Probal DasGupta is an author, historian, business leader and an Indian army veteran. Probal grew up in several places in India, spending most of his school years in Daly College, a residential public school in Central India. He decided to join the Indian Military Academy in 1993 after completing his undergraduate studies in accountancy from Mumbai University.
About Author
PROBAL DASGUPTA
Author, Historian, Business Leader, Army Veteran
After completing his training at Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, Probal DasGupta served as a commissioned officer in 11 Gorkha Rifles regiment of the Indian army for a decade. As an infantry officer, he served in several areas that included Kashmir, North East India and Bhutan.
Probal is well regarded as a business leader and strategic expert. He advises his clients on strategic risks, investigations due diligence, geopolitical issues, corporate governance, political risks, threat assessment and operations risks. He is also a guest faculty at Columbia University.
Probal made his debut as an author with Watershed 1967. The book covers the 1967 battles between India and China, giving a detailed account of the events and the template it set for India-China relations. Probal is also a leading commentator and columnist, and his articles have been featured in well known journals and newspapers. He has also been interviewed several times on prime time television.
Watershed 1967
India’s Forgotten Victory Over China
India’s Forgotten Victory Over China
by Probal DasGupta
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The sole India–China conflict that remains etched in our collective memory is the 1962 war, which India tragically lost. But five years later, in 1967, India and China faced off again at Cho La pass and Nathu La pass and won. Watershed 1967 covers this seminal period of history, which was long relegated to a mere line in history books.
Full of thrilling international intrigue and nail-biting battle scenes, this book is based on extensive research and interviews with army officers and soldiers who participated in these historic battles. It aims to rectify a blind spot in history and shine the spotlight on a story of incredible bravery that India should be proud of.
Thoughts & Opinions
PROBAL’S BLOG
Reviews
WHAT PEOPLE SAY
Rana Mitter
Oxford Historian, China Expert and Author of ‘A Bitter Revolution: China’s Struggle with the Modern World’
” In Watershed 1967…, ‘(combines) astute political analysis with a gripping military history’…..’DasGupta makes a convincing case that the Indian victory in 1967 forced a rethink by China that ultimately shaped the subcontinent…’. ‘The prose is full of clipped emotion describing how it must have felt when the bullets started to fly.”
Jairam Ramesh
Former Indian Minister and Author of ‘Making Sense of Chindia: Reflections on China and India
“DasGupta, a veteran of Indian Army, now unravels the story of our almost unknown redemption in 1967… [it is] a fascinating… wonderful read but substantive as well.”
Shekhar Gupta
Editor in Chief – The Print
“[An] engagingly written page-turner of a book… a valuable addition to the still thin genre of
military biography in India
“
Husain Haqqani
Former Pakistan Ambassador to the US and Author of India vs Pakistan
“Probal DasGupta’s book (is) critical for anyone following the India-China competition. Sheds light on little known facts.”
Arjun Subramaniam
Air Vice Marshal, Indian Air Force
“Meticulously researched… DasGupta is a gifted storyteller with a real feel for battle.”
Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain
Former Corps Commander, Indian Army
“Excellent book”
Commodore C Uday Bhaskar
Strategic Expert and Director of the Society for Policy Studies
“Written with distinctive verve, this book braids battle narratives with international politics,
intrigue and insight…”
Shiv Aroor
Journalist and author of Operation Jinnah
“A wonderful account of an operation that has never received its due, filled with delectable granularity, both in political offices and the battlefields.”
Lt General Rakesh Sharma
Former Adjutant General, Indian Army
“breath of fresh air which recounts Indian victories, boosts self-esteem and confidence and lays a new narrative for the 21st century“
Major Narayan Parulekar
War hero and veteran of Cho La battle 1967
“Excellent story…highlights the contours of Indian victories. Wonderful book….. great work describing the battles.”
Sriram Karri
Journalist, Author of ‘The Autobiography of a Mad Nation'(longlisted for Man Asian Literary prize)
“[An] intrepid work of military history – Watershed 1967 – a forgotten war in which India defeated China.”
Colonel Ranvijay Singh
Son of Lt General Sagat Singh
“Probal Dasgupta’s book highlights the battles of Nathu La and Cho La in 1967 under Lt General Sagat Singh (my father). A must-read book for the armed forces, military historians and the regular reader interested in international affairs, especially people interested in external affairs and military matters.”
Priyanka Chaturvedi
Spokesperson and Politician
“Do read Probal Dasgupta’s Watershed 1967. Meticulously researched & insightful reading of a rarely discussed battle at Nathu La & Cho La, that not just injected confidence in our military’s dealings with China but also set the tone of India-China’s equation.”
Minhaz Merchant
Author of The New Clash of Civilizations
“Must read… [book] on India’s victory over China in 1967 at Nathu La… Think 1967, not 1962. Abandon the complex.”
Sidharth Jain
Chief Storyteller at The Story Ink
“This is a terrific, well-researched account by Probal that must be told to not only Indian but global audiences“