Sunday Book Review: Gurkhas at War

Sunday Book Review, Letters: Truth and Fiction featured in The New York Times

To the Editor:

Ramachandra Guha’s review of “India at War” (Nov. 29) does not mention the significant role Gurkha soldiers played in the British Indian Army. More than 250,000 Gurkhas served in the war, with over 32,000 casualties. They made up 10 percent of the Indian Army but disproportionately became one-third of total casualties, using Guha’s estimates as the base. It wouldn’t be a stretch to conclude that Gurkha soldiers made the highest sacrifice of any regiment or ethnic group in the Indian Army.

Unfortunately, the treatment of Gurkha World War II veterans has been far short of what they deserve. Only recently did all of them win the right to live in Britain. They have yet to be awarded pensions equal to those of British soldiers.

A reference to the sacrifice and subsequent plight of the Gurkhas should be part of any narrative of India and the Second World War.

SHANKAR CHAUDHURI

GLEN RIDGE, N.J.