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Kashmir the Vajpayee Years
Srinagar in the winter of 1989 was an eerie ghost town witnessing the beginnings of a war dance. The dam burst the night boys from the separatist JKLF group were freed in exchange for the release of Rubaiya Sayeed, the Union home minister's daughter. As Farooq Abdullah had predicted, the government's caving in emboldened many Kashmiris into thinking that azaadi was possible. It was a long, slow haul to regaining control. From then to now, A.S. Dulat has had a continuous engagement with Kashmir in various capacities. The initiatives launched by the Vajpayee government, in power from 1998 to 2004, were the high point of this constant effort to keep balance in a delicate state. In this extraordinary memoir, Dulat gives a sweeping account of the difficulties, successes and near triumphs in the effort to bring back Kashmir from the brink. He shows the players, the politics, the strategies and the true intent and sheer ruthlessness of the meddlers from across the border. The Vajpayee Years paints an unforgettable portrait of politics in India's most beautiful but troubled state.
455 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 15, 2015
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September 19, 2015
“Aap ne toh badi hamdardi say pechana tha Kashmir ko, lekin yahan ki siyasat ka haal na poochiye, Ek tawaiaf hai tamaashbeenon main”. This dialogue between the author and a Kashmiri Separatist leader struck me the most while reading this book. It means “You demonstrated great empathy in understanding Kashmir, but politics in Kashmir is like a nautch girl in the midst of spectators deriving pleasure from her plight”. Thus is the story of Kashmir, not here, not there. Used and abused by various factions in both countries to fulfil their agenda.
Having read “Kashmir” by M J Akbar a journalist, “Our Moon has blood clots” by Rahul Pandita, a Kashmiri Pandit and “Curfewed Night” by Bashrat Peer a Kashmiri Muslim. I was eagerly waiting to read “Kashmir – The Vajpayee years”. The book is a first-hand account written by AS Daulat, the former special director of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and a former chief of India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) of India in conjunction with the journalist Aditya Sinha . It is a thrilling account of the happenings in the beautiful but torn valley of Kashmir.
Being posted in Kashmir on and off over a period of time he gives us an insiders view of a state that has been continually ravaged by external and internal turmoils. It is interesting to read how India deals with the different players in the game of politics. He discusses the tenure of prime minister “A B Vajpayee” and declares it the most productive time in the history of the Kashmir dialogue between India and Pakistan. He further laments the fact that Dr. Manmohan Singh missed an opportunity of arriving at any resolution with Pakistan, which was a fact also accepted by the former PM himself.
Not only does the author explain the dynamics of the leadership but also reveals the stance of the government and the policy makers in detail, which I found to be very insightful and intriguing.He offers several revelations in the book including the debacle of the Kandahar hijacking and the stance of the then CM Farooq Abdullah in not releasing any militants in an exchange of victims of kidnapping and the consequences thereafter.
Like most books on Kashmir, this one also provides us a one sided view from the head of the intelligence agency. As an ex spy, his opinion does seem a little biased, even though at times he criticizes the Indian government and even the army for the raw handed approach towards Kashmir. While he discusses his meetings and relations with several top Separatists, Political and Militant leaders the author is careful in his disclosures and by his admission there are several significant omissions to maintain propriety. Having said that whatever revelations he has made in the book are controversial and startling to say the least.
He ends the book with four “What If’s” that could have reshaped the destiny of the Kashmir we now know . He also provides his opinion on the stance that the Modi government should take should they wish to bring some resolution to the issue that has plagued the state and even the country for decades.
A thoroughly gripping read that I could not lay down even for a minute.
Having read “Kashmir” by M J Akbar a journalist, “Our Moon has blood clots” by Rahul Pandita, a Kashmiri Pandit and “Curfewed Night” by Bashrat Peer a Kashmiri Muslim. I was eagerly waiting to read “Kashmir – The Vajpayee years”. The book is a first-hand account written by AS Daulat, the former special director of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and a former chief of India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) of India in conjunction with the journalist Aditya Sinha . It is a thrilling account of the happenings in the beautiful but torn valley of Kashmir.
Being posted in Kashmir on and off over a period of time he gives us an insiders view of a state that has been continually ravaged by external and internal turmoils. It is interesting to read how India deals with the different players in the game of politics. He discusses the tenure of prime minister “A B Vajpayee” and declares it the most productive time in the history of the Kashmir dialogue between India and Pakistan. He further laments the fact that Dr. Manmohan Singh missed an opportunity of arriving at any resolution with Pakistan, which was a fact also accepted by the former PM himself.
Not only does the author explain the dynamics of the leadership but also reveals the stance of the government and the policy makers in detail, which I found to be very insightful and intriguing.He offers several revelations in the book including the debacle of the Kandahar hijacking and the stance of the then CM Farooq Abdullah in not releasing any militants in an exchange of victims of kidnapping and the consequences thereafter.
Like most books on Kashmir, this one also provides us a one sided view from the head of the intelligence agency. As an ex spy, his opinion does seem a little biased, even though at times he criticizes the Indian government and even the army for the raw handed approach towards Kashmir. While he discusses his meetings and relations with several top Separatists, Political and Militant leaders the author is careful in his disclosures and by his admission there are several significant omissions to maintain propriety. Having said that whatever revelations he has made in the book are controversial and startling to say the least.
He ends the book with four “What If’s” that could have reshaped the destiny of the Kashmir we now know . He also provides his opinion on the stance that the Modi government should take should they wish to bring some resolution to the issue that has plagued the state and even the country for decades.
A thoroughly gripping read that I could not lay down even for a minute.
July 24, 2015
Loads of take-away lessons from this book. Read it dispassionately and with a critical mind.
March 29, 2022
It was a good book and did shed a lot of light on the history of Kashmir since the 80s so I'll just write some major points.
