The journey from manuscript to the shelves is long and arduous. It requires the combined effort of many people. I am grateful to Bloomsbury and Prerna Vohra for converting a dream into a book.
To Anish Chandy, for representing the book to the publishers.
I am extremely grateful to my mother, Bharati Choudhury, who introduced me to the wonderful world of reading and inspired me to express myself in words. She was the one who set me on the path to become an author.
Writing a book on the military is challenging, and I am indebted to my husband, Ajoy Podder, for filling the gaps in information. He was also my beta reader who never minced words while criticizing my errors.
Work on a book, however, doesn’t end after it is written. Editing, cover design, marketing and many other factors come into play before it hits the shelves. A big round of thanks goes to the Tara Khandelwal for going through the text and helping me iron out the creases. I am grateful to Gavin Morris for the excellent cover design.
I am grateful to all my readers for their faith in me. I couldn’t have continued the writing journey without your love and support.