Balidan: Stories of India's Greatest Para Special Forces Operatives
Few possess greater courage, yet remain in oblivion, than the Indian Para Special Forces. To these brave officers, worthy owners of the Balidan badge, is entrusted the safety of the most perilous heights and the annihilation of the darkest underbellies of terrorism. The legacy of these warriors is shrouded in mystery and legend. So secretive are their missions that little is known about them beyond code names like Dagger, Ghost, Viper or Desert Scorpio.
In this remarkable collection of tales of valour beyond measure, Swapnil Pandey lifts the curtain on some of the greatest Special Forces officers and introduces readers to Colonel Santosh Mahadik, Captain Tushar Mahajan, Brigadier Saurabh Singh Shekhawat, Subedar Major Mahendra Singh and others. Based on more than two hundred interviews with the friends and families of these men, conducted over one year and multiple trips to various Special Forces Units near the LoC and the LAC, Balidan seeks to resurrect these men from the shadows for the first time ever.
| ISBN/SKU | 9789356993556 |
| Imprint | Harper Collins |
| Language | English |
| Format | Paperback |
| Pages | 248 |
| Year of Pub. | 2023 |
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Name this unique place famous for its intersection of soldiering and sports.
That one village, one family, one street gave India 14 Olympians, an unrivaled track record even today. Take a look at the haul:
14 Olympians – 15 medals (8 Gold, 1 Silver, 6 Bronze)
10 Asian Games players – 13 medals (4 Gold, 8 Silver, 1 Bronze)
5 Arjuna Awardees
4 Maharaja Ranjit Singh Awardees
2 Padma Shri winners
1 Tenzing Norgay (National Adventure) Award winner.