Covert : The Psychology of War and Peace
ISBN
Publisher
Imprint
Year Published
Print Length
Format
SKU
9789356999428
Harper Collins
N/A
2024
284 Pages
Hardbound
2433
Original price was: ₨6,895.00.₨1,100.00Current price is: ₨1,100.00.
In stock
Inside the Minds of Spymasters: A Journey Through War, Peace, and Identity
Description
Explore the candid dialogues between A.S. Dulat and Asad Durrani, moderated by Neil K. Aggarwal, uncovering the intricacies of India-Pakistan relations and the path to peace.
After the success of “The Spy Chronicles,” A.S. Dulat and Asad Durrani engaged in a series of conversations about the psychology of war and peace. These discussions, enriched by psychiatrist Neil K. Aggarwal, have evolved into this fascinating book.
“Covert” takes readers into the minds of these two spymasters, exploring the personal and professional paths that shaped them in their formative years. The conversation delves into how their Indian and Pakistani identities have influenced them. Under Aggarwal’s skillful moderation, the discussion shifts to international relations, examining why India and Pakistan cooperate in some areas but not in others. The result is a candid, thought-provoking analysis of the peacebuilding process between two nations that, despite their apparent hostility, share a deep history and cultural ties.
The dialogues in “Covert” highlight the strong camaraderie between Dulat and Durrani, both former heads of intelligence in their countries. More importantly, it offers profound insights into the complex world of negotiation and subterfuge. This book is a revealing and essential read for anyone interested in peace and harmony in South Asia.
Praise and Reviews
An engrossing and insightful exploration into the minds of two intelligence legends. Dulat and Durrani, with Aggarwal’s expert moderation, offer a rare glimpse into the complexities of India-Pakistan relations, making ‘Covert’ an indispensable read for anyone interested in the delicate balance of war and peace in South Asia.
About the Author
Amarjit Singh Dulat is a former head of the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), India's external intelligence agency. After retirement, he was appointed adviser on Kashmir in the Prime Minister's Office and served there from January 2001 to May 2004. During this time, he accumulated a vast reservoir of goodwill with Kashmiris of all shades. As Jane's Intelligence Digest put it in 2001, ‘Well known for his social skills, Dulat preferred dialogue to clandestine maneouvres.' In his heyday, Dulat was referred to as ‘Mr Kashmir'.
Dulat was born in Sialkot, Punjab, in December 1940. After India's partition, his father Justice Shamsher Singh Dulat relocated his family to Delhi. After schooling in Delhi, Simla and Chandigarh, Dulat joined the Indian Police Service (IPS) in 1965, and then the Intelligence Bureau (IB) in 1969, where he served for almost thirty years. At the IB he headed the Kashmir Group during the turbulent 1990s till he joined and headed the R&AW.
He is the author of Kashmir: The Vajpayee Years (2015; co-authored with Aditya Sinha), The Spy Chronicles: R&AW, ISI and the Illusion of Peace (2018; co-authored with Lieutenant General Asad Durrani and Aditya Sinha) and A Life in the Shadows (2022).
Lieutenant General Asad Durrani is a former director-general of the Inter-Services Intelligence directorate of Pakistan. He is the author of The Spy Chronicles: R&AW, ISI and the Illusion of Peace (2018; co-authored with A.S. Dulat and Aditya Sinha) and Honour Among Spies (2020).
Neil Krishan Aggarwal is a psychiatrist and social scientist at Columbia University. He does research on and teaches the psychology of cross-cultural conflicts, negotiation and peacemaking. A descendant of post-Partition families, he writes on how Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs view themselves and each other's communities. Covert is his fifth book.
Covert : The Psychology of War and Peace
Inside the Minds of Spymasters: A Journey Through War, Peace, and Identity
Description
Explore the candid dialogues between A.S. Dulat and Asad Durrani, moderated by Neil K. Aggarwal, uncovering the intricacies of India-Pakistan relations and the path to peace.
After the success of "The Spy Chronicles," A.S. Dulat and Asad Durrani engaged in a series of conversations about the psychology of war and peace. These discussions, enriched by psychiatrist Neil K. Aggarwal, have evolved into this fascinating book.
"Covert" takes readers into the minds of these two spymasters, exploring the personal and professional paths that shaped them in their formative years. The conversation delves into how their Indian and Pakistani identities have influenced them. Under Aggarwal’s skillful moderation, the discussion shifts to international relations, examining why India and Pakistan cooperate in some areas but not in others. The result is a candid, thought-provoking analysis of the peacebuilding process between two nations that, despite their apparent hostility, share a deep history and cultural ties.
The dialogues in "Covert" highlight the strong camaraderie between Dulat and Durrani, both former heads of intelligence in their countries. More importantly, it offers profound insights into the complex world of negotiation and subterfuge. This book is a revealing and essential read for anyone interested in peace and harmony in South Asia.
Praise and Reviews
An engrossing and insightful exploration into the minds of two intelligence legends. Dulat and Durrani, with Aggarwal’s expert moderation, offer a rare glimpse into the complexities of India-Pakistan relations, making ‘Covert’ an indispensable read for anyone interested in the delicate balance of war and peace in South Asia.
About the Author
Amarjit Singh Dulat is a former head of the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), India's external intelligence agency. After retirement, he was appointed adviser on Kashmir in the Prime Minister's Office and served there from January 2001 to May 2004. During this time, he accumulated a vast reservoir of goodwill with Kashmiris of all shades. As Jane's Intelligence Digest put it in 2001, ‘Well known for his social skills, Dulat preferred dialogue to clandestine maneouvres.' In his heyday, Dulat was referred to as ‘Mr Kashmir'.
Dulat was born in Sialkot, Punjab, in December 1940. After India's partition, his father Justice Shamsher Singh Dulat relocated his family to Delhi. After schooling in Delhi, Simla and Chandigarh, Dulat joined the Indian Police Service (IPS) in 1965, and then the Intelligence Bureau (IB) in 1969, where he served for almost thirty years. At the IB he headed the Kashmir Group during the turbulent 1990s till he joined and headed the R&AW.
He is the author of Kashmir: The Vajpayee Years (2015; co-authored with Aditya Sinha), The Spy Chronicles: R&AW, ISI and the Illusion of Peace (2018; co-authored with Lieutenant General Asad Durrani and Aditya Sinha) and A Life in the Shadows (2022).
Lieutenant General Asad Durrani is a former director-general of the Inter-Services Intelligence directorate of Pakistan. He is the author of The Spy Chronicles: R&AW, ISI and the Illusion of Peace (2018; co-authored with A.S. Dulat and Aditya Sinha) and Honour Among Spies (2020).
Neil Krishan Aggarwal is a psychiatrist and social scientist at Columbia University. He does research on and teaches the psychology of cross-cultural conflicts, negotiation and peacemaking. A descendant of post-Partition families, he writes on how Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs view themselves and each other's communities. Covert is his fifth book.