‘Boots, Bonds and Belly Laughs’: A soldier’s laugh lines

Colonel Avnish Sharma’s collection of “middles” is much more than a humorous anthology — it is a heartfelt tribute to the life of an Indian Army officer. While the book sparkles with laugh-out-loud anecdotes, beneath the humour lies an unwavering pride in uniform, deep camaraderie, and an abiding love for the nation.

The narrative begins with a starry-eyed Sharma, a young cadet alighting from a train at Dehradun station to join the Indian Military Academy. Laden with a bedroll and a trunk, he is greeted by a brusque Major who quips, “Hey you dandies! Are you here for a rock concert?” Before even stepping into the IMA, the cadets are marched off to the barber for a crew cut. Such moments set the tone for a book that revels in the quirks of regimental life — drill instructors, “Mussoorie nights”, and the timeless adage: “Gentleman Cadets, fauj mein chutti nahi hoti.” These vignettes are not mere comic relief; they capture the essence of discipline and resilience that define a soldier.

Sharma’s humour resonates across terrains — snow-clad mountains, scorching deserts, bustling mess halls and langars, and even the tense atmosphere of war exercises and skirmishes. Yet, interwoven with laughter are stories of valour and sacrifice, narrated with a matter-of-fact courage that only a seasoned leader can muster. The author reminds us that while the loss of a comrade is heartbreaking, it is accepted as part of duty. For the soldier, the nation remains supreme.

The book also offers glimpses into the operational challenges of commanding men and machines — missions in insurgency-hit zones, motivating weary colleagues, and standing by the wounded. Sharma writes of drawing strength from the President’s commission to lead men into battle and proudly declares: “Guiding a regiment of 54 roaring tanks through sub-zero climes or enduring 52°C heat was my idea of pride — pure, simple, and rugged.”

Sharma’s authentic voice does not romanticise soldiering; instead, it celebrates its raw reality — where laughter is a survival tool, and courage is second nature. His prose is crisp, witty, and deeply evocative, making this book a must-read for anyone curious about the soul of the Indian Army. With a light hand, he weaves together humour and heroism, grit and glory, creating a narrative that is as poignant as it is entertaining.

— The reviewer is a Chandigarh-based freelancer