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Kashmir Insurgency - Deconstructing the State Response Revisiting 1989-90
The book focuses on the turbulent period of 1989-90 in Kashmir. However, to grasp the underlying reasons that caused the mayhem, the study traces the history from 1947 onwards, examining the involvement of India's adversarial neighbour and New Delhi's political missteps in Kashmir. The book captures the ground situation in the Valley during 1989-90 from the administrative and security perspectives. The author deliberately limited the study to 1991, believing that the insurgency in the Valley was still in its early stages and controllable. After that, the conflict escalated into asymmetric warfare, necessitating a different analytical approach.
About the Yoginder Kandhari, born in Srinagar, Kashmir, is a veteran of the Indian Army who served during peak insurgency periods in Assam, Punjab, and Kashmir, where he led many challenging operations against insurgents to attain notable successes. After his retirement, he contributes articles on Kashmir's insurgency and strategic topics to various newspapers and defence publications. His articles on the Kashmir insurgency are extensively cited in research papers.
Yoginder's experiences during his counter-insurgency assignment in the Valley from 1993 to 1997 compelled him to examine the events that triggered the armed uprising in the region in 1989-90, resulting in a prolonged conflict for India with no apparent end. Amid widespread violence, this period also witnessed the permanent departure of an entire community of people from the Valley. The author often wondered how such a disaster could unfold in the twentieth-century world order. While acknowledging the influence of Islamist Jihad and Pakistan's direct involvement in the violence, he felt it crucial to analyse the Indian State's response to the deteriorating security situation in the Valley during 1989-91.
About the Yoginder Kandhari, born in Srinagar, Kashmir, is a veteran of the Indian Army who served during peak insurgency periods in Assam, Punjab, and Kashmir, where he led many challenging operations against insurgents to attain notable successes. After his retirement, he contributes articles on Kashmir's insurgency and strategic topics to various newspapers and defence publications. His articles on the Kashmir insurgency are extensively cited in research papers.
Yoginder's experiences during his counter-insurgency assignment in the Valley from 1993 to 1997 compelled him to examine the events that triggered the armed uprising in the region in 1989-90, resulting in a prolonged conflict for India with no apparent end. Amid widespread violence, this period also witnessed the permanent departure of an entire community of people from the Valley. The author often wondered how such a disaster could unfold in the twentieth-century world order. While acknowledging the influence of Islamist Jihad and Pakistan's direct involvement in the violence, he felt it crucial to analyse the Indian State's response to the deteriorating security situation in the Valley during 1989-91.
310 pages, Hardcover
Published April 22, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
May 27, 2025
📖 Book Review 📖
I picked up the book Kashmir Insurgency – Deconstructing the State Response by Yoginder Kandhari. You won't believe, it really shook me. The book focuses on the 1989-90 insurgency period in Kashmir but starts from 1947 to explain how things built up. What I liked most is how the author doesn’t just blame Pakistan or jihad, but also questions the Indian State’s silence and failure.
As someone with a deep interest in Kashmir, I felt the author’s personal connection added raw honesty to the story. His memories of being a soldier in Kashmir and seeing it all unfold made the book even more powerful.
My favourite part was the chapter on “Subverted State Administration.” It shows how deeply the system had been taken over—firefighters watching bridges burn on “orders from above” or factory owners paying protection money to militants. That chilled me.
I was surprised to read about how radicalisation started quietly—even in hostels and classrooms—years before the violence peaked. The book made me realise that what happened to Kashmiri Pandits wasn’t sudden; it was ignored for too long.
This book left me angry, sad, and questioning a lot. I’d recommend it to anyone who really wants to understand what went wrong in Kashmir—and why.
Rating: 4/5
Happy Reading 📚
I picked up the book Kashmir Insurgency – Deconstructing the State Response by Yoginder Kandhari. You won't believe, it really shook me. The book focuses on the 1989-90 insurgency period in Kashmir but starts from 1947 to explain how things built up. What I liked most is how the author doesn’t just blame Pakistan or jihad, but also questions the Indian State’s silence and failure.
