A book that ‘does not exist’: How an unpublished Army chief’s memoir landed in Parliament

A printed copy of former Army chief MM Naravane’s memoir surfaced in Parliament despite pending Defence Ministry clearance, raising questions over how the book reached print.

• Rahul Gandhi showed an unpublished Army memoir in Parliament, causing controversy.
• Gen Naravane's book recalled after pre-orders, awaiting Defence Ministry approval
• Book's release prompts concerns over vetting and handling of sensitive content.

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A book that officially 'does not exist' has triggered one of the most curious confrontations of the Budget Session.

In 2024, Four Stars of Destiny, the memoir of former Army Chief General MM Naravane (Retd), was slated for release. Bookstores accepted pre-orders, online portals listed it, and a publicity campaign was quietly underway. Then the launch was abruptly halted. Two years on, the book remains unpublished.

Last week, however, a printed hardback copy surfaced in full public view, not in a bookstore or online marketplace, but inside Parliament, held up by Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi.

What Gandhi waved in the Lok Sabha was not a manuscript or a magazine excerpt, but a bound hardcover of the very book the government insists has never been published.

The obvious question followed: how did a defence-related memoir, pending clearance from the Ministry of Defence (MoD), make its way into Parliament?

A parliamentary flashpoint

The controversy erupted during the post-Budget session as Prime Minister Narendra Modi prepared to move the Motion of Thanks. Gandhi read out excerpts from a magazine article based on Gen Naravane’s unpublished memoir, prompting an immediate backlash from the Treasury benches.

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh challenged Gandhi on the floor of the House. If the book had been published, Singh said, it could be quoted. If it had not, it was inappropriate to refer to it.

Two days later, Gandhi returned to Parliament with the book itself, saying he wished to 'gift it to the Prime Minister'.

A book that cleared pre-orders, not approvals

Four Stars of Destiny chronicles nearly four decades of Gen Naravane’s military career, from his commissioning as a Second Lieutenant to leading the Army during the most serious India-China military standoff since 1962.

The publisher, Penguin Random House India, had described the book as an insider account on leadership, civil-military relations, and the future of India’s armed forces.

But the memoir ran into trouble at the clearance stage.

According to The Indian Express, the Defence Ministry cleared 35 books by military personnel between 2020 and 2024. Gen Naravane’s memoir is the only one still pending.

Excerpts from the manuscript, touching on the Galwan clash and the Agnipath recruitment scheme, were reported earlier by PTI in 2023.

Manuscript versus book

A manuscript is typically submitted to the MoD or Army Headquarters in soft copy for vetting. That was the document accessed by The Caravan magazine for an article later cited by Gandhi.

In an interview with The Wire, journalist Sushant Singh, who authored the article, said he had written to the MoD, Gen Naravane, and the publisher before publication but received no response. He also noted that none of the parties had denied the authenticity of the manuscript excerpts.

What surprised even Singh was the appearance of a printed hardback.

India Today Digital has since verified that bound copies of Four Stars of Destiny reached bookstores in Delhi in early 2024 before being recalled.

A staffer at a legacy New Delhi bookstore told India Today Digital that hundreds of pre-orders had been taken and that copies had arrived well ahead of the planned April 2024 launch, only to be returned after a controversy erupted.

What the rules say

Retired military officers are not governed by the Army Act, 1950 or Army Rules, 1954 when publishing books. Those apply only to serving officers.

However, the Official Secrets Act, 1923 applies for life. Any disclosure of classified or sensitive information can attract criminal liability, regardless of retirement.

In certain cases, especially for officers who served in listed intelligence or security organisations, pension rules also require prior clearance before publishing material related to official work.

Many retired officers still voluntarily submit manuscripts for vetting to avoid legal or security issues.

Lt Gen KJS Dhillon (Retd), speaking to India Today TV, said manuscripts dealing with operational matters are typically reviewed through a three-tier process at Army Headquarters, which can result in approval, edits, or rejection.

The unanswered question

Gen Naravane himself said at the Khushwant Singh Literature Festival last year that the manuscript had been under Defence Ministry review for over a year.

That makes the existence of a printed, bound book harder to explain.

India Today Digital reached out to Penguin Random House India for comment, but the publisher declined to respond.

On The Lallantop’s Netanagri show, India Today Group political editor Mausami Singh said sources indicated Gandhi had obtained the book from the author himself, though it was not meant to be shared.

Neither the publisher nor the government has publicly clarified whether the book was printed without final clearance or recalled after approval was withdrawn.

What remains unresolved is not merely how Rahul Gandhi obtained a copy, but how an 'unpublished' defence memoir reached bookstores and Parliament as a finished book.