner. And successful career, Ambassador, Foreign Secy, spokesperson, Addl Secy Admin at MEA.

And so decisive and active. (I remember how she literally snatched the mike from EAM Jaswant Singh when he went too far to build a bridge with Pak in Islamabad SAARC circa 2004 meet.

But, There must an inside story to the star.. For one thing, she has charm, and the spit and polish from her army father

She knows the middle path in the road. Never take sides. Nehru was a good man, too idealistic, _hindi chenni bhai bhai. (Who led him up the garden path? Bureaucrats guided by the Americans who nudged him to move forward in NEFA towards Tibet and give shelter to Dalai Lama. Fortunately for India, FM Ayub Khan did not seize the chance at attack India and take Kashmir.. 🙃 Thank Uncle Sam for that one.)

The veteran China hand and Washington Post bureau chief in Delhi at the presser to release the book on 30 Nov at the Foreign Correspondence Club said that China is encircled and is very very jittery. The unconclusive fist fights at Galwan valley showed how jumpy the dragon is.

Its a fast changing world, India could try and make peace with the Dragon till it calms down.

China is the rising star. In comparison, India is like the poor relation. Our $ 3 tn GDP is a pittance before their $15 tn. And China has a global vision and an expansionist policy, India, in contrast, is inward looking.

India sells them raw material, and a bit of handicraft and Salman Khan films. In return, they sell India hi tech finished goods.

The Modi Government has banned their companies, this is our loss. We pay so much more for tunneling and high speed rail. They are the words best in infra.

(Sardar Bhasin's of Historical division in Ministry of External Affairs too had written a book on the same subject. It is well done, objective and sensitive. He has revealed the currents in India China well. Nehru did try to bring the two together but the seeds of distrust were sown by the Brits in 1914 Simla Agreement by Henri McMohan!)