THE ASIATIC SOCIETY OF MUMBAI
The Literary Club of the Asiatic Society of Mumbai
invites you to a Book Discussion Programme on the book
"Camouflaged: Forgotten Stories from Battlefields" by Probal DasGupta
at 5.00 p.m. on Thursday 1st August 2024 in the Durbar Hall
 

The Literary Club of the Asiatic Society of Mumbai takes pleasure in inviting you to a book discussion programme on "Camouflaged: Forgotten Stories from Battlefields" by Probal DasGupta on Thursday 1st August 2024, at 5.00 p.m. in the Durbar Hall of the Society. 

“Camouflaged” comprises 10 untold or unpublished stories from war that are plotted alongside the arc of India’s journey in the last 100 years. Little known and forgotten over the years, these tales reflect the mood and circumstances of the various eras they straddle. 

The stories are based on some incredible experiences of Indian soldiers in various wars and battles over a hundred years. They reveal the unpredictable elements of human drama, loss, imprisonment, comebacks, joys, incredulity and other emotions that surround conflicts and battlefields.

The book begins with the story of a young Indian student in England, who plays cricket with the writer Arthur Conan Doyle and goes on to become India’s first ever fighter pilot. He is injured but escapes the war that would revisit him sixty years later. In another story, an Indian prisoner escapes a torpedoed ship in the Second World War.  Will he survive the raging ocean?  

Surprising, revealing and intriguing - these are real stories of our nation. Tales that were forgotten and camouflaged.

The program will begin with an introduction to the book by Commodore Srikant Kesnur, historian. It will be followed by a discussion on the book involving the author Probal DasGupta and former journalist, TV anchor and music artist Eishita Chaturvedi.  Finally, the author will narrate a few stories.  This will be followed by a Q&A Session.

Probal DasGupta is the author of the books ‘Camouflaged’ and ‘Watershed 1967 - the latter is an authoritative book on India’s victory over China. He served with the Indian Army for a decade, with tenures on the India-Pakistan line of control, Kashmir, Bhutan and Northeast India. He has a master’s degree from Columbia University in New York (USA) and was a Braun-Myers Fellow, Tata Scholar and RD Sethna Scholar.

In his corporate career, Probal headed global consulting firms, and now runs a boutique consulting firm - Birdstone Advisors. He writes a column for FirstPost and also articles for Deccan Chronicle and Times of India.

We look forward to your participation in this discussion.

Tea will be served at 4.30 p.m.

- Prof. Mangala Sirdeshpande, Hon. Secretary, Asiatic Society of Mumbai
- Meenal Kshirsagar, Vice President of the Society & Chairperson - ASM LitClub