1987-- rigged election under Rajiv Gandhi government. MUF take separatist actions
1990-- Exodus of pandits( dulat was IB station chief back then and although not a big fan of Jagmohan he went on the record saying that the exodus was not Jagmohan's fault)
* 4 IB officers were killed when the insurgency began all Kashmiri pandits
* Narsimha Rao wanted to bring MUF leaders back inside in the early 90s to begin talks.
1996-- Farooq wins(Rao wanted a separatist leader shabbier shah as cm)
* then comes Vajpayee as pm and talks are very effectively done with MUF leaders. Kargil happens to be a big setback
* Vajpayee wants Omar to be next cm and offers Farooq the vice president job
* Dulat becomes raw chief( meets people like CIA director tenet, Chinese spy chief etc)
* Vajpayee betrays Farooq. Mufti wins, although good at his job he was no Farooq
*Musharraf and Vajpayee begin talks but Advani torpedoes the effort
*2004 Advani on board for talks but NDA loses the election.
*2004-7 Manmohan Singh and Musharraf are very close to making a deal on Kashmir but Mushraff is exiled to London( Manmohan Singh in his last press conference as pm admitted that they almost made the deal)
And here we are in 22 with Kashmir again under the governor's rule. Although I liked the book I didn't like Dulat's attitude towards terrorists he talks about the deputy chief of Hizbul as 'A nice lad' ☹☹ just cause he personally didn't kill anyone. Maybe he takes such an attitude because he is a spook and his job was to talk to people like this. But I consider people like these bloodthirsty terrorists who should be punished severely.
The moral of the story. Both bjp and congress talked with terrorist leaders and both parties failed the Kashmiri people.
Ps-- dulat did meet Yasin malik and practically called him a douche in so many words.
1987-- rigged election under Rajiv Gandhi government. MUF take separatist actions
1990-- Exodus of pandits( dulat was IB station chief back then and although not a big fan of Jagmohan he went on the record saying that the exodus was not Jagmohan's fault)
* 4 IB officers were killed when the insurgency began all Kashmiri pandits
* Narsimha Rao wanted to bring MUF leaders back inside in the early 90s to begin talks.
1996-- Farooq wins(Rao wanted a separatist leader shabbier shah as cm)
* then comes Vajpayee as pm and talks are very effectively done with MUF leaders. Kargil happens to be a big setback
* Vajpayee wants Omar to be next cm and offers Farooq the vice president job
* Dulat becomes raw chief( meets people like CIA director tenet, Chinese spy chief etc)
* Vajpayee betrays Farooq. Mufti wins, although good at his job he was no Farooq
*Musharraf and Vajpayee begin talks but Advani torpedoes the effort
*2004 Advani on board for talks but NDA loses the election.
*2004-7 Manmohan Singh and Musharraf are very close to making a deal on Kashmir but Mushraff is exiled to London( Manmohan Singh in his last press conference as pm admitted that they almost made the deal)
And here we are in 22 with Kashmir again under the governor's rule. Although I liked the book I didn't like Dulat's attitude towards terrorists he talks about the deputy chief of Hizbul as 'A nice lad' ☹☹ just cause he personally didn't kill anyone. Maybe he takes such an attitude because he is a spook and his job was to talk to people like this. But I consider people like these bloodthirsty terrorists who should be punished severely.
The moral of the story. Both bjp and congress talked with terrorist leaders and both parties failed the Kashmiri people.
Ps-- dulat did meet Yasin malik and practically called him a douche in so many words.
January 2, 2020
Most books by intelligence officers are an indulgence in self glorification and assigning blame to misadventures. Not this one.
Refreshingly different, AS Dulat was one of the Intelligence Bureau’s main people in Kashmir and then went on to head R&AW and finally joined the PMO of AB Vajpayee. He takes you through the history of Kashmir through his eyes and his close involvement with various official dealings as well as Track II negotiations later in his life.
The book has been a real eye opener, and synthesises the multi faceted nature of Kashmir’s various interests in a wonderfully simple manner. There are many interesting anecdotes and occurrences which shed light of the many developments of the region, and is a must read for anyone who would like to know Kashmir through one of the prime shakers and movers of the most tumultuous time in its history post circa 1950.
Refreshingly different, AS Dulat was one of the Intelligence Bureau’s main people in Kashmir and then went on to head R&AW and finally joined the PMO of AB Vajpayee. He takes you through the history of Kashmir through his eyes and his close involvement with various official dealings as well as Track II negotiations later in his life.
The book has been a real eye opener, and synthesises the multi faceted nature of Kashmir’s various interests in a wonderfully simple manner. There are many interesting anecdotes and occurrences which shed light of the many developments of the region, and is a must read for anyone who would like to know Kashmir through one of the prime shakers and movers of the most tumultuous time in its history post circa 1950.
January 23, 2020
Got great insight into the Kashmir issue. But the title Vajpayee years makes little sense as he talks majorly of Farooq Abdullah and his nationalism than vajpayee. Good listen in audible.
December 13, 2019
2.5/5 Picked this one up with high expectations because of the publicity this book had received on its release and also because the author is ex-RAW chief and had also been on duty in Kashmir in his career.
On the positive side, Dulat believed in talking to everyone be it separatists, militants, Pakistani military, Pakistani intelligence. Because of this you get to know about a wide spectrum of people and their role in Kashmir. And while I felt Dulat is too much of a left-liberal, he also came across as honest and didnt impose his opinions. For example, he was IB head in Srinagar when the Kashmiri Pandit exodus took place in 1990 and he clearly absolves Jagmohan of orchestrating it. This is unlike the line toed by left-liberal apologists in India.
On the negative side, he was after-all a bureaucrat and this book is full of namesdropping, useless trivia and glorifying the mundane - For example he describes in detail how he stayed behind on a trip in Hong Kong to drive Gyani Zail Singh around. This was really annoying and left me wondering if a "sensible" person like Dulat is so vain, what about the rest of our bureaucracy ! The rating would have been higher if the book would have been tightly edited and better structured.
