New Delhi: ROLI announced September 10 the release of Artillery’s Thunder: The Untold Kargil Story in New Delhi. Written by Maj Gen Lakhwinder Singh (Retd), the book sheds light on the seminal contribution of Indian Army’s Artillery units during the 1999 Kargil War.
The book launch witnessed overwhelming participation from members of civil society, research scholars from think-tanks, war veterans of the Kargil war and senior functionaries in Government of India, members of Judiciary and prominent media personnel.
The evening included a panel discussion curated by prominent journalist Sandeep Unnithan and saw participation of the author along with prominent journalists Shekhar Gupta (The Print) and Nitin Gokhale (Bharat Shakti). The discussion began with conversation around the complex nature of civil-military relationship in Pakistan, the intent of Pakistani military leadership during the Kargil war, what it was aiming to achieve through the war
The panel members also spoke about the sense of optimism that the Lahore Bus Yatra had created and how it had impacted India’s initial assessment of intelligence reports about the Pakistani Army’s aggressive intent.
Maj Gen Lakhwinder Singh also noted that the infantry units who tried to capture Tololing initially faced heavy losses, including the loss of two officers. The units could not make any progress due to heavy firing from the other side and it was only when Artillery was ultimately brought in and almost 108 guns were fired on the Tololing, that the tide turned.
The author also elaborated on how they found inspiration for it from Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s operational techniques, wherein an artillery gun was simply used as a rifle to fire directly on the enemy position. This had a major impact on the morale of Pakistani troops who were manning the bunkers. He mentioned that introduction and active role of artillery units substantially reduced casualties and also brought down the duration of the war.
Such was the effectiveness of artillery guns that the infantry soldiers were actually saluting these artillery guns after returning from the battlefield.
Maj Gen Lakhwinder Singh also mentioned that the Artillery Gunners worked relentlessly as they had to keep firing at Pakistani positions and invest time in preparing the ammunition and other logistical activities. As per his estimate, nearly 290,000 artillery rounds were fired in the war. He cited Pakistani commentators and analysts who stated that the moment Indian Artillery started raining fire on posts occupied by Pakistan Army, the enemy’s morale changed, turning the tide of war in India’s favour.
“Considering the pivotal role played by Indian Artillery Regiments during the Kargil war and in several global conflicts, Artillery must receive recognition as a general arm, as it no longer plays just a supportive role,” Maj Gen Lakhwinder Singh added.
The panel also spoke about the role of artillery in the Russia-Ukraine war, wherein the introduction of artillery weapons managed to help undo the reversals faced by Russia. They spoke about the need for India to invest in precision artillery systems and procurement of large batches of such systems to build deterrence vis-à-vis India’s belligerent neighbours.
In Artillery’s Thunder, Maj Gen Lakhwinder Singh recounts the decisive role of artillery in Operation Vijay, where over 290,000 shells were fired to reclaim strategic peaks like Tololing and Tiger Hill. His innovative use of Bofors FH 77B howitzers earned him the title “Enraged Bull of Dras.”
Awarded the Yudh Seva Medal for his leadership, Maj Gen Lakhwinder Singh offers both a tribute to those who fought at the world’s highest battlefield and a sobering reminder of the fragility of peace along the Line of Control.
Published by ROLI, the memoir blends battlefield heroism with present day urgency, drawing connections between Kargil in 1999 and more recent developments such as the 2025 Pahalgam attack and India’s response in Operation Sindoor.
After the panel discussion, several chief guests who graced the occasion spoke at length about the book. Justice N Kotiswar Singh noted that the mention of Kargil War also brought back memories of the 1947 India-Pakistan war, where General K S Thimayya brought tanks all the way up to Kargil.
Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul (retd) noted that Maj Gen Lakhwinder Singh was a military legend who “orchestrated symphony of steel fire” during the Kargil war. Having received the initial copy of the book, he called the book “unputdownable” and complimented the author as an “out of the box” thinker.
Dr Ajay Kumar, Chairperson of UPSC and former Defence Secretary complimented Maj Gen Lakhwinder Singh for his immense contribution for Artillery’s role along with the larger cause of military warfare and spirit of gallantry. He also noted with pride about the nation’s indigenous capability in building artillery guns and not needing to look elsewhere to source them.
Bollywood personality Boney Kapoor noted that while he had made all kinds of films including those on sci-fi and the underworld, he got a national award for the Army-based film, Pukar, and that the discussion had given him lots of information and thought on what went on behind a war.
Kapil Kapoor from ROLI mentioned that when he first met the author, he had stated that the purpose of writing such a book was deeply personal as he wished to only record his experiences for his grandchildren. Those who knew him well knew that he was a man of humility and reserve; someone who did not seek the spotlight. But this story was one that all Indians deserved to read.