As someone with a deep interest in Kashmir, I felt the author’s personal connection added raw honesty to the story. His memories of being a soldier in Kashmir and seeing it all unfold made the book even more powerful.
My favourite part was the chapter on “Subverted State Administration.” It shows how deeply the system had been taken over—firefighters watching bridges burn on “orders from above” or factory owners paying protection money to militants. That chilled me.
I was surprised to read about how radicalisation started quietly—even in hostels and classrooms—years before the violence peaked. The book made me realise that what happened to Kashmiri Pandits wasn’t sudden; it was ignored for too long.
This book left me angry, sad, and questioning a lot. I’d recommend it to anyone who really wants to understand what went wrong in Kashmir—and why.
Rating: 4/5
Happy Reading 📚
June 10, 2025
Truth Doesn't Whisper. It Bleeds Through These Pages.
Most of us grew up hearing the story of Kashmir like a distant echo — muffled, filtered, often sanitized. But Kashmir Insurgency by Col. (Retd.) Yoginder Kandhari tears down that veil with unapologetic honesty. This isn't just a book — it’s a first-hand report card of a nation’s failure, written by a man who was not only a witness, but a participant.
Kandhari, a son of the soil and a soldier of the state, offers not a glorified tale of war, but a meticulous, chilling, and deeply humane account of what went wrong when Kashmir burned in the late '80s and early '90s. He exposes how propaganda, political blindness, and bureaucratic arrogance turned a manageable crisis into a festering wound.
What makes this book stand out is not just its factual integrity but the moral courage behind it. It's easy to play hero in hindsight — Kandhari doesn’t. Instead, he dissects every layer: the indoctrination of youth, the intelligence lapses, the civil-military disconnect, and the devastating human cost of administrative apathy.
This book doesn't ask for sympathy — it demands accountability. It doesn’t preach patriotism — it practices it, in the most brutal, truth-telling way.
If you think you know Kashmir, read this. If you want to know Kashmir, start here.
Most of us grew up hearing the story of Kashmir like a distant echo — muffled, filtered, often sanitized. But Kashmir Insurgency by Col. (Retd.) Yoginder Kandhari tears down that veil with unapologetic honesty. This isn't just a book — it’s a first-hand report card of a nation’s failure, written by a man who was not only a witness, but a participant.
Kandhari, a son of the soil and a soldier of the state, offers not a glorified tale of war, but a meticulous, chilling, and deeply humane account of what went wrong when Kashmir burned in the late '80s and early '90s. He exposes how propaganda, political blindness, and bureaucratic arrogance turned a manageable crisis into a festering wound.
What makes this book stand out is not just its factual integrity but the moral courage behind it. It's easy to play hero in hindsight — Kandhari doesn’t. Instead, he dissects every layer: the indoctrination of youth, the intelligence lapses, the civil-military disconnect, and the devastating human cost of administrative apathy.
This book doesn't ask for sympathy — it demands accountability. It doesn’t preach patriotism — it practices it, in the most brutal, truth-telling way.
If you think you know Kashmir, read this. If you want to know Kashmir, start here.
June 5, 2025
“Kashmir Insurgency: Deconstructing the State Response, Revisiting 1989–90” by Col. (Retd.) Yoginder Kandhari is a hard-hitting, unsparing exposé of India’s institutional collapse during one of its darkest chapters. The book meticulously dissects the administrative, political, and moral failures that allowed insurgency to fester and ultimately forced the mass exodus of the Kashmiri Pandits. With the precision of a military order, Kandhari outlines ignored intelligence, inactive bureaucrats, and political indifference—painting a grim picture of systemic decay. This is not just a historical analysis; it's a call to action. Kandhari demands a White Paper, legal accountability, and the formation of a Truth and Justice Commission. Refusing to romanticise or soften the facts, he delivers a compelling charge sheet against complacency. This book isn’t meant for passive reading—it’s a directive for every concerned citizen to understand the past and ensure history doesn't repeat itself. A sobering, urgent, and powerful read.