On the positive side, Dulat believed in talking to everyone be it separatists, militants, Pakistani military, Pakistani intelligence. Because of this you get to know about a wide spectrum of people and their role in Kashmir. And while I felt Dulat is too much of a left-liberal, he also came across as honest and didnt impose his opinions. For example, he was IB head in Srinagar when the Kashmiri Pandit exodus took place in 1990 and he clearly absolves Jagmohan of orchestrating it. This is unlike the line toed by left-liberal apologists in India.
On the negative side, he was after-all a bureaucrat and this book is full of namesdropping, useless trivia and glorifying the mundane - For example he describes in detail how he stayed behind on a trip in Hong Kong to drive Gyani Zail Singh around. This was really annoying and left me wondering if a "sensible" person like Dulat is so vain, what about the rest of our bureaucracy ! The rating would have been higher if the book would have been tightly edited and better structured.
July 5, 2020
Jammu and Kashmir : The Most Troubled State of India
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Agar firdaus bar roo-e zameen ast,
Hameen ast-o hameen ast-o hameen ast.
- Amir Khusaro
(If there is a paradise on earth,
It is this, it is this, it is this.)
Kashmir, the vajpayee years, is an insider account which reveals the various initiatives which were taken by the then, NDA-1 government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee, to resolve the complex issue of Kashmir, and the author's own experiences while dealing with the various stakeholders of Kashmir.
For the detailed review you can also visit - https://dontbignorant.in/kashmir-the-...
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Agar firdaus bar roo-e zameen ast,
Hameen ast-o hameen ast-o hameen ast.
- Amir Khusaro
(If there is a paradise on earth,
It is this, it is this, it is this.)
Kashmir, the vajpayee years, is an insider account which reveals the various initiatives which were taken by the then, NDA-1 government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee, to resolve the complex issue of Kashmir, and the author's own experiences while dealing with the various stakeholders of Kashmir.
For the detailed review you can also visit - https://dontbignorant.in/kashmir-the-...
August 4, 2016
Kashmir:The Vajpayee years, a book by A.S.Dulat who worked in Kashmir during his stints at IB,RAW and PMO. An insider's view of how the separatists and violence in the Valley was handled by Delhi. It makes for an interesting read and shows that the solution to Kashmir issue lies in dialogue and dialogue alone. Dulat reveals lot of high-level secrets in the course of the narrative. Though there are shortcomings in the style (too many names,too much detailing ),the substance more than makes up for it. Must read to know how to bridge the gap between Delhi and Srinagar.
January 22, 2019
3.5 / 5 Stars, True Wonderer
“Shishon ka messiah koi nahin, kyon aas lagaye baithe ho.”
― A.S. Dulat ~Orignally A nazm by Faiz
A.S Dulat has always been an enigma to me, which for a ‘spook’ I dare say is a great thing but he isn’t an enigma because he is so mysterious, he’s an enigma because he isn’t. He always comes across as a completely approachable, happy go lucky and even a little soft and malleable guy. Now, how much of this is an act, just to give the other guy a false sense of security (his whole life has been centered around accumulating information via human and other intelligence) and how much of it is really his personality is where the confusion is.
Kashmir, the heaven under siege, from outside and within, has always been a sensitive point in the subcontinent ever since independence in 1947. Numerous attempts and follies have occurred since then to normalize the situation. But The Vajpayee Years (1998 – 2004) were one of the best attempts by the Indian government to peacefully resolve all issues, yes mistakes and blunders were made even in those, in hindsight we will find blunders in almost everything but the patience and perseverance of Atal Ji and NDA at that time, despite all kinds of provocations plane hijackings, kidnappings, Kargil war, and the attack on the parliament Mr.Vajpayee to the best of his ability preached peace to the end. And A.S Dulat was there for it all, not just as a witness but as a key player himself. To know the situation and possible ways forward from his point of view is priceless.
I read somewhere “Democracy is the end of Revolution” , and for an armed misguided militant revolution this is the best possible way, I believe for Kashmir this was the strategy of IB or RAW to stop militants from taking innocent lives, please form a front and contest elections, BE the voice of the people formally and then talk through the issues with the government in the center. All through the book I saw attempts being made by the IB and RAW and AS Dulat himself personally to turn the militant commanders bullets into ballets, to turn them to sense, to make them reject radicalization and embrace the ideas of democracy. ‘Azaadi’ within the constitution, the constitution of one of the largest and successful( well…debatable but is really is) democracy in the world. From that point of view, AS Dulat writes about the hits and misses in the Kashmiri political scene, the players in it, the best of them, the worse of them. He emphasizes the important of the Abdullah family, specially Farooq Abdullah as an important part of the solution if it is ever to be realized. He writes extensively about the ‘separatist’ commanders and leaders who could have turned the tide by entering politics and could have made an actual difference, like ‘Mirwaiz Umar Farooq’ , ‘Shabir Shah’, etc bringing peace to the valley. Vajpayee wanted peace, considered Kashmiris to be as Indian as him, wanted to end their as well as the rest of the countries pain from this situation, the separatists, politicians, militants if they were ever serious about ending this conflict, lost a golden opportunity with him.
What he doesn’t talk about is “Why?”, why in the goddamn hell are we in this mess, why for the love of god do we still entertain a theocratic, two nation theory type nonsense idea. And the reason is too much has happened, too much blood, anguish and pain has been suffered by the Kashmiri people to just let go of this idea, which to any reasonable person on earth seems ludicrous. Kashmir joining Pakistan was always a fantasy, and after 70 years it is quite clear that they can offer them nothing, that the whole concept of the two nation theory was a bad joke. Then comes ‘Azaadi’ Kashmir making itself as a separate country, firstly ‘Why?’, two nation theory is a bad idea, Ok, so leave that, then.. they have issues with the center, well so does every state in the country, that is why we have a state and a center government, to solve these issue and work for the benefit of the people. The point is to Keep the church and the state separate (why? we can see our neighbor), in our country this difference too is not absolute sometimes, but it is THERE, in the constitution, and it is the best iteration of the idea among-st all in the region.
But enough ranting, this is a good book, AS Dulat keeps a lot of things close to his chest, no operational details are mentioned, hell, no intelligence operations are mentioned at all. The impression he gives is, our job is to just talk to people so that’s what he does and that’s what he suggests talk, talk, talk and if you can’t then talk about talking. He represents the voice of reason in this mess, the dove whose job might seem to be hawkish. To know the region, the nitty-gritty of the politics and reflect on the basic frustration of the Kashmiris to try and fail to achieve the elusive “Peace with Honor” This is a great book, go for it, if you have interest in the region because this is the best way to read about it without malice towards any side, in the pursuit of a common ground.
“Shishon ka messiah koi nahin, kyon aas lagaye baithe ho.”
― A.S. Dulat ~Orignally A nazm by Faiz
A.S Dulat has always been an enigma to me, which for a ‘spook’ I dare say is a great thing but he isn’t an enigma because he is so mysterious, he’s an enigma because he isn’t. He always comes across as a completely approachable, happy go lucky and even a little soft and malleable guy. Now, how much of this is an act, just to give the other guy a false sense of security (his whole life has been centered around accumulating information via human and other intelligence) and how much of it is really his personality is where the confusion is.
Kashmir, the heaven under siege, from outside and within, has always been a sensitive point in the subcontinent ever since independence in 1947. Numerous attempts and follies have occurred since then to normalize the situation. But The Vajpayee Years (1998 – 2004) were one of the best attempts by the Indian government to peacefully resolve all issues, yes mistakes and blunders were made even in those, in hindsight we will find blunders in almost everything but the patience and perseverance of Atal Ji and NDA at that time, despite all kinds of provocations plane hijackings, kidnappings, Kargil war, and the attack on the parliament Mr.Vajpayee to the best of his ability preached peace to the end. And A.S Dulat was there for it all, not just as a witness but as a key player himself. To know the situation and possible ways forward from his point of view is priceless.
I read somewhere “Democracy is the end of Revolution” , and for an armed misguided militant revolution this is the best possible way, I believe for Kashmir this was the strategy of IB or RAW to stop militants from taking innocent lives, please form a front and contest elections, BE the voice of the people formally and then talk through the issues with the government in the center. All through the book I saw attempts being made by the IB and RAW and AS Dulat himself personally to turn the militant commanders bullets into ballets, to turn them to sense, to make them reject radicalization and embrace the ideas of democracy. ‘Azaadi’ within the constitution, the constitution of one of the largest and successful( well…debatable but is really is) democracy in the world. From that point of view, AS Dulat writes about the hits and misses in the Kashmiri political scene, the players in it, the best of them, the worse of them. He emphasizes the important of the Abdullah family, specially Farooq Abdullah as an important part of the solution if it is ever to be realized. He writes extensively about the ‘separatist’ commanders and leaders who could have turned the tide by entering politics and could have made an actual difference, like ‘Mirwaiz Umar Farooq’ , ‘Shabir Shah’, etc bringing peace to the valley. Vajpayee wanted peace, considered Kashmiris to be as Indian as him, wanted to end their as well as the rest of the countries pain from this situation, the separatists, politicians, militants if they were ever serious about ending this conflict, lost a golden opportunity with him.
What he doesn’t talk about is “Why?”, why in the goddamn hell are we in this mess, why for the love of god do we still entertain a theocratic, two nation theory type nonsense idea. And the reason is too much has happened, too much blood, anguish and pain has been suffered by the Kashmiri people to just let go of this idea, which to any reasonable person on earth seems ludicrous. Kashmir joining Pakistan was always a fantasy, and after 70 years it is quite clear that they can offer them nothing, that the whole concept of the two nation theory was a bad joke. Then comes ‘Azaadi’ Kashmir making itself as a separate country, firstly ‘Why?’, two nation theory is a bad idea, Ok, so leave that, then.. they have issues with the center, well so does every state in the country, that is why we have a state and a center government, to solve these issue and work for the benefit of the people. The point is to Keep the church and the state separate (why? we can see our neighbor), in our country this difference too is not absolute sometimes, but it is THERE, in the constitution, and it is the best iteration of the idea among-st all in the region.
But enough ranting, this is a good book, AS Dulat keeps a lot of things close to his chest, no operational details are mentioned, hell, no intelligence operations are mentioned at all. The impression he gives is, our job is to just talk to people so that’s what he does and that’s what he suggests talk, talk, talk and if you can’t then talk about talking. He represents the voice of reason in this mess, the dove whose job might seem to be hawkish. To know the region, the nitty-gritty of the politics and reflect on the basic frustration of the Kashmiris to try and fail to achieve the elusive “Peace with Honor” This is a great book, go for it, if you have interest in the region because this is the best way to read about it without malice towards any side, in the pursuit of a common ground.
November 7, 2017
Interesting book that brings to light the inner working of India's PMO and how the government dealt with Kashmiri separatists and Pakistani intelligence.
May 11, 2020
It's an informative book for someone who is new to the whole concept of Kashmir trouble. If you've just read about Kashmir militant problem and others on the news, this book will take you on a speed ride from the late 80s to 2007ish, about how and what's of Kashmir.
It'll give you enough background on Kashmir and you can then take it up from there on further reading. It's not supposed to be a spy book and it's not at all a book about Vajpayee.
As the title suggests, it's about Kashmir.
It'll give you enough background on Kashmir and you can then take it up from there on further reading. It's not supposed to be a spy book and it's not at all a book about Vajpayee.
As the title suggests, it's about Kashmir.
May 31, 2020
A decent read for anyone interested in the politics of Kashmir. The author's description of Farooq Abdullah is especially very relevant in today's context.
While the author has provided a good perspective to the Kashmir issue, I felt he could have focused more on the thought process behind Vajpayee's Kashmir policy. Also, the level of unnecessary gossip could have been reduced.
All in all, a good book for anyone interested in Kashmir in general. You could read this after reading Basharat Peer's Curfewed Night and Rahul Pandita's Our Moon has Blood Clots.
While the author has provided a good perspective to the Kashmir issue, I felt he could have focused more on the thought process behind Vajpayee's Kashmir policy. Also, the level of unnecessary gossip could have been reduced.
All in all, a good book for anyone interested in Kashmir in general. You could read this after reading Basharat Peer's Curfewed Night and Rahul Pandita's Our Moon has Blood Clots.
December 28, 2018
Anybody who has any interest in Kashmir issue, can give this book a try. It gives a very different, fresh and candid account of situation on the ground. Very helpful in getting a new perspective. Especially when you are sitting comfortably in your home, enamoured with a iron hand policy, to deal with an issue, which is as fluid as water.
December 30, 2020
One of the best read on Kashmir
Mr Dullat has given an honest read for us- highlighting good and bad of Indian Government as well as Kashmiris.
Mr Dullat has given an honest read for us- highlighting good and bad of Indian Government as well as Kashmiris.
June 21, 2021
"The problem with Delhi has been that it sees everything in black and white, whereas Kashmir's favorite colour is grey"
Written by a former Director of the Intelligence Bureau and Special Advisor on Kashmir to Atal Bihari Vajpayee, this book paints a picture of the multifaceted socio-political landscape of Kashmir.
Kashmir has been subjected to so many idealogical lenses and vested interests that it is essential to understand Kashmir for simply what it is.
Mr. Dulat unravels the complex web of militancy and politics as he chronicles his days of advising a PM who is often credited to have come the closest to solving the so called 'Kashmir issue'
Written by a former Director of the Intelligence Bureau and Special Advisor on Kashmir to Atal Bihari Vajpayee, this book paints a picture of the multifaceted socio-political landscape of Kashmir.
Kashmir has been subjected to so many idealogical lenses and vested interests that it is essential to understand Kashmir for simply what it is.
Mr. Dulat unravels the complex web of militancy and politics as he chronicles his days of advising a PM who is often credited to have come the closest to solving the so called 'Kashmir issue'
May 17, 2016
A great book to understand ground level details of Kashmir issue, it's impacts on local lives and various attempts made to find the solution. There are some chapters which you can't stop reading until the end and there are ones which take too much of efforts to read. The subtitle appears to be redundant as book covers many events beyond 'The Vajpayee Years'.
A fantastic read.
A fantastic read.
July 28, 2015
Must read if you want to get details on IB/R&AW working on Kashmir Issue. Hats off to the professionals who bring in so many changes and without getting acks.
November 4, 2017
A must read for anyone who wishes to understand the mileu of issues plaguing Kashmir and how India can help assuage some of them
May 17, 2021
KASHMIR: THE VAJPAYEE YEARS (MY REVIEW ON GOODREADS)
When this book was launched in 2015, I too ordered a copy, partly out of curiosity and partly driven by "tsundoku". I heard panel discussions in various intellectual enclaves with people quoting paragraphs after paragraphs from the book. Many respected bureaucrats also shared their reviews and I had read many of those on Facebook. No doubt "Kashmir: The Vajpayee Years" elicited huge excitement and made quite a news.
Still, strangely enough, I never felt the urge to pick it up and read it. The naive reason: it's title seemed to suggest that it was just going to be a humdrum long narration of political events that happened during the NDA's rule at the dawn of this century. On the other hand, The titles "Our Moon Has Blood Clots" or "Curfewed Night" hold you by the finger and lead the way through the pages. So, it remained shelved and kept picking up dust for years.
The trigger to reading it was an interview of A.S Daulat (who co-authered this book with Aditya Sinha) with the veteran journalist Karan Thapar, which was taken post August 5, 2019. The ex spy's crisp replies and confident prophesies would make anyone think how come this guy who is neither a Kashmiri nor a poltician was so authoritative in his predictions.
The book, as it turned out, is a thrilling account of of India's statecraft in the war-torn valley in the last 25 years. It equals the fictional spy-thrillers in leaving its readers spellbound. It's a first-hand account of A.S Daulat, who served as a special director of IB and later as Chief of R&AW, about how India engaged different political actors of Kashmir from mainstream politicians to separatists to hard-core militants. Contrary to what is visible on the outside, the art of statecraft, as is written in the book, is very subtle where nobody is untouchable. It's never black & white or us vs them, as is the general perception. There are layers within layers.
I would often hear political commentators say that conflict in Kashmir has become an industry and their are many beneficiaries who will always keep the cauldron boiling. This book will tell you who holds the laddle and the lid, and how temperature is kept under control. Just enough to boil, but not spoil the dish.
Daulat expands upon the role of ISI & Pakistan, who never hesitated a bit in fishing in troubled waters. First by fanning insurgency and then sustaining it by providing arms training, ammunition and the money. They not only succeeded in creating assests in Kashmir but focussed on guarding them too . Anybody who's grown disillusioned with them or seen to be parleying with India would be "bumped off".As in one of the conversations, a separtist tells Daulat, "You can at most throw us in jail, they shoot."
Daulat gives an insider's account of India-Pakistan relations during the Atal Vajpayee's tenure and how close the neighbours were in clinching a deal and how different thinghs could have been, if NDA had got a second term. He is of the view that Manmohan Singh failed to capitalize on the process which Vajpayee had set in motion. Manmohan Singh himself went on record and accepted later that they had missed the opportunity to settle the dispute once and for all when Musharaff came up with his four point formula.
Daulat also gives a rare glimpse into the working of secret services, how they call the shots and what ails these organizations. As a veteran spymaster, he also shared his words of wisdom in minimizing the turf wars & maximizing their efficaciouness.
Daulat ends the book with many "What ifs": What if Sheikh Abdullah had not been arrested in 1953? What if Shabir had contested the 1996 Assembly Election? What if Vajpayee had got another term? In hindsight, we can think of many ways how history could have evolved. But we fail to understand that sometimes it not meticulous planning that goes into history's making but a chance, unplanned, random event.
If I were to describe the book in one word, it is: unputdownable.
When this book was launched in 2015, I too ordered a copy, partly out of curiosity and partly driven by "tsundoku". I heard panel discussions in various intellectual enclaves with people quoting paragraphs after paragraphs from the book. Many respected bureaucrats also shared their reviews and I had read many of those on Facebook. No doubt "Kashmir: The Vajpayee Years" elicited huge excitement and made quite a news.
Still, strangely enough, I never felt the urge to pick it up and read it. The naive reason: it's title seemed to suggest that it was just going to be a humdrum long narration of political events that happened during the NDA's rule at the dawn of this century. On the other hand, The titles "Our Moon Has Blood Clots" or "Curfewed Night" hold you by the finger and lead the way through the pages. So, it remained shelved and kept picking up dust for years.
The trigger to reading it was an interview of A.S Daulat (who co-authered this book with Aditya Sinha) with the veteran journalist Karan Thapar, which was taken post August 5, 2019. The ex spy's crisp replies and confident prophesies would make anyone think how come this guy who is neither a Kashmiri nor a poltician was so authoritative in his predictions.
The book, as it turned out, is a thrilling account of of India's statecraft in the war-torn valley in the last 25 years. It equals the fictional spy-thrillers in leaving its readers spellbound. It's a first-hand account of A.S Daulat, who served as a special director of IB and later as Chief of R&AW, about how India engaged different political actors of Kashmir from mainstream politicians to separatists to hard-core militants. Contrary to what is visible on the outside, the art of statecraft, as is written in the book, is very subtle where nobody is untouchable. It's never black & white or us vs them, as is the general perception. There are layers within layers.
I would often hear political commentators say that conflict in Kashmir has become an industry and their are many beneficiaries who will always keep the cauldron boiling. This book will tell you who holds the laddle and the lid, and how temperature is kept under control. Just enough to boil, but not spoil the dish.
Daulat expands upon the role of ISI & Pakistan, who never hesitated a bit in fishing in troubled waters. First by fanning insurgency and then sustaining it by providing arms training, ammunition and the money. They not only succeeded in creating assests in Kashmir but focussed on guarding them too . Anybody who's grown disillusioned with them or seen to be parleying with India would be "bumped off".As in one of the conversations, a separtist tells Daulat, "You can at most throw us in jail, they shoot."
Daulat gives an insider's account of India-Pakistan relations during the Atal Vajpayee's tenure and how close the neighbours were in clinching a deal and how different thinghs could have been, if NDA had got a second term. He is of the view that Manmohan Singh failed to capitalize on the process which Vajpayee had set in motion. Manmohan Singh himself went on record and accepted later that they had missed the opportunity to settle the dispute once and for all when Musharaff came up with his four point formula.
Daulat also gives a rare glimpse into the working of secret services, how they call the shots and what ails these organizations. As a veteran spymaster, he also shared his words of wisdom in minimizing the turf wars & maximizing their efficaciouness.
Daulat ends the book with many "What ifs": What if Sheikh Abdullah had not been arrested in 1953? What if Shabir had contested the 1996 Assembly Election? What if Vajpayee had got another term? In hindsight, we can think of many ways how history could have evolved. But we fail to understand that sometimes it not meticulous planning that goes into history's making but a chance, unplanned, random event.
If I were to describe the book in one word, it is: unputdownable.
December 28, 2017
Seeing the Kashmir problem through a very different lens. For all of us who have seen Kashmir only through the black and white lens of Pak sponsored Jihadists and Indian loyalists, this is an eye opener that there are multiple shades of grey to the Kashmiris, their psyche and their ever changing hypocritical balancing between freedom and allegiance.
This personal account of a dovish ex-R&AW Chief who preferred dialogue over subversion, bribing separatists and militants over using bullets gives a view into the complex and messy world of intelligence, politics, Separatism and militancy in Kashmir. The biggest eye opener has been the blurring of lines between these elements and how ideological grandstanding would fetch anyone nowhere.
The author also gives a detailed account of how the bureaucracy of the Union govt & the PMO react to Kashmir and how they both view each other. Most major events of the 90s and early 2000s have been captured from the point of view of the author. The inner workings of the Vajpayee PMO and the thought process of one of India’s best PM, his ever powerful NSA Brajesh Mishra and Home minister L.K.Advani on the events related to Kashmir are some of the best parts of the book.
What I surely saw lacking was a coherence in explaining these as a part of a strand in history. For all the highlighting of history’s role in Kashmir, the author fails to tie the many knots together to give a coherent picture. Also the accounts of his Track 2 initiatives seem to be without much substance and felt rather like he was making a case for peace initiatives with Pak due to his ideologies rather than on ground facts. Also, his assumption that the Pak deep state is highly rational has not been substantiated with facts.
The single biggest takeaway of this book, “If you don’t talk to the separatists then who else is there to talk to?” That is a very pertinent question in today’s scenario.
This personal account of a dovish ex-R&AW Chief who preferred dialogue over subversion, bribing separatists and militants over using bullets gives a view into the complex and messy world of intelligence, politics, Separatism and militancy in Kashmir. The biggest eye opener has been the blurring of lines between these elements and how ideological grandstanding would fetch anyone nowhere.
The author also gives a detailed account of how the bureaucracy of the Union govt & the PMO react to Kashmir and how they both view each other. Most major events of the 90s and early 2000s have been captured from the point of view of the author. The inner workings of the Vajpayee PMO and the thought process of one of India’s best PM, his ever powerful NSA Brajesh Mishra and Home minister L.K.Advani on the events related to Kashmir are some of the best parts of the book.
What I surely saw lacking was a coherence in explaining these as a part of a strand in history. For all the highlighting of history’s role in Kashmir, the author fails to tie the many knots together to give a coherent picture. Also the accounts of his Track 2 initiatives seem to be without much substance and felt rather like he was making a case for peace initiatives with Pak due to his ideologies rather than on ground facts. Also, his assumption that the Pak deep state is highly rational has not been substantiated with facts.
