The brave story of an Indian frontier forces soldier escorting His Holiness the Dalai Lama is published. Rani Singh’s book on Har Mander Singh, now in his nineties is an expectional reading filled with inspiration and heroism. ‘An Officer and His Holiness’ explores the how the Indian force escorted the Dalai Lama across the border into India back in 1959.
In 1959, His Holiness the Dalai Lama escaped from Tibet into India, where he was granted refuge. Few know about the carefully calibrated operation to escort him safely from the Indian border. An Officer and His Holiness narrates how political officer Har Mander Singh successfully managed this assignment in the North East Frontier Agency (NEFA) with limited resources, and despite a treacherous terrain and external threats, according to the Penguine publisher.
Har Mander Singh, who escorted the Dalai Lama from Indian frontier to Tezpur, Assam safely with limited resources under his command has kept careful diary entries of the period. It has now been reproduced for the first time into a book. Rani Singh, who is the veteran officer’s niece painstakingly documents the journey through extensive research, travel and interviews with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, his youngest brother, Tenzin Choegyal, and Har Mander Singh.
The important operation to escort the Tibetan spiritual leader through the trecherous terrians of Himalayas to safety resounds even today. Whole legacy of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in exile began then. Har Mander Singh was awarded the Padma Shri, India’s fourth highest civilian award, for escorting the Tibetan spiritual leader safely despite limited resources under his command.
Rani Singh’s experience of retracing her uncle’s journey also provides a comprehensive overview of the situation today. Rare pictures and valuable input from experts bring alive this thrilling operation that forever changed relations between India, China and Tibet. The book is a valuable contribution to filling in gaps in the history of the era and a reminder to today’s generation of what statesmanship is all about.