Major General Ian Cardozo, who amputated his leg on battlefield, launches new book

Many people had told Cardozo, 85, how they were moved by his story of resilience and that made him write his new book. “When you want to tell a story, it is better that you do it yourself. That is better than having a factually incorrect story printed. My book has a message for the youth, the army and the myriad citizens of the country,” he told The Indian Express.

He said the war and his time serving in the army taught him the value of life is priceless. “One cannot appreciate the true value of life until one has lived in the shadow of death,” Cardozo said.

At the book launch, Cardozo said, “This book is the story of every army officer and the Indian army. Through the book, I hope to bring the army closer to the citizens of the country.” It took him two years to complete the work.

Thanking his wife, Cardozo said, “My wife has been my support through the years. She’s been a mother and a father to my children.” He also highlighted the importance of women in the army.

Through the medium of his book, Cardozo wishes to inspire everyone who reads it and to let people know about the resilience and bravery of his fellow Gorkha soldiers. He wants to draw attention to the dedication and determination displayed by the Indian Army and its soldiers. Quoting Abraham Lincoln, Cardozo said, “In the end, it’s not the years in your life that counts. It’s the life in your years.”

Cardozo has authored several other books too on the military history of India, such as Indian Army: A Brief History, 1971 – Stories of Grit and Glory from the Indo-Pak War.