The single biggest takeaway of this book, “If you don’t talk to the separatists then who else is there to talk to?” That is a very pertinent question in today’s scenario.
August 16, 2019
“Agar firdaus bar roo-e zameen ast,
Hameen ast-o hameen ast-o hameen ast”.
(If there is a paradise on earth, It is this, it is this, it is this)
KASHMIR has always been an integral and a dominant part of most our childhoods. It's mesmerising valleys have enthralled the World, just as much Switzerland has got us swayed to its scenic magnificence. But what has cursed our Indian valley, that the sound of the Bullet has become prominent than the sound of the Santoor?
Amarjeet Singh Dulat is a former IB and RA&W chief, who during his tenure, has absorbed Kashmir and Kashmiriyat. He pens down a detailed insight into the workings of the Department, and his innumerable encounters (read rendezvous) with the who's who of Kashmir, the Hurriyat and of course the Political bigwigs.
His analytical writing is absolutely top-class and I quote him "..the business of intelligence is about sinners, not saints". The IB man has kept the ISI, the Pakistani Mullahs and to a certain extent, the Kashmiri Separatists, in good stead. He recommends India must engage with the Separatists and continues to harp on a dialogue with all those who are 'party' to Kashmir.
You must read this book with a hope that the Kashmir and the Kashmiris get their dignity back. And also with a hope that AS Dulat, one day becomes the Governor of J&K unlike LK Advani - The PM in Waiting!
To, "Insaniyat, Jamhooriyat, Kashmiriyat" 📚
Hameen ast-o hameen ast-o hameen ast”.
(If there is a paradise on earth, It is this, it is this, it is this)
KASHMIR has always been an integral and a dominant part of most our childhoods. It's mesmerising valleys have enthralled the World, just as much Switzerland has got us swayed to its scenic magnificence. But what has cursed our Indian valley, that the sound of the Bullet has become prominent than the sound of the Santoor?
Amarjeet Singh Dulat is a former IB and RA&W chief, who during his tenure, has absorbed Kashmir and Kashmiriyat. He pens down a detailed insight into the workings of the Department, and his innumerable encounters (read rendezvous) with the who's who of Kashmir, the Hurriyat and of course the Political bigwigs.
His analytical writing is absolutely top-class and I quote him "..the business of intelligence is about sinners, not saints". The IB man has kept the ISI, the Pakistani Mullahs and to a certain extent, the Kashmiri Separatists, in good stead. He recommends India must engage with the Separatists and continues to harp on a dialogue with all those who are 'party' to Kashmir.
You must read this book with a hope that the Kashmir and the Kashmiris get their dignity back. And also with a hope that AS Dulat, one day becomes the Governor of J&K unlike LK Advani - The PM in Waiting!
To, "Insaniyat, Jamhooriyat, Kashmiriyat" 📚
December 17, 2025
I picked this up hoping this book would be less a history of policy decisions and more a portrait of temperament. Somewhere along the way, it sadly deviates into neither.
For a former R&AW chief who spent a lot of time in Kashmir talking to the separatists, locals and key policy influencers, Dulat talks a lot about PM Vajpayee’s instinct for restraint. Dialogue, in Dulat’s telling, was not about surrender or territorial compromise, but about managing a conflict that had calcified into permanence. The emphasis was on softening lives, and not redrawing maps.
Dulat’s proximity to power is both the book’s strength and its limitation. The narrative is intimate, often persuasive, sometimes indulgent. But it captures something essential about that period: a belief that ambiguity, backchannels, and patience were not weaknesses, but tools. I wish the focus stayed on this without deep-diving into the back stories of many people mentioned.
For anyone trying to understand Kashmir beyond slogans or binaries, it’s a valuable, if partial, account.
For a former R&AW chief who spent a lot of time in Kashmir talking to the separatists, locals and key policy influencers, Dulat talks a lot about PM Vajpayee’s instinct for restraint. Dialogue, in Dulat’s telling, was not about surrender or territorial compromise, but about managing a conflict that had calcified into permanence. The emphasis was on softening lives, and not redrawing maps.
Dulat’s proximity to power is both the book’s strength and its limitation. The narrative is intimate, often persuasive, sometimes indulgent. But it captures something essential about that period: a belief that ambiguity, backchannels, and patience were not weaknesses, but tools. I wish the focus stayed on this without deep-diving into the back stories of many people mentioned.
For anyone trying to understand Kashmir beyond slogans or binaries, it’s a valuable, if partial, account.
May 16, 2017
Fascinating book. Tries to give a view of the inner workings of the bureaucracy on high-level decisions, which is a topic not frequently addressed in books or articles in India.
Dulat and Sinha manage to keep the reader engaged with simple writing and frankly, amazing stories. The books gives one a peak into the lives of an interlocutor and makes one realise that whatever we see on TV has considerable planning going into it (Dulat recounts an experience, where Manmohan Singh asks Dulat to arrange a meeting with a Kashmiri separatist in a week. The separatist refused. According to Dulat, such meetings need to have considerable thought behind them and can't be arranged on whims).
The book gives a flavour of the patience, diplomacy, and drive required to solve a complicated issue such as Kashmir. Dulat throughout the book stresses - though nothing surprising or scientific - on the important of talking to various stakeholders, a lesson important during today's times. It also sheds a light on important players in Kashmir - Mufti, Abdullah family, etc.
Dulat and Sinha manage to keep the reader engaged with simple writing and frankly, amazing stories. The books gives one a peak into the lives of an interlocutor and makes one realise that whatever we see on TV has considerable planning going into it (Dulat recounts an experience, where Manmohan Singh asks Dulat to arrange a meeting with a Kashmiri separatist in a week. The separatist refused. According to Dulat, such meetings need to have considerable thought behind them and can't be arranged on whims).
