It has been rightly said, “Globalization is inevitable in the modern era”. Its shadow can be seen in all the countries, be it developed, developing or a underdeveloped. It is very difficult to define the term Globalization, it has been given different interpretations by different authors. To some authors, Globalizations is a process by which different Nations trade with each other, while according to others, it creates interdependence of one nation on another. 

One of the most apt definitions to the term Globalization is, the process or the phenomena, by which one Nation interacts with another in relation to business transactions. This includes setting up of offices by a Company registered in one Country into another Country. Also, in a broad outlook to the term, this also includes the import and export transactions two nations have with each other. The ambit of the term, does not stop here, it further goes on to include exchange of cultures amongst the nations. 

There are studies to suggest that the Globalization started after the end of Cold war era, but in a deep analysis of the History, it may be said that the Globalization started as soon as the modes of transport were discovered particularly the waterways. The discovery of waterways allowed the merchants and traders of one Country to move to another Country for the purpose of trades. If a particular reference to India is taken, there were many merchants who came to India only for the purpose of trade especially spices. 

Factors of Globalization

Some of the factors which accelerate Globalization are

1. Availability of labor:- A Company always seeks to have a skilled labor at a low cost. This motivates the Company to move out of the boundaries of its Nation to a place where it finds cheap  labor.
2. Resources:- To start any task, the most important requirement is the resources and capital. The Company sets up its offices and manufacturing units where it finds resources which are affordable and abundant. A Company desiring to use wood as a resource would prefer to install a unit in a Country having thick forest cover. 
3. Favorable Government Policies:- To set up a new undertaking, requires complying with the various rules, laws and regulations already enforced in the Country and to further be at par with the amendments made to these laws. If the Government policies are pro-industry, it becomes a motivating factor for the Company to have its office in such a Country. 

Democracy

The term Democracy essentially means a “Government for the people and by the people”. It is where the eligible voters cast their vote and elects a Government of their choice. The most important feature of the Democratic form of Government is, the Head of the State is not a hereditary post. This essentially means, if the Government does not perform well in its tenure, they might face the consequences in the very next election.

Another important point for this type of Government is the policy of the Government changes with the Change in Power, that is, the new elected Government has its own vision to work for the Nation, and in doing so, the existing policies and laws are amended and are brought in consonance with the visions.

 Impacts of Globalization on Democracy

Globalization is connecting the world effecting democracies in its own ways.

 Citizens from one country can move to another, to seek better job opportunities at the same time Companies can establish offices in various countries which eventually creates jobs in the recipient country. With this inter-country movement, there is an exchange of cultures and mindsets which results in positive and negative impacts.  

Positive impacts on Democracy 

1. With the exchange in culture, the new ways of living are also introduced. The citizens of the nation are able to cope up with what is going around the world. Since in a Democracy where the people have the choice of changing the Government, the Government works proactively for the benefits of its people.
2. Due to Globalization, we are able to use the products of different brands. This would not have been possible if there was no trade amongst Nations. The Government to keep its citizens protected brings in regulations and laws which on one hand benefits its citizens and provides ease of doing business, also on another hand it ensures that the interest of its people is not affected. 
3. Another important impact is the Government in order to increase its trade and hence the revenue is entering into various agreements and conventions at the International level. These in turn have the effect of an increase in trade, commerce, and effective resolution of disputes.

Negative impacts of Globalization on Democracy

As it is rightly said that a coin has two faces, when we flip the coin, we see the other side of the story. Though it is true that Globalization has positive implications on the Democracy but it also has some negative impressions. 

1. It is not always true that a Democratic nation signs any International treaty or convention with its complete acceptance, sometimes the Government is forced to act under the pressure of the Global forces. To increase its business, the Government is forced to accept the already written treaties and apply them on their local laws.
2. We cannot deny the fact, that all the countries have some uniqueness in their culture. The people of a Nation are known for its characteristics. But due to Globalization, the exchange of cultures sometimes disrupts the original culture amd values. No two cultures can mix completely, there always remain a gap between them. 
3. A major issue any Democracy faces due to Globalization, is the availability of products and services at a much lower price than its homegrown products and services. It is a general tendency of every individual, to find out a product with the maximum feature at a minimum price. Multinational brands do their publicity in such a way, that the local industries lose their markets. 

This further indirectly effects the Government and its revenue. 

Conclusion  

In the words of Former US President Bill Clinton, Globalization gives this generation an opportunity to earn more economy and in this era of Globalization no one would be left behind. This is true to the effect that, Globalization is having a plethora of positive effects, it brings more and more opportunities with itself. 

Here if we note what was once said by Kofi Anan, that the fruits of Globalization should be shared by all. It here means that Globalization should benefit all and not some. It is a known fact, that at time the Companies just in order to gain more profits move into malpractices, which is against the basics tenants of the concept of Globalization. Further sometimes one country tries dominate the other country due to its dependency. 

Anything can have both positive and negative implications, it is for the recipient to understand in what sense it is given the interpretation. This is also true to the concept of Globalization.

Vipul Gaur is a young Law Educator and Lawyer

Navi Lubana- an emerging name in the Punjabi Music Industry who can not only direct a mesmerising video but can also make you swoon with his good looks on camera. This director cum model has created quite a buzz in his career spanning just over 3 years. His works that include songs like, Sunroof, Giddha,  Open Head, Channa and Thok Thar Di are all a refreshing treat to one’s eyes. He packs his videos with a message to value self respect and empathy towards others in a way that this Gen Z understands. His videos are an amalgamation of traditions and values with a dash of romance, which makes for a beautiful and enriching experience on screen.

He has directed over 24 songs in just 3 years and yet has managed to give us some of the most memorable songs of this generation. His videos stand apart from the crowd because of the values and passion infused in them. The brand new song, ‘Giddha’ with Elly Mannat, Shehnaz Gill, Afsana Khan and Sultan has crossed 3 million views on YouTube and stands evidence to Lubana’s genius. This song was released on Billionaire Boyz Production channel and adds up to his list of super hit songs like Channa, Thok Thar Di and many more.

In a conversation with Navi Lubana, he speaks about his fascination for the work of a video director during his early days as a model. He used to observe the director carefully in order to understand and learn the craft better. Though he has moved over to the back of the camera as a video director, he hasn’t let go of  modelling completely.

Navi Lubana was born and brought up in Jalandhar and completed his MBA in International Business and Finance from Amity University, Noida. He later went on to study at the California State University, Birkbeck University, London to broaden his horizons and world view.  Working as a Financial Analyst at American Express, he had made everyone proud back home.

But despite all of the success, his inclination towards music and video direction grew every day. He had his first modelling break in America where he walked the ramp at the American University. From that day on, he hasn’t looked back and has continued to shine with the support of his family and friends.

His journey has not been a piece of cake until date. He has had his fair share of blunders and last-minute panic moments ranging from non-completion of sets in time, no suitable locations for shoots to technical issues hindering an ongoing shoot. But these have never stopped him and he continues to move forward with his team and always thanking God for their support. He talks very passionately about his team, “With the help and support of my amazing team, even a bad place can easily be turned into something great!”

He aspires to make a mark in the Punjabi Music Industry with his aesthetically as well as emotionally enriching music videos. His hard work and sheer will have helped him survive his competition and he is ready to put all in for his future here. His message to the younger generation is simple yet essential, work hard to fulfil your dreams but never forget your parents and their smiles.

India has announced a new National Education Policy 2020 making school and college education more holistic, flexible and multidisciplinary. This education policy replaces the thirty-four year old National Policy on Education (NPE), 1986. Increasing the funding for education sector to 6% of the GDP, the Human Resource Development Ministry will, once again, be known as the Education Ministry.

Other than emphasizing on ensuring universal access to school education at all levels- pre-school to secondary, the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020 aims to bring back dropouts into the mainstream, tracking of students and their learning levels.

The NEP 2020 aims to increase the Gross Enrolment Ratio in higher education including vocational education from 26.3% (2018) to 50% by 2035. 3.5 Crore new seats will be added to Higher education institutions.

Giving details of the policy, Higher Education Secretary, Amit Khare said the policy envisages broad based, multi-disciplinary, holistic Under Graduate education will have flexible curricula, creative combinations of subjects, integration of vocational education and multiple entry and exit points with appropriate certification. Under Graduate education can be of 3 or 4 years with multiple exit options and appropriate certification within this period. For example, Certificate after 1 year, Advanced Diploma after 2 years, Bachelor’s Degree after 3 years and Bachelor’s with Research after 4 years. M. Phil has been done away with and a student can enrol for PhD.

An Academic Bank of Credit is to be established for digitally storing academic credits earned from different HEIs so that these can be transferred and counted towards final degree earned.

Multidisciplinary Education and Research Universities (MERUs), at par with IITs, IIMs, will be set up as models of best multidisciplinary education of global standards in the country.

The National Research Foundation will be created as an apex body for fostering a strong research culture and building research capacity across higher education.

A Higher Education Commission of India(HECI) will be set up as a single overarching umbrella body the for entire higher education, excluding medical and legal education. HECI to have  four independent verticals  – National Higher Education Regulatory Council (NHERC) for regulation, General Education Council (GEC ) for standard setting, Higher Education Grants Council (HEGC) for funding,  and National Accreditation Council( NAC) for accreditation. The HECI will function through faceless intervention through technology, & will have powers to penalise HEIs not conforming to norms and standards. Public and private higher education institutions will be governed by the same set of norms for regulation, accreditation and academic standards.

Affiliation of colleges is to be phased out in 15 years and a stage-wise mechanism is to be established for granting graded autonomy to colleges. Over a period of time, it is envisaged that every college would develop into either an Autonomous degree-granting College, or a constituent college of a university, Mr Khare said.

In the school education sector, emphasis is on Early Childhood Care and Education. The 10+2 structure of school curricula is to be replaced by a 5+3+3+4 curricular structure corresponding to ages 3-8, 8-11, 11-14, and 14-18 years respectively.  This will bring the hitherto uncovered age group of 3-6 years under school curriculum, which has been recognized globally as the crucial stage for development of mental faculties of a child. The new system will have 12 years of schooling with three years of Anganwadi/ pre schooling.

The NCERT will develop a National Curricular and Pedagogical Framework for Early Childhood Care and Education (NCPFECCE) for children up to the age of 8. The ECCE will be delivered through a significantly expanded and strengthened system of institutions including Anganwadis and pre-schools that will have teachers and Anganwadi workers trained in the ECCE pedagogy and curriculum. The planning and implementation of ECCE will be carried out jointly by the Ministries of HRD, Women and Child Development (WCD), Health and Family Welfare (HFW), and Tribal Affairs.

States will prepare an implementation plan for attaining universal foundational literacy and numeracy in all primary schools for all learners by grade 3 by 2025.A National Book Promotion Policy is to be formulated.

The school curricula and pedagogy will aim for holistic development of learners by reduction in curricular content to enhance essential learning and critical thinking and greater focus on experiential learning. Students will have increased flexibility and choice of subjects. There will be no rigid separations between arts and sciences, between curricular and extra-curricular activities, between vocational and academic streams. Vocational education will start in schools from the 6th grade, and will include internships.

A new and comprehensive National Curricular Framework for School Education, NCFSE 2020-21, will be developed by the NCERT.

The policy has emphasized mother tongue/local language/regional language as the medium of instruction at least till Grade 5, but preferably till Grade 8 and beyond. Sanskrit will be offered at all levels of school and higher education as an option for students, including in the three-language formula. Other classical languages and literatures of India also to be available as options. No language will be imposed on any student.

Aiming to shift from summative assessment to regular and formative assessment, the new policy believes s more competency-based, promotes learning and development, and tests higher-order skills, such as analysis, critical thinking, and conceptual clarity. All students will take school examinations in Grades 3, 5, and 8 which will be conducted by the appropriate authority. Board exams for Grades 10 and 12 will be continued, but redesigned with holistic development as the aim.  A new National Assessment Centre, PARAKH (Performance Assessment, Review, and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development), will be set up as a standard-setting body.

Teachers will be recruited through robust, transparent processes. Promotions will be merit-based, with a mechanism for multi-source periodic performance appraisals and available progression paths to become educational administrators or teacher educators. A common National Professional Standards for Teachers (NPST) will be developed by the National Council for Teacher Education by 2022, in consultation with NCERT, SCERTs, teachers and expert organizations from across levels and regions.

NEP 2020 envisages clear, separate systems for policy making, regulation, operations and academic matters. States/UTs will set up independent State School Standards Authority (SSSA). Transparent public self-disclosure of all the basic regulatory information, as laid down by the SSSA, will be used extensively for public oversight and accountability. The SCERT will develop a School Quality Assessment and Accreditation Framework (SQAAF) through consultations with all stakeholders.

A new and comprehensive National Curriculum Framework for Teacher Education, NCFTE 2021, will be formulated by the NCTE in consultation with NCERT. By 2030, the minimum degree qualification for teaching will be a 4-year integrated B.Ed. degree .Stringent action will be taken against substandard stand-alone Teacher Education Institutions (TEIs).

A National Mission for Mentoring will be established, with a large pool of outstanding senior/retired faculty – including those with the ability to teach in Indian languages – who would be willing to provide short and long-term mentoring/professional support to university/college teachers.

A comprehensive set of recommendations for promoting online education consequent to the recent rise in epidemics and pandemics in order to ensure preparedness with alternative modes of quality education whenever and wherever traditional and in-person modes of education are not possible has been covered. A dedicated unit for the purpose of orchestrating the building of digital infrastructure, digital content and capacity building will be created in the MHRD to look after the e-education needs of both school and higher education.

Fat To Slim is the iconic brand with their franchises from India To Aboard. With most iconic directors Swati Jain (Krishna Nagar) – Madhu Goel (Yojana Vihar) Deepti Sachdeva (New Jersey United States) Nidhi Sharma & Vashudha Shilpi Gupta (Vasant Vihar) Harsheeta Harjai (Dubai) Pallavi Raghuwanshi (Greater Noida) Sonu Aggarwal (Yojana Vihar) Manju Jogani (Tinsukia Assam) Sonia Sarda (Guwahati Assam) Kriti Goyal & Sonal Aggarwal (Vaishali – Ghaziabad)

Changing the people’s life with the magic of eat sleep no exercise – Special lockdown diet plans for worldwide clients – Whereas people around the world gaining weight – Fat To Slim directors client’s proved with our magic their can lose weight without buying things from outside & no exercise.

Also Fat To Slim directors are the iconic personalities doing magic in there perceptive areas .

In lockdown we have seen makeup – clothes & eating joints may stop, but there is a Celebrity Internationally Renowned Brand Shikha A Sharma Fat To Slim – There is not stop for this Brand in the world of Diet and Nutrition which change the world of diet into being economical.
In Lockdown time of COVID, the brand launched its two franchises with iconic personality directors Jyoti Jayya Dabas at Dwarka & Ritu Tayal at Mehrauli.
Both the iconic new directors of Fat To Slim franchise was homemaker now they will be businesswomen with their own identity in the society not to forget with there supporting family & husband .

So Dwarka get ready Jyoti Jayya Dabas coming to make you fit with the magic of “ Eat Sleep No Exercise’

Meharuli get ready Ritu Tayal is coming to make you fit with the magic of
“ Eat Sleep No Exercise”

“ With our Indian based kitchen spices worldwide famous concept among top renowned personalities “

“Let’s contribute to defend the futures of those who happily sacrifice their present to defend us!”…

This was the pledge of appeal made by LAWGYSTIX when they reached out to potential attendees for joining in a one-of-its-kind virtual Q&A-style panel-discussion held for an hour on the evening of 26 Jul 2020, to commemorate Kargil Vijay Diwas. 

True to the objective behind the creation of LAWGYSTIX, that is, to infuse societal sensitivity in the budding lawyers and aspiring judges of India, while they engage in unique learning through this online platform, the registration-fee of this event was transparently diverted to the National Defence Fund, Govt. of India. 

‘India’s Laws and Defence Forces: Exploring Facets’, was the theme chosen for the discussion amongst members of the stellar panel that comprised of Col Manhar Sharma (Retd), who had actively participated in the 1971 Indo-Pak war & as part of IPKF in Sri Lanka; and his better-half, Dr. Rita Sharma, a PhD in clinical psychology, former Principal of Airforce School (Agra), and presently, Director at The International School (Agra); Capt DK Sharma, VSM (Retd), who is the Ex-PRO & Spokesperson for the Indian Navy, & presently, a Defense & Strategic Analyst with leading web-portals; Flt Lt Sreelatha Pillai (Retd), who, after serving the Airforce, got internationally trained to be a brand-manager & sales negotiation-expert, presently also a soft-skills coach at her firm, ‘Antarah’; Advocate Ashok Chaitanya, who served in IAF for 15 years, and presently represents all the three Forces as Central Government Senior Panel Counsel at the Armed Forces Tribunal (Principal Bench, New Delhi).

The session-moderator, Advocate Apoorva Thakur (a lawyer and educator, Concept-Head of LAWGYSTIX), began with a ‘rapid fire’ where each panellist was asked to state one word about the unique privilege as well as the peculiar challenge faced by those in the Forces. Words like ‘opportunity’, ‘adventure’, ‘esteem’, etc. came in as answers to describe the privilege; while words like ‘unsheltered’, ‘discipline’, ‘uncertainty’ were mentioned to indicate the challenges! 

As the session progressed, Advocate Ashok Chaitanya, when asked about the different application of laws (exceptions, expectations, and exemptions) to members of the Defence Forces, enlightened the attendees about the privileges enjoyed by them under landmark legislations like the Representation of People Act, Indian Tolls Act, Indian Soldiers’ Litigation Act; while he also mentioned the suppression of few of the usual Fundamental Rights under our Constitution available to other civilian citizens of this nation.  

Further, Dr. Rita Sharma, being a reputed educator, clinical psychologist, and Army Wife herself, beautifully answered the question on mental health-aspect of being in the Forces during peacetime versus wartime – including the psychological makeup of the serving officer as well as his family members. She used a simple anecdotal-narrative style to stress upon the importance of mental fitness & self-motivation to enter and continue in the Forces, presence of supportive loved ones who abide by necessary protocols, and the readiness to pay a price for getting all the respect & entitlements associated with being a ‘fauji’.

Next, Flt Lt Sreelatha Pillai and Col Manhar Sharma expressed their views on the question whether professionals like engineers, doctors, lawyers, etc. should be asked to compulsorily serve in the Forces for any minimum term for getting their license. 

They both agreed on the immense value for time, discipline, and patriotism as essential prerequisites to serve in the Forces. 

Quotable one-liner excerpts were- 

“If one’s heart and soul is not there in serving the country and you are not ready or willing to lay your life for your motherland if duty calls upon you to do so, then you are clearly not sculpted for the Defence Forces!” and “You can take a soldier out of the Forces, but you cannot take the Forces out of that soldier!”. 

As the engaging discussion advanced, Capt DK Sharma and Advocate Chaitanya addressed the significant questions pertaining to the scope of defence laws for juristic study, Armed Forces Tribunal as a forum for legal practice, and work-opportunities in the Forces for law-graduates. They enlightened the attendees on military laws being a part of the curriculum in certain law-schools across India, as also the SSB being the entry-point to any law-grad. wanting to serve as JAG. 

The final segment, relating to the positive impact of having served in the Army, Navy, or Airforce, was elaborated upon by all the esteemed speakers, attributing their service-period to their present confidence, calibre, multi-skilled nature, and holistically developed personality. 

This invigorating session, planned and executed within a day by first year law students, witnessing around 40-45 registrant-attendees, and raising a humble collective amount of above INR 10,000 for the National Defence Fund, came to a close with beaming panellists energetically shouting out, “Vande Mataram! Bharat Mata Ki Jai!”, successfully marking our glorious Kargil Vijay Diwas of 2020!

In the world of choosing the pre-drawn paths, there are some individuals who make their own path and excel in it. Life is not only about living in your comfort zone but breaking it and making your own desired world. Every one of us has a dream but how many of us try to fulfil them and hustle to work for them. Barely any, Right? The ones who are remembered in this world and have contributed to the world have followed their dream and worked for it. Today we will introduce you to one such eminent personality who is born with a silver spoon but has made his path through his own hard work and desire.

Mr Shashank Mishra son of Mr Janardhan Mishra and Mrs.Malani Vijaya Kumari who are one of the most renowned BJP politicians in India is an entrepreneur at the age of 20. Shashank was born on the 10th of October 1999, being in such a young age he has achieved many things through his own hard work. He is Studying from IIT with computer science as his mainstream and has completed a diploma in Ethical Hacking from London University.

He is an entrepreneur, a politician; he is into aviation, automotive and lifestyle. He has business into Real Estate, Agriculture and Pharmacy, liquor, and Chemical industries. Shashank is also a profound stock market and real estate investor. He holds a position of as a Vice president of the National BJP Executive team and State Substitute Administration President of BJP Sangathan. Thinking to start a business is a big deal in itself and moving ahead in it is a matter of courage. Life of an entrepreneur is not a cakewalk it is full of challenges and hardships. He beliefs reading helps a person to grow and it opens the door of opportunities.

As business is changing Mr.Shashank has faith that the new companies will raise high in the near future and will help our nation to grow as he is belives in “sabka sath sabka vikaas” as said by our respected Prime Minister Narendra Modi so is too inclined in investing into new startups.

Entrepreneurship is filled with up and downs, one should be able to accept that and move ahead with full motivation to grow and rise. Mr Shashank Mishra has achieved a good position in his business and politics and so stands as a role model for the young generation of our country.

“We need to comprehend that why candidates with criminal background are getting tickets and endure being the first choice of voters” – Nitish Rajput
Nitish Rajput has become one of the well-known personalities in social media because of his perspective on social issues like the current education system of India, Indian politics, and many more. Recently, his video on the education system of India got viral and creates a wave in social media. Nitish was one of the most vehement speakers in the fable TikTok vs YouTube controversy, and for this, he was also requested as a guest in RED FM 93.5, to give his views.
Nowadays his new video about the dark side of Indian politics is going viral. In his video, he has talked about the problems that Indian democracy is facing. According to him, “India is known for its massive democracy in the world. But in India, crime and politics are so much interwoven with each other than the term “Clean Politician” feels like an oxymoron, a breed that exists no more.”

As stated by Nitish, “In India politicians who have been charged with or pronounced guilty for
heinous crime are five times as likely to win any parliamentary election as compared to the clean
ones.”
In his video, he has also told us about the current scenario of Indian politics, as specifies by Nitish, about 43% of members of Parliament have a criminal background. While the number might blow up as many politicians tend to be accused with a relatively minor felony like “unlawful assembly” and “vilification”. But the real worry is that the current demography of Lok Sabha MPs has the highest proportion of those with serious declared criminal cases as compared to their antecedent.
According to Nitish, nowadays the number of young people participating in Indian politics is very less only those who are having political backgrounds are participating in politics. In his video, he has raised various questions on Indian politics and as the citizen of the world’s biggest democratic country, we all know that in India everything is associated with politics, whether it is sports, media, education, or anything. Political interference is present in every sphere of our life, and the corruption in politics is striking the very root of our democratic spirit. This dark side of our country’s politics is excavating our country’s democracy from inside. And as a responsible citizen,
“everyone, including voters and political parties, needs to think why.

In this lockdown, our Indian sportsmen are finding different ways to be on the ground, not physically but virtually. The most convenient way to do this is on your mobile phones and the best game to play is PubG M, to which the entire country is hooked on to right now

Youtuber Ujjwal Gamer as gone by the name is a gaming and technological buff! Through his YouTube channel he connects with his fans and has won every gamers heart and grabbed their attention.

