Ravi Velloor is the author of ‘India Rising’ – a book on India from a Singapore perspective. It is a well researched book and showed the author’s efforts.
But the author is also an Associate Editor with The Straits Times.
It was Doklan crisis time. Ravi Velloor wrote an extremely below-standard article that said the following:
- China would attack India.
- Pakistan would join China in attacking India.
- Singapore Air Force, that has its training facilities in India’s Kalaigunda Air Base, should look at other options for its training.
None of the above happened. The article was under-researched, alarmist and lacked details.
How could the author, who writes a great book, write such an article that reeks of arm-chair analysis and advertises lack of clear thought processes?, I thought.
I got the answer. Arun Shourie, author of many exemplary books, and importantly of a book on China that brought out how and why Nehru prostrated to China and allowed the 1962 disgrace to happen, said during the same Doklam crisis, that India was preparing to get yet another slap on the face. And we know what happened in Doklam.
I got my lesson – Authors are good at hindsight, but, are not pragmatic and not worthy of contemporary analysis.
May be I am wrong. Point me to journalist-authors who are right in both roles at the same time.
Here is the article that I had referred to.
Amaruvi's Aphorisms 
Hi, I chanced upon your criticism of my article on the perils of allowing Doklam to be prolonged, or not capped. I was rather mystified by it because the entire piece was a warning that things could go out of control for both sides if they did not act wisely. I was not predicting things would play out that way, merely offering scenarios. As you know, the two indeed saw the light although most experts think India yielded more — the Chinese are still there and Modi made that peacemaking trip to Wuhan. Also, thanks for blogging about my book. You are an extremely careful and perceptive reader! All the best, Ravi Velloor
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Thank you Mr. Ravi Velloor for your comment and your time to answer a reader.
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