Readers of this blog are familiar with Pakistani military historian Major Agha Humayun Amin. Major Amin has recorded a number of podcasts on the Anchor app and they are worth a listen if you are interested in military history, Indian history and related topics. This podcast in particular is a good introduction to Major Amin’s own … Continue reading Podcasts by Major Amin. India, Pakistan, Proxy Wars
Major Amin is a Pakistani military historian who has written extensively about the Pakistan army (and other military history topics). Since both India and Pakistan have decided to try and outdo each other in claiming that the war was an emphatic victory for their side, I have copied and pasted one of his old articles … Continue reading The 1965 War. A Summary by Major Amin
A post from Dr Hamid Hussain. A (typically earthy) comment from military historian Major Agha Amin follows below Dr Hamid Hussain’s post. Dear Sir; A while ago, many officers asked about the controversies about Ayub Khan’s selection and I wrote a piece that may interest those raising these questions. Mr. Ardeshir’s comment about Sam Manekshaw … Continue reading Ayub Khan, Yahya Khan and Sam Manekshaw (and a comment from Major Agha Amin)
On the occasion of India’s 65th anniversary of Independence, television channels CNN-IBN (now CNN News18), History Channel, and Outlook magazine jointly ran an audience poll, steered by a panel of “experts”, to ascertain the ‘Greatest Indian after Gandhi’. Mankombu Sambasivan Swaminathan, who passed on at the age of 98 on September 28, 2023, barely made it … Continue reading MS Swaminathan: architect of Green Revolution; the greatest Indian since Gandhi
Review from Major Amin. NASIM ZEHRAS TOO LATE AFTER THE EVENT KARGIL BOOK ANALYSED Agha H Amin My first issue with this book is that analysis delayed is analysis lost and Nasim Zehra is guilty of publishing this analysis some 20 years late. Before that she was in the good books of many culprits … Continue reading Nasim Zehra’s Book on Kargil. Review by Maj Amin
A degree of uncertainty surrounds the origin of the English word “saffron“. It might stem from the 12th-century Old French term safran, which comes from the Latin word safranum, from the Arabic za’farān,[13] which comes from the Persian word zarparan meaning “flower with golden petals”.[14] As an aside I pilfered this interesting piece from Kabir’s … Continue reading As India Saffronises, 9 Questions on her Za’faran sister (IranZamin) with Professor Foltz-
Another Browncast is up. You can listen on Libsyn, Apple, Spotify (and a variety of other platforms). Probably the easiest way to keep up the podcast since we don’t have a regular schedule is to subscribe to one of the links above! In this episode Amey and I talk to Kushal Mehra, host of the Carvaka podcast and an Indo-Canadian of … Continue reading Browncast: Kushal Mehra on the recent Canada Khalistani Kefuffles
The following review is from Major Amin. Formatting issues remain, but I think readers will find it interesting. (By the way, Major sahib did not say it outright, but I personally think Dalrymple has found the secret sauce of what sells in anglicized “South Asians” (i.e. blame the Brits, bless the Mughals (this is supposed … Continue reading Review: Anarchy -A Highly skilled jester playing to the gallery- Dalrymple’s Jaundiced Revisionism about British East India Company
An old piece from Major Amin. A “must read” for anyone trying to understand the Pakistan army. From its peculiar combination of Jihad and British ideals to its performance in 1965 and 1971, to its full politicization under Zia. Gen Tajammal Hussain Malik was an excellent officer (ie very good at his primary job of … Continue reading Maj General Tajammal Malik. Very Important Interview
From Major Amin TLDR: The British officers of the EIC army were a crucial force multiplier. The same regiments WITHOUT British officers were much less effective. I would add that by 1947, they seem to have figured out how to train Indians to be as good, at least at junior levels. But not yet at … Continue reading British Officers of the EIC army. A force multiplier.