The book gives a flavour of the patience, diplomacy, and drive required to solve a complicated issue such as Kashmir. Dulat throughout the book stresses - though nothing surprising or scientific - on the important of talking to various stakeholders, a lesson important during today's times. It also sheds a light on important players in Kashmir - Mufti, Abdullah family, etc.
May 6, 2017
Kashmir : The Vajpayee years, a book by A.S.Dulat.
You can't find someone as better as A.S. Dulat to narrate the post 1990s crisis in Kashmir . During his stints at IB Regional head and then as RAW head, he has every well versed himself with Kashmir.
He believes the solution to Kashmir issue lies in dialogue and dialogue alone. No amount of force can make the place stable it will only make it worse. The book also talks about the working of RAW and IB officials and the relationship between politicians and bureaucrats. How Vajpayeeji initiated the peace process "kashmiriyat insaniyat and jamhuriyat" and how the next Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh completely failed to carry on the initiative, is well explained by him.
Must read book if you want to understand Kashmir both politically and from security point of view.
You can't find someone as better as A.S. Dulat to narrate the post 1990s crisis in Kashmir . During his stints at IB Regional head and then as RAW head, he has every well versed himself with Kashmir.
He believes the solution to Kashmir issue lies in dialogue and dialogue alone. No amount of force can make the place stable it will only make it worse. The book also talks about the working of RAW and IB officials and the relationship between politicians and bureaucrats. How Vajpayeeji initiated the peace process "kashmiriyat insaniyat and jamhuriyat" and how the next Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh completely failed to carry on the initiative, is well explained by him.
Must read book if you want to understand Kashmir both politically and from security point of view.
November 8, 2017
With a career spread over three decades, A.S Dulat who led IB, R&AW is a generous officer who walks you through the innards of how things works between Delhi & Srinagar.It talks about a time when AB Vajpayee exerted considerable political intellect over Kashimir, which is still 'an unsettled business of the Partition' (B.Bhuto).The weaknesses of the Institutions are been pointed out by how brooding on things can derange peace & tranquility in the Valley.
The book lacks objectivity as the author is more interested towards describing the who's who in Sri Nagar & Delhi.A 'loosely-oriented' work by a top cop is still a good read to understand the variegated issues of Kashmir.He lectures; Only Dialogues and an understanding that Kashmir is not a law & order problem, rather a political & emotive issue is the answer to this chakravyuuh.
The book lacks objectivity as the author is more interested towards describing the who's who in Sri Nagar & Delhi.A 'loosely-oriented' work by a top cop is still a good read to understand the variegated issues of Kashmir.He lectures; Only Dialogues and an understanding that Kashmir is not a law & order problem, rather a political & emotive issue is the answer to this chakravyuuh.
October 17, 2018
I enjoyed last time while reading The Spy Chronicles by the same author who happens to be an Ex-R&AW chief Mr A S Dulat. And this time too I enjoyed Kashmir : The Vajpayee Years.
It's a fascinating fact came from the R&AW chief about Kashmir. We as a common peoples merely known the hidden agenda and thinking about the Kashmir issues. But A S Dulat, the author narrated it in a very different way possible.
It is a must read to everyone who is interested in Kashmir issue and it's politics.
Keep reading, keep reviewing :-)
It's a fascinating fact came from the R&AW chief about Kashmir. We as a common peoples merely known the hidden agenda and thinking about the Kashmir issues. But A S Dulat, the author narrated it in a very different way possible.
It is a must read to everyone who is interested in Kashmir issue and it's politics.
Keep reading, keep reviewing :-)
March 17, 2025
This book is a captivating portrayal of India’s Kashmir policy during the term of Late Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee and a concise description of late Mr. Manmohan Singh’s term written by A.S. Dulat, a former chief of RAW (Research and Analysis Wing) and a key player in backchannel diplomacy. However, it may seem a bit misleading too as it greatly focuses on the author's admiration for Mr. Farooq Abdullah. It lacks a deeper political analysis on the issue. However, it still provides a unique insider’s perspective on the political landscape of Kashmir, the strategies of the Indian government, and the role of intelligence in handling one of India’s most complex issues.
May 15, 2017
Extremely well written memoir by someone who was involved with Kashmir affairs for almost 20 years. I had my doubts before I picked up the book as I feared it would parrot down the same narrative that we hear from lot mainstream media. But the author has proved me wrong. The stories, anecdotes, revelations and attention to small details makes it a very engaging read.
Although I must say one has to have a bit of idea about the issues and hisotry surrounding Kashmir and India to better appreciate the book.
Best praise for the author I think is reserved for one of the separatist leader who said to him (as mentioned in the book) “Aap ne toh badi hamdardi say pechana tha Kashmir ko, lekin yahan ki siyasat ka haal na poochiye, Ek tawaiaf hai tamaashbeenon main”.
Although I must say one has to have a bit of idea about the issues and hisotry surrounding Kashmir and India to better appreciate the book.
Best praise for the author I think is reserved for one of the separatist leader who said to him (as mentioned in the book) “Aap ne toh badi hamdardi say pechana tha Kashmir ko, lekin yahan ki siyasat ka haal na poochiye, Ek tawaiaf hai tamaashbeenon main”.
May 26, 2019
I'm little skeptical with the title of the book because this is not just only about the Kashmir during Vajpayee years but a brief account of the history of Kashmir from the eyes of Dulat sir. If anyone wants to understand what exactly is the Kashmir issue, this is the book! The stories are quite interesting, not thriller stories that you would expect from an ex-RAW chief but more of diplomatic types. Overall informative and a good read.
March 23, 2019
The book is about Kashmir, about the various players in the process about events about everything but what it's title says. There is precisely little about Vajpayee years and a lot more about before and after that. Early 90s seem to be the main focus point.
Still, it's good read for anyone wishing to know in depth about the events of Kashmir and how it unraveled
Still, it's good read for anyone wishing to know in depth about the events of Kashmir and how it unraveled
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