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General S. Padmanabhan, PVSM, AVSM, VSM, was the Chief of the Army Staff from September 30, 2001 to December 31, 2002. During his tenure as the Army Chief, the Armed Forces of the country mobilized for Operation Parakram and remained deployed for about 10 months. This operation was the clearest signal sent so far to our neighbour that they must stop aiding and abetting cross-border terrorism. General Padmanabhan had a highly successful career during which he distinguished himself in fighting militancy in the Punjab, North-eastern states and Jammu and Kashmir where he commanded 15 Cops at Srinagar during the critical years 1993-95. He held many staff appointments including that of Director General of Military Intelligence, and was an instructor in the Indian Military Academy and School of Artillery. He headed both Northern and Southern Commands before taking over as Chief of the Army Staff. He was born in Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) on 5th December, 1940. He grew up in Chennai, Nagpur and Burla (Orissa). He joined the Rashtriya Indian Military College (RIMC), Dehradum in January 1952 and after eight years of academic and military training, he was commissioned into the Regiment of Artillery on 13th December 1959. Paddy as the General is known, has been acknowledged as a keenly analytical person and makes pragmatic assessment. This book is the author's first offering to the reading public. He has settled in Chennai.