June 9, 2025
"Kashmir Insurgency – Deconstructing the State Response: Revisiting 1989-90" offers a rare, candid glimpse into the complexity of conflict in Kashmir. This excerpt about Brigadier Mahalingam’s approach truly stands out — it’s not just about military might but about building genuine human connections. The story of how even local families came to thank him, and how he insisted on paying for the apples gifted to him, highlights a compassionate leadership often missing in narratives around conflict zones.
It’s a reminder that ‘winning hearts and minds’ isn’t just a slogan; it requires respect, empathy, and deliberate strategy. The passage feels like a subtle but powerful lesson in how sensitive and nuanced such operations should be — something both the Army and political leaders struggled with.
If you want to understand the human dimension behind the insurgency and state response in Kashmir, this book is a must-read. It’s raw, insightful, and deeply reflective."
It’s a reminder that ‘winning hearts and minds’ isn’t just a slogan; it requires respect, empathy, and deliberate strategy. The passage feels like a subtle but powerful lesson in how sensitive and nuanced such operations should be — something both the Army and political leaders struggled with.
If you want to understand the human dimension behind the insurgency and state response in Kashmir, this book is a must-read. It’s raw, insightful, and deeply reflective."
June 11, 2025
Review :
"Kashmir Insurgency" by Yoginder Kandhari is the author's account of the turbulence the state of Kashmir faced during the period 1989-90.
As the author himself is a Kashmiri and an army officer, the book is his firsthand experience with emotional touches. What I most like about the book is how the author goes on deep research and gives us a picture of the political overview of Jammu and Kashmir from 1947 and how from then on each decision about the state put an impact on the place and its people.
And the author voices his concerns and puts the picture of the situation without putting blame on any particular place or person, instead trying to show us each side and making us see and understand for ourselves.
If you are a person who has curiosity about Kashmir and the long unrest that's going on there, then you should definitely read the book to get a fresh perspective.
"Kashmir Insurgency" by Yoginder Kandhari is the author's account of the turbulence the state of Kashmir faced during the period 1989-90.
As the author himself is a Kashmiri and an army officer, the book is his firsthand experience with emotional touches. What I most like about the book is how the author goes on deep research and gives us a picture of the political overview of Jammu and Kashmir from 1947 and how from then on each decision about the state put an impact on the place and its people.
And the author voices his concerns and puts the picture of the situation without putting blame on any particular place or person, instead trying to show us each side and making us see and understand for ourselves.
If you are a person who has curiosity about Kashmir and the long unrest that's going on there, then you should definitely read the book to get a fresh perspective.
June 6, 2025
Kashmir Insurgency by Yoginder Kandhari is a deeply analytical and emotionally resonant study of the insurgency’s genesis during 1989–90. Drawing on his own military experience and firsthand exposure, Kandhari offers a rare, insider’s critique of how state machinery faltered just as Kashmir reached its most vulnerable tipping point.
What makes the book stand out is its balance—while it acknowledges Pakistan’s role and rising Islamist extremism, it doesn’t shy away from holding India’s own institutions accountable. The chapters on administrative collapse and early signs of radicalisation are particularly eye-opening.
This isn’t just history—it’s a call for introspection and justice. A necessary read for anyone seeking an unfiltered, courageous look at one of India’s most painful and pivotal chapters.
What makes the book stand out is its balance—while it acknowledges Pakistan’s role and rising Islamist extremism, it doesn’t shy away from holding India’s own institutions accountable. The chapters on administrative collapse and early signs of radicalisation are particularly eye-opening.
This isn’t just history—it’s a call for introspection and justice. A necessary read for anyone seeking an unfiltered, courageous look at one of India’s most painful and pivotal chapters.
June 7, 2025
The version of history or what actually happened during an event that's being fed to us is usually corrupted, most of the time. The media is biased, the government is playing with propaganda, and as a result , we never get the truth we deserve.
This book overcomes that and rips into the manufactured version of history, showing us the stark reality of what happened, as told by someone who actually witnessed and took an active part in it.
The event under consideration is the Kashmir Insurgency and it is told by Col. (Retd.) Yoginder Kandhari. It tells us exactly what happened, the psychology of the people involved, the response given by our armed forces, and the steps taken by the government, without any adulteration.
