I am grateful to my boyhood friends of the early 19h0’s, Tibetan, Chinese and others from Bhutan, Nepal, Burma (Myanmar) and Thailand at our school, St. Joseph’s College, North Point, Darjeeling, who introduced me to their cultures and thus sparked off an interest in their countries of origin. Among the many Chinese, Tibetan and Bhutanese friends were Ronnie Leong, C.C. Wong, Ngawang Chamba ‘Joe’ Lukhang, Tendzin Choegyal, Jigme Tsarong, Kalden Dorji and Tobgye Dorji. This book owes much to their friendship. I acknowledge my debt to our Principal, the late Fr. Gerard Van Walleghem, SJ, for encouraging a spirit of intellectual inquiry, which is sometimes a contrary attitude in an all-boys all-residential school with much emphasis on sports and games, where inter-house and inter-school sports fixtures tend to loom very large on the mental horizons of the inmates.

For attempting to inculcate an attitude of calm fairness to all points of view in young minds during their impressionable and formative years, I have to thank both Fr. Van Walleghem and the late Bro. Mittelholtz, SJ.

The late Gen. J.F.R. Jacob, PVSM (Retd.), former Governor of Goa and of Punjab, and earlier GOC-in-C Eastern Command of the Indian Army in 1975, took an awfully big risk in entrusting me, a young  Captain  on  his  staff,  with  studying  the  ‘problem’  of  the McMahon Line in Arunachal Pradesh, and then briefing the Prime Minister, Mrs Indira Gandhi, without any spoon-feeding or channelising on his part. I thank him both for his faith in me and for the opportunity and exposure he provided me.

I am indebted to my Tibetan brothers-in-arms of the Special Frontier Force for their comradeship and team spirit during some of the most exhilarating outdoor field soldiering I have enjoyed. In particular, I would like to thank two of my sub-unit leaders, Chamba Trashi and Phelgye, for showing me what good-quality soldiers and leaders the sons of Tibet can be.

To be continued.....