USI organised book launch and book discussion on “Tibet: When the Gods Spoke: India-Tibet Relations (1947-1962) Part -III by Shri Claude Arpi on 18 April 2019. The book was released by the Chief of Army Staff, Gen Bipin Rawat, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, YSM, SM, VSM. Shri Claude Arpi is holding Field Marshal KM Cariappa Chair at the USI. The other two books published earlier on the subject are titled, “The Last Months of a Free Nation (Part-I)” and, “Will Tibet Find Her Soul Again (Part-II)”. The next volume (Part-IV) will focus on post 1962 period.
USI also organised a very vibrant discussion on the book. Lt Gen P K Singh, PVSM, AVSM (Retd), Director, USI made the welcome remarks and moderated the session. Later, Shri Claude Arpi highlighted the issues discussed in the book. It was followed by expert remarks by Shri Prabahat Shukla, IFS (Retd) and Maj Gen PJS Sandhu (Retd). This was followed by a very interesting discussion in which some veterans who had operated in Tibet participated. Vote of Thanks was given by Brig PK Vij (Retd).
The three volumes contain a treasure of knowledge which the author has painstakingly extracted from the national archives maintained by the Nehru Memorial Museum Library (NMML) as also from other sources. These books are of great referral value and offer readers rare insights about China’s annexation of Tibet and opportunities missed by India.