Open Secrets: The Explosive Memoirs of an Indian Intelligence Officer

by Maloy Krishna Dhar, Mainak Dhar (Editor)

The #1 Indian bestseller now available to Kindle readers worldwideWhen it was published in paperback in India in 2005, Open Secrets became an instant sensation. It became the #1 Non-Fiction bestseller, a position it held for many months and generated a firestorm of controversy. There were court cases, death threats against the author, intense debates in the media and a change in India's Official Secrets Act after the issues raised in the book caused uproar in Parliament. All of this is in hindsight not surprising as Open Secrets was the first of its kind- the first time a retired Indian Intelligence Bureau Officer penned his memoirs- detailing his thirty-year career and offering unprecedented insights into some of the pivotal moments of Indian history and a peek into the political machinations that underly them. More than an expose, Open Secrets was a heartfelt plea for more transparency and accountability in India's security and intelligence apparatus- to free them to serve and protect the people of India, and not just their political masters. That debate has special resonance today in the light of the growing popular movement demanding more transparency and less corruption in Indian public life. Open Secrets is regarded as a seminal work for its fearless exposure of the Indian political system and its insightful detailing of the course of modern Indian history's turning points.ABOUT THE AUTHORMaloy Krishna Dhar began life as a journalist and a teacher, but ended up spending more than thirty years as an officer in India’s Intelligence Bureau, retiring as its Joint Director. During his highly decorated career, he handled the sensitive Pakistan and Counter-terror desks, when he got a first-hand exposure to fighting the specter of Islamic terror that many Western readers were to remain blissfully unaware of till the tragic events of 9/11. After his retirement, he went back to his original love, and became a bestselling author and a recognized and highly respected authority on security matters. He passed away in May 2012, and his son, Amazon.com bestselling author Mainak Dhar, is now bringing his work to readers worldwide. Learn more about Maloy’s remarkable life and work at www.maloykrishnadhar.com.

510 pages, Paperback

Published August 30, 2018

About the author

Maloy Krishna Dhar began life as a journalist and a teacher, but ended up spending more than thirty years as an officer in India's Intelligence Bureau, retiring as its Joint Director.

Reviews

[Dheeraj Kaushik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mr K M Dhar has expressed his mind as a serviceman. Gives his perspective about Indian state during his tenure. The most important takeaway from his book is that single mistake in statecraft by the ruling class can lead to huge losses for the masses governed by them. I hope this is read by the governing class and understood carefully.

[Bishal Banerjee · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the rarest book which talks about bureaucracy and it's chemistry with politics. 30 years of politics and it's secret along with the apathy of the political system to not understand the priorities of the nation. Fantastic book .

[Swaraj · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hard to Read sometimes but Worth the Pain

This book can be a drag sometimes - over encumbered with detailed explanations at more than a few junctures. But the other parts and stories are so enjoyable to read that they are counter balanced. From the beginning of a young starry eyed man to an elder experienced officer who "retires" disillusioned by the whole system - it has a satisfactory ending and a poignant epilogue. After the book ended I really felt as if I just lived through another life.
If you are interested in politics and have a desire to get a glimpse of the unseen behind the scenes of Indian Governance and Intelligence Agencies - go for this. (Just have patience through the over detailed parts)

[Abhinav · Rating 1 out of 5]

Super boring!
All stories in the book are very similar to each other and there is nothing 'explosive' mentioned in the book.

The protagonist (the writer himself) is very good at making friends. He uses his new connections to get some information (don't ask 'how' as it is nowhere mentioned). And by using this information he finally saves the day, gets awarded and recognition.

Go for it if you're suffering from insomnia. I'm sure this book will cure the same.
Good Luck!

[Vaishnav]

Good insight into political churnings of the time. The references to terrorism in Punjab are the most enjoyable. But suffers from the problem that most memoirs do i.e. rationalising every action of the author....

[Maganraj Bafna · Rating 1 out of 5]

I started this book after having read the authors other book 'operation xxx' which was really very good. But this book 'open secrets' is a poor and absolutely boring book..

[Rishabh Umrao · Rating 4 out of 5]

Never knew. An eye opener.

[Simranjeet · Rating 1 out of 5]

Finally I declare this book read and closed! It’s does have some very interesting revelations and gives you an insight into the life of an intelligence operative and Sarkari Indian officer, with Mr. Dhar also sharing his learning of various cultures and their customs in great detail. But the book is too detailed, sometimes one feels that it’s a day to day diary. It took me longest to get through this book and I won’t lie I did skip huge chunks after 50% because it is such a detailed description of everything. It is frustrating. I would not recommend it. Find some summary somewhere and be done with it. It’s stupidly lengthy. Hence I have decided to shut this book. Good riddance!!!!