‘Maverick’s Musings’ start with a tender tribute to a soul-mate. The young officer (YO) who had wooed and won the heart of a girl from an alien land shares his ‘Jab We Met’ (when we met!) moments of 1958. There was little in common between them except their humanity and core values of two ancient civilisations. They overcame impossible odds to create a relationship that lasted for 55 years. It is a heartwarming story that triggers emotions at a deeper level. The ‘episodic’ narrative then follows a linear timeline. It runs on two intertwined tracks. The personal thread follows his life from infancy to an awkward adolescence. Fortunately he finds a more confident life partner. The Greek girl uproots herself in pursuit of love and finds a new family in the warm folds of Indian military-life. Their life together matures into a well-rounded family. On the professional track the YO becomes a General in 30 years, after a series of trials and triumphs. The challenges include a resignation, a traumatic war injury, sadistic seniors, a cadet’s suicide and so on. He survives and succeeds. The family goes through phases of agony and ecstasy. Their ability to roll with the punches lies in their inner strength which this narrative shows in flashes- that source may be explored later!

Take a peek into the "puntastic" (as one of the readers described the Musings of this Military Mind) collection of articles, anecdotes and topical commentary of global events. The range is huge starting from the US Presidential Elections and Covid 19 to the training regimen of the cadets in the Defence Academies. The author has captured his ruminations in a lucid and simple story narrative. "The Trump Card" The Trump(ets) of the world have heaved a sigh of relief after four years of having been blown non-stop, no wonder all that they produced these days was " Vivekamunandan..." When they were queried on their misery, they responded tongue in cheek that "They were 'biden' their time". "Independence Day the NDA Way" 2475 ft. was one of the peaks of the small hills in Khadakwasla. Why was it called 2475? No one knows. The actual height was probably a couple of feet less. Corporal then explained the modus operandi of the day's climb; we had to front roll up the slope...? Now this was turning out to be literally a bolt from the blue... a royal kick in the derriere provided the much needed booster. "Oh those Bats" Apart from the social distancing, lockdowns and migrant labours, cricketers and baseball players are up in arms; they have asked for a change in the nomenclature of their "Bats", they would not like to touch anything so vile in their wildest imagination. "Quarantined" Covid 19 after all is a teen, adolescent, neither an adult nor a kid, quite confused, not taken seriously by the Americans nor by the Chinese. He is out to prove a point. How I wish the Chinks had waited for two more months before letting it lose, then it would have been christened Covid 20 and would probably have been more reasonable.

The book provides the essence of the extensive travel undertaken by the author over a period of 20 years and how these voyages and exploration brought about the transformation in his personality and general perspective about life.