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Undaunted: Lt. Ummer Fayaz of Kashmir

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9 May 2017. Lt. Ummer Fayaz was brutally murdered by armed militants in Kashmir while he was back home, attending a wedding in the family. The death sent a nation into shock, and immortalised the memory of a young man with conviction beyond his years. In his brief, inspiring life, Ummer joined the army to set an example and galvanise fellow Kashmiris to move beyond the cycle of violence that unrest in the state had forced them into. Deeply researched and told with feeling, Undaunted is the extraordinary story of an extraordinary life. Ummer epitomises ‘Kashmiryat’ in its truest sense and will go down in the history as a hero who chose to serve the nation, against all odds. -General Bipin Rawat. Chief of the Army Staff Bhaavna Arora's deep field research on the life and times of young Lt. Ummer Fayaz, not without its own inherent dangers, reveals just what are the aspirations of most young Kashmiris. -Lt. Gen. Ata Hasnain. Former Military Secretary of the Indian Army A soul-stirring book. -Lt. Gen. Satish Dua. GOC 15 Corps during the Surgical Strikes and execution of Burhan Wani Bhaavna has truthfully conveyed all she witnessed, and in this lies the real value of the book. -Lt. Gen. D.S. Hooda. Northern Army Commander during the Surgical Strikes Ummer is an icon for our warriors and children. Maj. Gen. G.D. Bakshi. Army Historian It’s a must-read for all Indians who care about Kashmir, its future and for those Kashmiris who refuse to be cowed down by terror threats when it comes to serving their country. -Neeraj Kumar. Former Commissioner of Police, Delhi. Man behind the Nirbhaya arrests and conviction This book has the potential to make many Lt. Ummmer Fayazs. -Major D.P. Singh. India’s first blade runner and Kargil war hero This book is a plea for hope. Without stating the obvious, it is a cry for Kashmir, a prayer for young Kashmiris to take a deep look at who their heroes should be. -Major Gaurav Arya. Defence Analyst I am particularly struck by the lengths to which Bhaavna has gone to render an authentic account of Kashmir, its life and the life of armymen posted there. -Major Surendra Poonia. President Awardee, Special Forces Veteran

241 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 7, 2019

60 people are currently reading
385 people want to read

About the author

Bhaavna Arora

7 books80 followers
Dr. Bhavna Arora is a new-generation writer who is an avid learner from life. She is a young enthusiast who has two MBA degrees and a Doctorate from Pittsford University in Leadership to her credit.
A philanthropist at heart, she has been sponsoring an underprivileged boy's education. She also works closely with an institute for special children.
You can visit her at http://www.bhaavna.com
Write to her at writer@bhaavna.com

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
Profile Image for Subrat Saurabh.
Author 5 books34 followers
March 22, 2019
Book Review – Undaunted by Bhaavna Arora
Book – Undaunted
Author – Bhaavna Arora
Page – 232
Format – Paperback
Language – English
Publisher – Westland Books

The Indian armed forces always stood as an epitome of courage, selflessness, patriotism and nation above all philosophy. The book is a real-life story of a 22 years old Lt. Ummer Fayaz of Kashmir who was brutally murdered by militants while he was on leave to attend a family function. He was one among the many from the valley who was full of life, courage and epitome of patriotism who joined the army against all odds. It is a book about a real hero which is written so well that it can inspire millions.

First, I would like to congratulate Bhaavna Arora to pen down such a brave story of a Lt. Ummer Fayaz who chose to join Indian Army despite the challenges. The book quite literally leaves one breathless at many points. The sense of pride will make you smile from ear to ear and also cry silent tears.

This book is easy to read which will take you on a journey where you will get to know about Lt. Ummer Fayaz : about his birth, his schooling, his nature, and sadly about his brutal death and also about various culture of Kashmir like the way they treat their guests, how normal civilians are living their life in valley and of course about the Indian Army.

We need more storytellers like the author who has done a lot of research to come out of this masterpiece which can help us (civilian) to understand the conditions under which these brave men fight for the Safety, honour and Welfare of our freedom.

Over all, this book is easy to read and very well written with all necessary details. I strongly believe that I am not worth enough to rate this book. I just want to say that, ‘Undaunted” is a must read. Highly recommended. It’s a book that will make you proud long after you have read it.

Read this book and know your real hero.
Profile Image for Anil Swarup.
Author 3 books721 followers
August 20, 2019
What a remarkably well written book of a remarkable person. The descriptions are vivid and bring forth before the reader live pictures of what Lt Ummer Fayaz went through amidst the visible conflict in the state of Jammu and Kashmir and invisible conflict in the minds of its denizens. The complexity of the situation that obtains in the state gets outlined without any bias. The approach is to highlight what's going wrong without being judgemental. Kudos to the author for venturing out to tell the world inspiring story of a martyr that could have gone unnoticed . A book is worth reading and worth keeping as well.
39 reviews2 followers
July 21, 2019
Had to complete reading this book, even at the cost of a night's sleep. Hard to put down.
A beautiful representation of the situation in Kashmir! And the ppl who bear the brunt of it.

