A KASHMIR KNIGHT and the Last 50 Years of the Princely State of J&K

This is a biography of Major General Janak Singh Katoch who was in the service of the Maharaja of J&K for 47 years. From 1900 to 1933 he was in active service, and thereafter held many appointments when called to do so by Maharaja Hari Singh. The last appointment being the Prime Minister of the State in Aug-Oct 1947, a tumultuous period in the history of the State.

The book tells the life story of the Maharaja’s Knight, Janak Singh, through his reminiscences over one night, when because of the tribal invasion he drove from Srinagar to Jammu over the Banihal Cart Road. It covers his childhood, service on the frontiers of J&K especially Gilgit where he commanded 2/2 Kashmir Rifles, anecdotes from his village Khaira, about his family; in particular his eldest son Kashmir Singh’s military service.

Lastly it deals in detail with the run up to Accession of J&K to India and the dramatic airlift to Srinagar on the 27th of October 1947.