A well-researched and factually correct book that should be on your reading list.
This book overcomes that and rips into the manufactured version of history, showing us the stark reality of what happened, as told by someone who actually witnessed and took an active part in it.
The event under consideration is the Kashmir Insurgency and it is told by Col. (Retd.) Yoginder Kandhari. It tells us exactly what happened, the psychology of the people involved, the response given by our armed forces, and the steps taken by the government, without any adulteration.
A well-researched and factually correct book that should be on your reading list.
June 10, 2025
After witnessing the current scenario in Kashmir, I wanted to know what happened and everything was so baised and gave an almost similar perspective about t.
Then I stumbled upon this and gave it a read and my god it blew me off!!
A book written by someone who is a Kashmiri himself, served in the armed forces during the peak insurgency time and gives a no nonsense account of what went down in Kashmir.
It lays out from what happened initially in kashmir, to how the people reacted to it, how the government reacted to it and failed to control it by taking strategically wrong counter measures, the exodus and murder of Kashmiri Pandits in their own home and the forthcoming of an ideology that was secretly harbored until then.
Kashmir Insurgency by Col. (Retd.) Yoginder Kandhari is not a just a book but history itself in brutally honest form.
Then I stumbled upon this and gave it a read and my god it blew me off!!
A book written by someone who is a Kashmiri himself, served in the armed forces during the peak insurgency time and gives a no nonsense account of what went down in Kashmir.
It lays out from what happened initially in kashmir, to how the people reacted to it, how the government reacted to it and failed to control it by taking strategically wrong counter measures, the exodus and murder of Kashmiri Pandits in their own home and the forthcoming of an ideology that was secretly harbored until then.
Kashmir Insurgency by Col. (Retd.) Yoginder Kandhari is not a just a book but history itself in brutally honest form.
Read
June 10, 2025The version of history or what actually happened during an event that's being fed to us is usually corrupted, most of the time. The media is biased, the government is playing with propaganda, and as a result , we never get the truth we deserve.
This book overcomes that and rips into the manufactured version of history, showing us the stark reality of what happened, as told by someone who actually witnessed and took an active part in it.
The event under consideration is the Kashmir Insurgency and it is told by Col. (Retd.) Yoginder Kandhari. It tells us exactly what happened, the psychology of the people involved, the response given by our armed forces, and the steps taken by the government, without any adulteration.
A well-researched and factually correct book that should be on your reading list.
This book overcomes that and rips into the manufactured version of history, showing us the stark reality of what happened, as told by someone who actually witnessed and took an active part in it.
The event under consideration is the Kashmir Insurgency and it is told by Col. (Retd.) Yoginder Kandhari. It tells us exactly what happened, the psychology of the people involved, the response given by our armed forces, and the steps taken by the government, without any adulteration.
A well-researched and factually correct book that should be on your reading list.
June 11, 2025
"Kashmir Insurgency" by Yoginder Khandhari is an insightful, informative, and valuable read. As the book presents the perspective of a Kashmiri and also a former army officer on the barbaric unrest that happened during 1989-90.
To give us a full picture and understand it deeply, the author shares the political intricacies that happened in 1947 and all the after incidents that happened, which finally resulted in that. The book is going to make you think harder about the situations and will make you question who is at fault.
Because of the firsthand experience the author presents here, the book is going to touch your heart too. And not just about his recounts of incidents, the history that the author presents here is also a well-researched and unbiased side of the story.
To give us a full picture and understand it deeply, the author shares the political intricacies that happened in 1947 and all the after incidents that happened, which finally resulted in that. The book is going to make you think harder about the situations and will make you question who is at fault.
Because of the firsthand experience the author presents here, the book is going to touch your heart too. And not just about his recounts of incidents, the history that the author presents here is also a well-researched and unbiased side of the story.
June 11, 2025
I read the book Kashmir Insurgency – Deconstructing the State Response and found it very serious and full of real events. It tells how big problems started in Kashmir a long time ago and how people were forced to leave their homes. The author explains things that happened in 1989-90 and also tells what went wrong before that. I was surprised to know that not only outsiders but our own people also made mistakes.