And hats off to Lr. Ummer Fayaz. It's an honour to be a fellow citizen sir. Wish more like him are born in India!
Profile Image for Rubal Mittal.
144 reviews14 followers
February 21, 2021
To be honest, I wasn't aware about the story of Lt. Ummer Fayaz before picking up this book. And I am glad that I finally do.
Bhaavna Arora has written a book which is not just about this young brave officer about also about the struggles people face at a daily level in the valley. She writes from a neutral perspective about young Kashmiris and what goes on their mind and also from the viewpoint of Army and why do they think their presence is required there. Her book is not biased towards either and allows you to think and understand the complexity of the state.
It's an easy read, well researched, laden with her own memoirs as she meets the family, friends, people who have known her while telling the stories of Ummer from his birth to the journey of NDA, IMA, becoming a Lt. and then the undeserved end.
Profile Image for Sagar Chamoli.
216 reviews15 followers
May 30, 2021
5 stars



Summary

This book is the real life story of 22 year old Kashmiri Lt. Ummer Fayaz who was killed by militants while he was on leave to attend his cousin's wedding. Coming from the valley known for terrorist activities he made it to Armed Forces despite all the odds. The book shows the journey of this hero from his birth, schooling, nature and sadly his death as well.

Conclusion

This is a very well written book and I want to give kudos to Bhavna for all the research she have done in the background. She have also shown the other side of Kashmir like how they are peace lovers as well but are stuck between rock and wall. The book will make you proud, smile and cry silent tears. Overall, HIGHLY RECOMNEDED.
Profile Image for Sachet Kumar.
9 reviews
April 29, 2020
Greatly inspiring story written well.
It took me through the life of an army officer, portrayed the actual conditions in Kashmir, arouse passion and love for our country. Loved the story. Salute to our jawaans. Salute to THE INDIAN ARMY
Profile Image for Nandika  Joon.
12 reviews1 follower
March 16, 2019
THIS BOOK SHOULD BE IN THE CBSE COURSE!
This book has my heart!
It explains the truth about how risky Kashmir is for Indian Armed personnel very clearly.
From how Lt. Ummer's encounter with an army officer encouraged him to join the army and change the system to how he bravely left his house on his last day, this book forces you to fall in love with the brave soul.
It also brings forward the sad truth about how the Kashmiris vehemently dislike the armed forces, and how 'Kashmiriyat' propels them to repel the troops.
Another excellent thing this book brings about is how comfortable the soldiers have become with the lethal conditions of Kashmir. How little they get affected by the stone peltings, the hate, and the bullets.
Excellent is the word for this book. Although, at times, the personal experience of the writer becomes a little irritating, taken that we want to know more about Lt. Ummer Fayaz. Other than that, everything about this book is perfect.

Profile Image for Yash Sharma.
369 reviews17 followers
July 5, 2020
LT. Ummer fayaz : An epitome of kashmiriyat
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Whether a soldier dies in a terrorist encounter in the valley, or gets buried in snow at the Siachen glacier, or is shot down by enemy bullets or blown apart by land mines at the border- they all have one thing in common, and that is an unparalleled love for their country.

- Anonymous



Undaunted, LT. Ummer fayaz of kashmir is thoroughly researched and written in a wonderful way by the author. Throughout this book the author remained neutral which makes the reading more interesting.

For the detailed review you can also visit -
https://dontbignorant.in/lt-ummer-fay...
Profile Image for Mangelethe Sneha Menon.
75 reviews8 followers
March 25, 2019
Martyrdom is a Soldier's shadow, always walking alongside them. We all know this and feel grateful for all our soldiers stationed across the Land, Water & Sea. Lt. Ummer Fayaz's story is quite distinct when compared to all our fallen heroes, this young lad fought against the mindset of an entire region with a smile across his face towards even those who suspected his choices in life. Lt. Ummer Fayaz made a choice that took him against the flow of tide in a State where militants are heralded as heroes whilst the Army personnel evildoers. He could have easily taken up the gun like other kids or become a stone pelter, instead, his upbringing and parents' support helped him to be part of Change.
The tragedy of his story is that his voice was silenced before it could reap results, making his Life choices even more important for us commoners to know.
For a couple of days keep all your biases to the side and read this book to know what is happening in Kashmir, to understand why militants get sympathy but Army is frowned upon, how there are people who are forced to mediocre jobs for survival notwithstanding their qualifications, how militants manipulate all these elements to hire young boys as soldiers with grenades and stones, how Army has to safeguard the citizens from their own vice and all these through the Ummer Fayaz's story paralleling to the author's research and exploration for this story.
The pain of Ummer Fayaz's story is forever etched in my heart, I'll carry it for all my life with a teary smile for a Martyr who had so much planned for a peaceful Kashmir.
492 reviews4 followers
November 12, 2025
When I finished reading Undaunted, I had to sit in silence for a while. It’s not just a book it feels like meeting someone whose presence lingers long after the last page. Lt. Ummer Fayaz’s story is one I thought I already knew, but through this book, I truly met him not as a news headline, but as a young man full of purpose, kindness, and an unshakable belief in doing what’s right.