On 26^th July 2020, he streamed live along with the real player “Yuzendra Chahal” in the ultimate challenge, PubG M Global extreme Challenge where these men fought as a team and showed their sportsmanship on the battlefield putting in their best. This collaboration was a visual treat for Cricket and gaming fans as they teamed up to get on the battlefield in India’s Favourite PubG M. 

Yuzvendra streamed live on Ujjwal’s YouTube Channel and the fans didn’t hold, comments poured in like a heavy rain. 

More than a year has passed since Indian Air Force (IAF) carried out Balakot air strikes across the border in Pak occupied Kashmir (PoK) on February 26, the first such strike across the border in nearly 50 years. Air strikes to dismantle terrorist camps in Balakot evoked a keen interest not only among the people but also showcased India’s air power and the capability of IAF. 

Reports in print and electronic media in the country came up with their accounts of the air strike on the basis of whatever was  put out  by the government at that time. Two senior defence journalists Mukesh Kaushik and Sanjay Singh have put together graphic and authentic account of Balakot air strike of February 26, 2019 which were taken up in the wake of Pulwama terror attack by Pak-supported terror outfits on CRPF convoy in which 40 para-military personnel lost their lives. 

The author duo came up with “IAF Strikes @0328 hours’’ which has a foreword penned by Air Marshal (Retd) Hari Kumar Chandrashekharan who successfully carried out the operation as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Western Air Command. Incidentally, he retired on February 28 last year just couple of days after the daring air strike.

The air strikes were carried out deep inside Pakistani territory at Jaish’s terror camp, changing the politico-strategic scenario at that time. Air Marshal’s account of the planning and implementation of the operation not only brings out facets hitherto unwritten but is also attention gripping. 

On the eve of February 25 which happened to be Air Marshal Harikumar’s birthday, the IAF had organized his retirement-cum-birthday party at Akash Officers Mess near India Gate. He recalls that there was a strange wave of nationalism, suspense  and adventure flowing through his body. 

“The mission’s blueprint was set. You can imagine the circumstances of a man responsible for mission of that scale. My sole focus was on our targets that lay hidden in the dead of night,’’ he recalled. Though laughter and hubbub echoes in the mess, he and the Air Chief strolled in the law outside, enjoying the pleasant weather and discussed the final preparations. 

Air Marshal Harikumar was in control of the mission and reported the progress at the control room to the Air Chief who reported to the National Security Advisor who in turn kept the Prime Minister updated. 

If the walls of privacy enveloped him that evening, he knew that he had to display only happiness during the party and as if it was not enough some of his friends showed up with cake at midnight at his residence. Silence from his end would create curiosity, he drove back home, met his friends, cut the cake and went back to the control room. 

Young as well as experienced pilots flew 18 Mirage-2000s, twelve of these were in attack formation and the remaining six were weaponised with MISA missiles. These fighter jets took off from Gwalior in the dead of night and were to be refueled mid-air over Bareilly. Care was taken not to arouse any curiosity at ATC, Delhi. There were some key factors taken up for consideration while deciding upon the time of the air strikes, one of them was to avoid the 0400 hours Salaat-Al-Fajr prayer, second was the lunar cycle as the moon was at a favourable 30 degree angle from the horizon and the third reason was western disturbance. Air Marshal had to inform the Air chief with their pre-decided code word “Bandar’’ (Monkey) only upon success of the mission. 

The author duo spoke to a large number of their defence sector friends to help them draw a clear picture of the events that took place during that time. The 170-page volume has interesting details on why Balakot was chosen, how the Prime Minister monitored the progress and stayed up the whole night, why Mirage-2000s were chosen for the mission and the strategic vision behind air strikes. 

The duo has also added a chapter on India’s quest for an indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) and how Tejas project was conceived and the progress so far which is unrelated to Balakot air strikes. Overall, the book manages to keep the attention of the reader throughout in a simple and unassuming way and comes up with a credible and authentic account of the air strikes of February 26, 2019.