Lt Gen Nanavatty was a soldier’s general: A military biography

Shooting Straight is less about the glamour of war and more about the ethos of leadership—courage, conviction, clarity and compassion—and the importance of living straight in the profession of arms.

Why did I pick up Shooting Straight: A Military Biography of Lt Gen Rostum K. Nanavatty by Arjun Subramaniam? I chose to read it because I had the privilege of serving under Gen Nanavatty when he was the Corps Commander in the East in the late 1990s. In addition to my primary responsibilities, I was also responsible for media interactions across almost all the northeastern states. A few years ago, I had written an article about him titled ‘The Banyan Tree General: Fact or Myth!’ for our veterans’ magazine, SAMMAAN.

To understand the term ‘banyan tree’, it is important to recognise its significance in Indian culture. One of the most venerated trees in India, the banyan is also the country’s national tree. It can survive and grow for centuries and is often compared to the shelter God provides to his devotees. In Hindu mythology, it is associated with Kalpavriksha, the tree believed to fulfil wishes and provide material gains.

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Why, then, was Gen Nanavatty known as the ‘Banyan Tree General’? The term was used by some who had served under his command but, for reasons best known to them, did not rise to the ranks they had expected. Those who did not advance to higher ranks labelled him a ‘banyan tree’, presumably suggesting that he did not allow his subordinates to grow, based on the belief that “the banyan tree lets nothing grow beneath it”. On the contrary, Lord Buddha attained enlightenment under a tree of this kind. At the time, if I remember correctly, all but one Brigadier eventually became Generals. Gen Nanavatty is regarded as one of the most respected generals, and I hold him in the highest regard.

I therefore wanted to validate my own impressions and firsthand experiences through a painstakingly researched biography by an accomplished military historian, Air Vice Marshal Arjun Subramaniam. As an infantry soldier from the Gorkhas and a mountaineer who has served across the length of the Himalayas, from west to east, I found the title Shooting Straight particularly appealing. It prompted me to revisit those memories and discover what the author, himself a soldier and air warrior, had to share with readers about Gen Nanavatty.

In Shooting Straight, Subramaniam traces Gen Nanavatty’s remarkable journey from the early 1960s to the early 2000s. The biography covers a wide operational canvas, including counterinsurgency (CI) operations in the Northeast, high-altitude warfare in Siachen, and the mobilisation during Operation Parakram following the 2001 Parliament attack. Structured in 13 chapters and based on interviews and correspondence with more than 70 officers and junior commissioned officers (JCOs), the book offers a balanced and deeply researched portrait. Gen Nanavatty’s straightforward manner, confrontations with the system and operational ideas are explored in detail. Subramaniam presents him as a soldier’s general: professional, forthright and unafraid to challenge convention.

Leadership Begins with Credibility

One of the strongest themes emerging from the book is Gen Nanavatty’s belief that a commander must be accountable to his own men. His leadership ethos placed particular emphasis on what his troops thought of him: “I was more concerned with what my ‘command’ thought of me than my superiors.” His career demonstrates that integrity and moral courage often matter more than rank. He earned respect not because he always agreed with his superiors, but because he was honest, decisive and accountable. Throughout his career, he placed the welfare, morale and training of his troops at the centre of his command philosophy, earning their loyalty through empathy and fairness. His empathy for soldiers translated into discipline, loyalty and operational success. It did not dilute discipline; rather, it strengthened it.