Death Wasn’t Painful: Stories of Indian Fighter Pilots from the 1971 War

Book info: Death Wasn’t Painful: Stories of Indian Fighter Pilots from the 1971 War (Paperback, 262 pages) – SAGE Publications Pvt. Ltd, 2014. Language: English.

Death Wasn’t Painful is a true account of the experiences of a former Indian fighter pilot, who was taken prisoner during the 1971 Indo-Pak/Bangladesh Liberation War. While depicting the intrepid life of fighter pilots in active combat, the book also has an introspective side where it portrays the soldier’s reactions to the terrifying realities of war. The experiences of prisoners of war are finely drawn, as we share the emotions of war―death, alienation, loneliness and grief. Through heart-warming anecdotes and conversational passages of interactions with Pakistani interrogators, attendants, jailors and civilians, the book juxtaposes the metaphor of physical battles in the sky with the conflict of minds between two nations.

The book portrays the subtle and human reactions of soldiers when faced with the harsh realities of war-injuries, death, broken families, alienation and grief.

Dhirendra S. Jafa, Wing Commander (Retd.), Indian Air Force, was taken prisoner of war in Pakistan during the 1971 conflict. He was awarded the Vir Chakra for bravery in the battlefield.