When a former R&AW chief, who also served in the Indian Prime Minister’s Office during Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s term, writes a tell-all book about Kashmir, it definitely merits a read. Amarjit Singh Dulat along with veteran journalist Aditya Sinha does a creditable job of introducing the political problem of Kashmir from pre-militancy till today, including why the Kashmiris are calling the last 10 years as the lost decade. It’s not a hawkish book and it is impressive to see just how much can be achieved by talking to the different actors/stakeholders in Kashmir. For a society that often seeks retaliatory action, this is a great perspective on the power of restraint and relationship building.

Kashmir – The Vajpayee Years by AS Dulat with Aditya Sinha

Harper Collins, 341 pages (hardcover), INR 599.00