The author writes with such care and emotion that you can almost see Ummer growing up in Kulgam, dreaming of serving his country, and choosing hope over bitterness. What moved me most was how ordinary moments his laughter, his friendships, his quiet confidence were described with so much warmth that they made his loss feel deeply personal.

There’s a certain dignity in the way this book tells his story. It doesn’t dramatize his death; it honours his life. It reminds us that bravery isn’t always loud sometimes, it’s just the courage to believe that things can be better, even when the world around you is falling apart.

Reading Undaunted left me emotional but alsoproud that someone like Lt. Ummer Fayaz walked among us, and that his story continues to inspire long after he’s gone.
4.5/5
2 reviews
August 20, 2019
True insight into the real situation in Kashmir

Must read for all who would like to know about Kashmir and Indian Army's challenges.
Author has remain unbiased and described the story.
Profile Image for Omkar Inamdar.
56 reviews12 followers
April 9, 2019
Some days back, while scrolling through my facebook feed, I noticed a post about this book. A caption about this was intriguing as it is the real story about the soldier from the hostile area of Kashmir in Indian army. I felt a guilty about not knowing about Lt. Ummer Fayaz who by joining the Indian army was hoping to show the direction to Kashmir youth who were misled.By reading this book about him, I intended to pay the tribute to his bravery and sacrifice.
Author herself being from family of army men,had a desire to make Ummer's story known to the people of nation. She set herself to interview people who were around Lt. Ummer. She had described experiences of Ummer's family, his army friends during his training at NDA-Pune, his army unit where he was posted and his school in Kashmir. She vividly articulated about the life in kashmir during her travel and stay in army residence. She has carefully arranged about Ummer's story and her experience in the kashmir while she was gathering information for the book. She has talked everything about Ummer, from his childhood to his days in the army, his desire to do something good for his people, to be an example for Kashmiri youths and to restore peace in beautiful Kashmir. She has also talked about the view of poeple , army personnel posted and difficult situation in kashmir.
Thank you Bhaavna Arora , this is the closest I can get to know about Lt. Ummer and Kashmir.!
1 review
August 10, 2019
Great book

Good storytelling from the point of view of a native kashmiri as well as from a person from the mainland and tries to remain unbiased by stating facts from interviews of army personnel and native kashmiris.
1 review
August 8, 2019
Good book

It is a good read and I really enjoyed reading this book. Very insightful and helpful in understanding Kashmir's position
5 reviews
May 10, 2019
RIP Lt. Ummer Fayaz

Honoured to have known Lt. Ummer Fayaz through this book. Ummer is all about Respect Courage Honour Patriotism Love .
Ummer will always live in our hearts. Jai Hind..Jai Bharat 🇮🇳🇮🇳
2 reviews12 followers
July 31, 2019
Eye opener

This book gives me the feeling that the author has done extensive research to showcase on ground reality and daily life in Kashmir which is not known to many people from other parts of the country. This is an eye-opener for me in getting acquainted with the kind of difficulties and challenges faced by Kashmiris everyday in their lives. The book also helped me realize my comfortable life is a product of the innumerable sacrifices made by so many people working for Indian army and J&K police. I cannot thank my parents enough for making me a citizen of India which is protected 24*7 by highly dedicated and capable team called Indian Army.
83 reviews1 follower
March 29, 2019
Great Read

Great work by Bhaavana. One gets glimpses of the unrest in Kashmir and how Pakistani backed scoundrels do not allow people seeking normalcy to live in peace. Lt. Summer Fayaz chose to be part of the solution and not the problem. He was a great human being wishing for everyone's welfare. It is heart wrenching to see such a young and capable person full of dreams to die so horribly. He was a martyr for this great Nation and he was a great Son of Ma Bharati. It only goes to show what a rogue hell hole Pakistan is and how it does not allow Kashmiris to live in peace
1 review
July 29, 2019
Every Indian ought to know the story of Ummer Fayaz .

