3 Review(s)

Best known as the leader of India’s first successful Everest expedition in 1965, Captain M.S. Kohli’s autobiography is a tour de force that traces his journey as a young boy amongst the quiet peaks of Haripur, in North-West Frontier Province, to his near-death experience during the Partition, to his rise up the ranks of the Indian Navy and the Indian Mountaineering Federation. A life and experiences defined by honesty, simplicity and team spirit, his skill as a mountaineer was put to test when, working as an intelligence operator, he was involved in the clandestine mission in 1965 to place plutonium powered monitoring devices on Nanda Devi and Nanda Kot. In 1989, in consultation with Sir Edmund Hillary, Captain Kohli founded the Himalayan Environment Trust with members such as, Reinhold Messner, Maurice Herzog, Chris Bonington, and Junko Tabei with whom he strives to save the Himalayas for future generations. From heading secret missions to leading various successful expeditions to the Himalayas, his story of utmost courage and adventure is fascinating and highlights what he has always believed in – safety of his men and honour of the country.