General Krishna Rao successfully served for forty-one years in the Army and eleven years as Governor, during a crucial period in the sensitive northeastern states and twice in Jammu and Kashmir. During his tenure as Governor, he brought the disturbed situation due to insurgency in the Northeast under full control. In Jammu and Kashmir which went through a turbulent proxy war, he was instrumental in restoring normalcy, holding credible elections and restoring democracy, after President’s rule for seven years.

During World War II, he served in Burma, the North-West Frontier and Baluchistan. Thereafter, he was deeply involved in the first war against Pakistan in the Rajauri-Poonch area in 1947–48, the second war against Pakistan in 1965 in the Ladakh area where the Chinese also carried out some aggressive moves, and the 1971 war in East Pakistan, leading to the liberation of Bangladesh. He was awarded the highest award Param Vishisht Seva Medal for displaying “outstanding leadership, courage, determination and drive” during the war.  

Preface
Introduction

PART I: Empires and Civilizations
Ancient 
1. Mesopotamia
2. Egypt
3. Persia
4. Greece
5. Rome
6. India
7. China

Middle Ages
8. Mongolia 
9. Ottoman
10. France
11. Britain

Modern
12. Russia
13. United States of America
Observations, Comments and Lessons
14. The Rise of Empires
15. The Fall of Empires

PART II: World Wars and Major Wars

World Wars
16. First World War 1914–1918
17. Second World War 1939–1945
18. Observations, Comments and Lessons
Major Wars after Second World War
19. Korean War 1950–53
20. Indo-Pak War 1971
21. Arab-Israeli War 1973
22. The Communist Offensive in Vietnam 1975
23. Gulf War 1990–91

PART III: Greatest of the Great Leaders

Great Political and Military Leaders
24. George Washington 1732–1799
25. Abraham Lincoln 1809–1865
26. Lenin 1870–1924
27. Franklin Delano Roosevelt 1882–1945
28. Winston Churchill 1874–1965
29. Joseph Stalin 1878–1953
30. Mahatma Gandhi 1869–1948
31. Mao Tse-tung (Mao Zedong) 1893–1976
32. Ho Chi Minh 1890–1969
33. Indira Gandhi 1917–1984
34. Martin Luther King Jr 1929–1968
35. Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela 1918–

Military Leaders
36. Napoleon 1769–1821
37. General Douglas MacArthur 1880–1964
38. General Dwight D Eisenhower 1890–1969
39. Marshal Georgi Zhukov 1896–1974
40. Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery 1887–1976
41. Field Marshal S H F J Manekshaw 1914–2008
42. General Vo Ngoyen Giap 1911–

PART IV: Role of Leadership

Vital Role of Leadership
43. Characteristics
44. Future Challenges
45. Major Options and Preparedness
Conclusion
Maps
Bibliography
Index