Every Indian ought to know the story of Ummer Fayaz and his supreme sacrifice for the nation and people of Kashmir. Inspiring story of a youngster and a glimpse of disturbing and deteriorating situation in the valley. Very brave of Bhaavna to put her life in danger to ensure that life story of Lt. Ummer Fayaz was conveyed to Indians.
Profile Image for Kavya Verma.
8 reviews9 followers
March 26, 2022
I am glad to have chosen this one. The complicated dynamics between Kashmiris and the Indian Army, the aspirations of a boy growing up around the militants to do something better for himself and his country, at times when picking up stones was becoming the most obvious thing for the youth, the raw account of inconsolably grieving families and friends of personnel who have lived for the country, just like Lt Ummer's, the challenging yet up swinging training that makes the most prodigious, valiant and competent men/women out of boys/girls, all recalled to a civilian. A must-read.
Profile Image for Nitin Mishra.
6 reviews
July 26, 2019
A must read

The best thing about the book is the unbiased approach of writing with author asking the same questions to the locals of Kashmir as well as the Army. You get to read both versions and be the judge.
The epilogue served as a reminder of how happy and relaxed we are at our homes without seriously acknowledging the work our Indian Army is doing at the borders. We need to think about it and think hard.

I would request everyone to read this and spread your word and recommendations as well.

Jai Hind!
Profile Image for Richa Pathak.
15 reviews
July 28, 2019
Absolutely loved it. Every Indian should read this. A harsh reality of Kashmir. My heart goes with the conditions which civilians and army is facing in the velley. I wish for the peace. Kudos to the writer.
26 reviews
July 25, 2019
Book serve the purpose

I have heard in news about Lt. Ummer Fayaz, but it was quick to forget him as it happens will all the news. There was initially anger but then everyone gets busy in their own life. This book made sure that the sacrifice of Lt. Ummer Fayaz remain etched in my memory.
1 review
July 27, 2019
Truly touching

Really appreciate your efforts and patience to keep unbiased views.
It is a true salute to the hero and hope this will inspire Kashmiri youths
7 reviews
October 31, 2020
Where should I start ? This book left me emotionally drained and I would like to thank Bhaavna Arora for bringing alive Lt. Ummer Fayaz for this book has the potential to immortalize him.This book is not just about Lt. Ummer Fayaz for it talks a lot about the sentiments of the people of Kashmir, the travails in the everyday lives of the soldiers of the Indian Army and above all this book has taught me the value of 'freedom' that we in mainstream India seem to have taken for granted. The author, to a good effect, throws light on the lives of ordinary Kashmiris through the eyes of Lt. Ummer Fayaz and this gives the reader an opportunity to introspect and value the idea of 'freedom'.

It is only when your idea of freedom gets disturbed,often frequently, that your mind is swayed. And very few young minds have the mental fortitude to think beyond popular sentiments and beliefs prevalent in the society. It is quite evident that Lt.Ummer Fayaz was one such visionary with stars in his eyes. He wanted to lay down a path for young Kashmiris to follow. Through his life he wanted to convey to fellow Kashmiris that it is possible to bring about a change provided they make the right choice for themselves. In this thought lies the very essence of this book.

The author has brought forth the life of Lt. Ummer interspersed with her own journey to Kashmir to conduct field visits enabling her to connect with the people related to him. It is quite admirable to know the extents to which the author has gone,often putting her own life at risk, to bring to the fore a detailed and an authentic account of the life and times of Lt.Ummer Fayaz.

This effort of the author is reflected in the book as it turns out to be a compelling read. In my opinion this book should be a must read for all the young Kashmiris because it is a plea to them to look deep within themselves and choose who their 'real' heroes should be.

Lt.Ummer Fayaz's story will forever be etched in my heart as I strive to become a better person everyday. As far as Kashmir is concerned the hope is that the Kashmiris, young and old alike, are able to draw strength and courage from the life of Lt.Ummer Fayaz and carry forward his legacy.
Profile Image for Mayuresh.
8 reviews1 follower
July 22, 2019
An inspiring tale

The author conveys in a very gripping narrative the very inspiring story of a boy who despite the odds of his circumstance attains his goal in life to be an Indian Army officer and also of his undeserved tragic end.
1 review
July 21, 2019
This is a book every kid who is 15/16 should read and as someone suggested on a review, should be part of the syllabus. Author goes in details on the NDA setup and how Kashmir is today. Cannot stop thinking of Ummer's family after reading the book :(.
1 review
July 19, 2019
It's been long since I read a book at one stretch. The true stroy of Kashmir and India's martyr is something that every growing kid should learn. Burhan Wani's encounter is still celebrated as martyrdom. But let's ensure that Late Lt. Ummer Fayaz will be a true inspiration for all citizens of India.
3 reviews
July 20, 2019
Keep me glued till I finished

Kind of a book which walks you through the life of a person who stands against all odds and choose a path to help others. Good write up by author..
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