Untold Stories of Men in Uniform: Exhilarating Stories of Adventure, Hope and Humour

About the Author

Amit Kumar Goswami is a quiet person who likes to steer clear of controversies and arguments. He is a sensitive observer and his pen does the storytelling about what he observes while never being judgmental. His infective emotional intensity makes the reader involved enough to mentally participate in the story. Perhaps he carries the genes of literature in his blood.

Born in 1947 in a middle-class family of educationists, he grew up in an academic environment. His father was a scholar and a writer who taught Bengali literature in an eminent university as the Head of Department. His maternal grandfather and maternal uncle were also renowned professors and authors. He did his master's degree in English literature. But some other things he had in his genes that he did not inherit. These traits were his spirit of adventure and undying wanderlust. These prompted him to join the Indian Air Force as a commissioned officer in 1970. In the IAF, he did his duties well, but he never allowed the sensitivity of mind to die off in the rough and tough military environment. 

The frequent postings all over India allowed him to know people of different states as they were right in their homes. He realized that the joys and sorrows of all are the same despite their cultural and language differences. In the secular environment of the Armed Forces, he participated in Durga Puja, Gurupurav, Christmas and Eid with equal fervour, endearing himself to all. On the other hand, his sensitive heart absorbed all the pain and fears while looking after his friend's young family when the friend never returned home after an air crash. In another occasion, he had to do a so-called puja and pose as a Guru to convince a young mother when no one could take away her dead child's body from her lap. 

He is a die-hard learner who learned the varied subject and excelled wherever his colourful career took him. He was deeply into the indigenization of imported and highly expensive airborne spares and other military wares during the last leg of service. After retirement, he manufactured bulletproof jackets, sold life insurance and mutual funds, gave consultancy on establishing and running a tourist resort, advised on health through the practice of Reiki, Molecular Ayurveda and much more. All these immensely enriched his experience.

He communicates well and makes friends easily. He can set the frequency with old and young with equal ease. Perhaps that is why he avoids mentioning his rank of Wing Commander, to appear as close to the next-door neighbour as possible.

Now right at the ripe old age of 73, he drives around different places of the Himalayas to communicate with nature and God. He also likes to share his rich experience through his writings. "UNTOLD STORIES OF MEN IN UNIFORM: Exhilarating Stories of Adventure, Hope and Humour" is the second book he has recently published and many more will follow.

UNTOLD STORIES OF MEN IN UNIFORM: Exhilarating Stories of Adventure, Hope and Humour

People in the military services usually live secluded in a world of their own, within the

confines of closely guarded cantonments. The day-to-day life of a man in uniform often remains shrouded in mystery for the civilians. In his second book, the author has attempted to offer a peep into the day-to-day working life of men in uniform and out of it in retired life; after all, once a soldier remains a soldier forever. The day-to-day work of a man in uniform is the common theme that runs like a binding thread through the book. Thereafter the author makes the reader accompany the personnel of the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force in different missions, through ten different stories with a free-flowing, spontaneous narrative. 

Typically, the episodes start in a seemingly calm environment with a laid-back description of normal activities like two old friends going for a joy ride in a private plane or an Army officer ambling through a sleepy village in Kashmir on patrolling duty or a trainee pilot climbing into a supersonic jet fighter to get trained in mock aerial combat. But slowly, tension builds up almost unnoticed. Gradually the heart starts pounding with a refrain, "will he (or they) be able to make it?" The question echoes continuously in the reader's mind as he turns the pages and the anxiety holds the reader firmly at the edge. But when the tension suddenly reaches a critical stage, it sweeps the reader off his feet, like a deluge, to the climax where it culminates in a crescendo, and at the end the reader is softly brought down to the normal level again. 

The stories always conclude with a positive feeling, somewhat like returning home at the end of the day with the satisfaction of having a job done well. There is a life-like quality of the stories since these are all based on real-life incidents. But these are not mere chronicles or statements of facts. The facts get intricately interwoven into a tapestry by the author's deep empathy and vivid imagination. The author manages to enter into the protagonists' minds and then skilfully brings out their internal conflict going on in their minds to choose between the urge to survive in the face of danger and the call of duty to put their life at stake to complete their mission. This play of light and shade in the human psyche endearingly portrays the protagonists like people made of real flesh and blood. Resultantly the stories come alive in three dimensions. Like anywhere else, life in the military to is not devoid of lighter moments. 

The author never fails to identify hilarious elements in life in cantonments. His strong sense of humour effectively projects the funny side of a tough-looking man in uniform

to provide occasional comic relief. Presented here is a mixed bag of adrenaline-pumping excitement and situational comedies - making the anthology very enjoyable reading.

You can easily order his books from Amazon and they are also available at Amazon Kindle. One should definitely read these ten stories; they are spine chilling suspense blended with pure humour at times!