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Victor Longer

He was an Adviser in the Government, closely associated with the armed forces for more than two decades from 1950 to 1971 as a Public Relations Officer, Chief Public Relations Officer, Deputy Director and later Director Public relations. He has had the unique advantage of having personally known all the Chiefs of Army Staff from Gen. K. M. Cariappa to Gen. K. V. Krishna Rao.

He worked with the Neutral Nations Repatriation Commission (Korea) and the United Nations Emergency Force (Egypt and Gaza). The United Nations Organisation asked for his services for their Information Office in the Congo. He was the Chief P.R.O. with HQ IV Corps during the Chinese aggression in 1962 and Deputy Director Public Relations during the India-Pakistan War of 1965.

Selected in 1971 for a higher civil appointment as Director in the Cabinet Secretariat, he worked there for six years and left the government in July 1977. He remained in close touch with the momentous events of 1971 from an advantageous position. He attended courses of training in the United States and the United Kingdom and travelled widely, both within the country and abroad.

He joined services in 1944, after obtaining a Master’s Degree in English Literature with top honours and graduating in Law. During World War II, he served with the Counter Propaganda Directorate of the Government of India.

He has written more than 200 articles on Defence subjects, in various newspapers and periodicals. He was the defence correspondent of the National Herald.

He is the author of various books amongst which, the most well renowned is Red Coats to Olive green.

•The Bravest of the Brave (1972)

Only fifteen officers have been awarded the Param Vir Chakra, India’s highest gallantry award, since it was instituted in 1950, and only four of them are alive today. This is the story of how these men fought in the four encounters India has had with China and Pakistan, and one with Kantangese in the Congo, while on a UN peace keeping assignment. In each instance, their valour, determination and courage saved the day for the Indian forces and helped stall, if not actually inhibit, enemy advances at crucial moments in the fighting.

•Red Coats to Olive Green – A history of the Indian Army 1600-1973. (1974)

It is the first full length, well documented and authentic story of the Indian Army. Commencing from the days of the East India Company when the Indian Sepoys were dressed in Red Coats, the story threads its way through the various political and social changes which formed the warp and weft of the rich fabric of Indian History. The Indian soldier stands out prominently and his brave exploits have been focused sharply. The Indian element of the Indian Army which had received tardy appreciation at the hands of the British is, for the first time, brought into limelight. As the 19th century came to an end, strident voices of Indian nationalism were raised; they asked for the Indianisation of the Army. World War I hastened the pace and World War II brought about the collapse of the British opposition to Indianisation. On the eve of India’s Independence, Jawaharlal Nehru appealed to the nation to look upon the Indian Army as “a real national Army”. The story of free India’s Army – now in Olive Green – is also related to the internal and foreign policies of the country.

•Forefront For Ever – History of the Mahar Regiment. (1981)

The history of the Mahars dates back to ancient days when these robust and redoubtable men roamed around the jungles of Western India (now Maharashtra), free and fearless. The men suffered the vicissitudes of fortune but came into their own in the days of Chhatrapati Shivaji who recognised their martial prowess and employed them appropriately. The British rediscovered their gallantry and loyalty. The Mahar soldiers suffered an eclipse in 1892 when “class regiments” were included in the Army. The recruitment of Mahars was stopped, but they were not brow-beaten. Their leaders fought for their place in the Army. One of those who spearheaded the movement for the re-entry of the Mahars into the army.

•Youth In Step – A history of NCC (1983)

Formation of the National Cadet Corps was perhaps the finest event to happen to the student community of India. With its motto Unity and Discipline, NCC has become instrumental in moulding character and impairing a dynamic outlook at the educational levels. Altering the initial military orientation, the corps has entered new dimensions of social services and adventure training. In its 35 years of existence NCC has carved a special place for itself in the hearts of students by helping them to realise their maximum human growth-potential. This book is the first of its kind to unfold the story of the birth and development of the corps in relation to the national mainstream.

•The Defence and Foreign Policies of India (1988)

It is the study of the intimate connections between the defence and foreign policies of India within the security environment of the country as it has emerged in the last four decades. It describes the growth and origin of these policies and the first decade of peace when diplomacy and developed took precedence over defence. The accent was on non-alliance. The threat was only from Pakistan. Then came trouble in Tibet, the border line dispute with China (1959), the Sino-Soviet rift, Pakistan’s tie up with China, the conflicts of 1962 and 1965 and the nuclear explosion by China (1964). The 1971 India – Pakistan war altered the political map of the sub-continent. The revolt in Iran, followed by the entry of Soviet troops in Afghanistan, upset the strategic balance in West Asia. The flow of American arms to Pakistan, the nuclear programme of Pakistan, the U.S. – China and China- Pakistan military cooperation, and the superpower politics in the Indian Ocean have put India on alert. These are discussed in the book and is backed by considerable research work.