Dehradun, Sept. 20 -- Book Review

A General's Odyssey by Army Commander Lt Gen Vijay Kumar Ahluwalia (Retd) is far more relatable to the young women and men of India than the heroic journey of Homer, the King of Ithaca, from whose story this book draws a portion of its title. The sub-heading, 'Giving Up Is Not an Option', tells the reader that behind every success is a story of hard work, grit, determination and sheer persistence.

This synoptic review of Vijay's life is a first-person account of his own Odyssey - his refusal to take 'No' for an answer after a debilitating injury during his IMA cadetship. On the unusually cold morning of 15 February 1971, he crashed onto an unyielding concrete wall of the obstacle course, and his patella...