The author was a soldier and lived in Kashmir during that time, so he saw everything with his own eyes. That’s why the book feels very real and honest. It helped me understand how everything started slowly and became worse because nobody stopped it early. I think everyone who wants to learn about Kashmir should read this book.
The author was a soldier and lived in Kashmir during that time, so he saw everything with his own eyes. That’s why the book feels very real and honest. It helped me understand how everything started slowly and became worse because nobody stopped it early. I think everyone who wants to learn about Kashmir should read this book.
June 11, 2025
This book is about what happened in Kashmir many years ago, especially in 1989 and 1990. It explains how people became scared, how violence grew, and how families had to run away from their homes. The author writes about the government, army, and the people who lived there. He doesn’t try to hide anything. He just tells what he saw and felt when he was a soldier in Kashmir.
I liked how clearly the book tells the truth. It is not a storybook but it feels like something very important we must know. I never read anything like this before. I now understand that what happened in Kashmir was very sad and should not be forgotten. This book made me feel bad for the people who suffered, and I hope such things don’t happen again.
I liked how clearly the book tells the truth. It is not a storybook but it feels like something very important we must know. I never read anything like this before. I now understand that what happened in Kashmir was very sad and should not be forgotten. This book made me feel bad for the people who suffered, and I hope such things don’t happen again.
June 7, 2025
Kashmir Insurgency by Col. (Retd.) Yoginder Kandhari so accurately and humanely captures the horrific account of what happened in the Kashmir Insurgency during 1989-90 and how we failed to prevent it. Every page hits like artillery, blasting away the myths surrounding the event and providing us with a fresh perspective that can be applied to even the current situation in Kashmir.
People were brainwashed, intel was ignored, bureaucrats mixed with pulling ranks, and a total administrative and strategic failure.
Great respect to the author that he stood up and telling his version of the story without thinking of the repercussions, holding everyone involved accountable.
People were brainwashed, intel was ignored, bureaucrats mixed with pulling ranks, and a total administrative and strategic failure.
Great respect to the author that he stood up and telling his version of the story without thinking of the repercussions, holding everyone involved accountable.
June 8, 2025
Kashmiri insurgency by Col. (Rtd.) Yoginder Kandhari presents a vivid image of Kashmir during the peak insurgency peiod of 1989-1990. It is backed by solid analytical research and fundamental understanding of kashmir and its people.
Read this book if you are a true Indian and want to know what happened in Kashmir, not some filtered out but actual reality by a Kashmiri who grew up there, served in the armed forces there, and is not corrupted, for whom patriotism doesnt mean blindly following the leaders and supporting them, but it means bringing out the truth, hold everyone involved accountable, including the government and the people.
Read this book if you are a true Indian and want to know what happened in Kashmir, not some filtered out but actual reality by a Kashmiri who grew up there, served in the armed forces there, and is not corrupted, for whom patriotism doesnt mean blindly following the leaders and supporting them, but it means bringing out the truth, hold everyone involved accountable, including the government and the people.
June 10, 2025
History often diminishes war and reduce it to mere footnotes or just a lesson, and with that we forget the truth, horrors, and sacrifices that went down.
Col. (Retd.) Yoginder Kandhari does an exceptional job giving us an unfiltered version of what actually happened, which speaks about the reason for the insurgency, how the people were led to be insurgents, the nearsightedness of the government agencies, and how the government's handling of the situation only worsened it. It tells us the story of not just the big names or the big events, but every small detail that mattered.
It is an eye-opener and a must-read for anyone who thinks they know what happened in Kashmir and where it's headed.
Col. (Retd.) Yoginder Kandhari does an exceptional job giving us an unfiltered version of what actually happened, which speaks about the reason for the insurgency, how the people were led to be insurgents, the nearsightedness of the government agencies, and how the government's handling of the situation only worsened it. It tells us the story of not just the big names or the big events, but every small detail that mattered.
It is an eye-opener and a must-read for anyone who thinks they know what happened in Kashmir and where it's headed.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews