Reading has multiple benefits. A regular reader, or someone who has inculcated the habit of reading had improved memory, better cognitive abilities, increased concentration, strengthened vocabulary, command over language, and most importantly, builds your knowledge. Being a defence aspirant, one must adhere to an improved lifestyle. Reading requires a lot of patience. But in the long run, provides us with multiple good outcomes which improve our way of life.
Here are 15 books every defence aspirant must read for personality development and motivation:
1. Attitude is Everything by Jeff Keller
This book follows the author, Jeff Keller’s journey of going from a lawyer to becoming a motivational speaker. The book consists of twelve chapters, covering topics like how to confront your fears, to turning problems into opportunities.
Your attitude is everything. A positive attitude leads to positive outcomes and a negative attitude leads to negative results. Being a defence aspirant, having a positive attitude is a crucial aspect as being calm and focused is a sought-after personality trait.
This book is a must by for improving your attitude to yield better results!
2. You Can Win by Shiv Khera
This is a motivational book by Shiv Khera. The language used is easy to follow and understand. Using real-life stories, the author has made the book more authentic.
The book targets mainly the youth, providing an action plan before each of its eleven chapters.
The book being an International Bestseller, has motivated many across the globe and continues to instill new ideas among people of doing things differently and standing out from the crowd.
3. The Brave: Param Vir Chakra Stories by Rachna Bisht Rawat
This book brings out emotions you didn’t know exist.
Rachna Bisht Rawat beautifully explores the hearts and minds of the brave soldiers who won the Param Vir Chakra, India’s highest military honor.
The book covers twenty-one extraordinary real-life experiences of soldiers from the battlefields. It is more than enough to motivate any defence aspirant and make every individual proud of their motherland.
‘The Brave’ is a must read. It encapsulates motivation and examples of vigor, perseverance and bravery.
4. India’s Bravehearts by Lt. Gen. Satish Dua
What better book to read about the Indian Army than one written by an officer himself?
‘India’s Bravehearts’ covers thrilling combat stories of the Indian Army. It provides a closer look into the lives of the serving soldiers, of what it is like at the LoC (Line of Control) and the various emotions running through a soldier’s mind at any given minute.
The book is extremely touching and provides a soldier’s perspective on encountering enemy attacks. It is a first-hand account on persons who have survived the operations in Jammu and Kashmir.
The book leaves you teary-eyed but also pumps adrenaline, motivation, and a sheer feeling of proudness.
5. Black Tornado: The Three Sieges of Mumbai, 26/11 by Sandeep Unnithan
‘Black Tornado’ is based on the 26/11 terrorist attack which was carried out in Mumbai. The terrorist attack is also widely regarded as the world’s first hybrid terrorist attack.
The book covers how all three wings of the armed forces came together to fight through terror. The book grasps how these men were needed in the most desperate hours and how they did not let their motherland down and prevented the siege of Mumbai.
‘Black Tornado’ is a gripping book that gives a contemporary example of terror attacks and how it was overcome.
It is also based on actual facts and stays true to the account of the attack.
6. Winning the War in your Mind by Craig Groeschel
‘Winning the War in your Mind’ is a self-help book. It teaches you how to rewire your mind and escape the pattern of destructive thinking.
The book has solid ideas backed by research. It teaches us how to remove self-doubt and negative thinking.
Changing your perspective about yourself to a positive outlook has major impacts on crucial aspects of your life.
This book is must read if you struggle with a negative identity of yourself. It will leave you with a developed personality by the time you finish the book.
7. India’s Most Fearless (Part 1&2) by Shiv Aroor and Rahul Singh
This book is no secret to anyone. Any defence aspirant has heard of this book.
‘India’s Most Fearless’ beautifully captures true stories of heroism and bravery of our soldiers. The book covers stories from the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force.
The writers have done a great job capturing the real-life events without making it extra dramatic in any way. The book will leave you with goosebumps and huge amounts of motivation to be a part of our nations armed forces.
8. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey
This book makes you realise how small changes in everyday life can lead to greater impacts.
The book explains seven principles that make a person more effective, personally and professionally. It shows you how to maximise your production but not to the stage of burnout.
The book shows that by just adding seven effective habits to your everyday routine can expand your potential and leave you feeling fulfilled.
9. Wings of Fire by A. P. J. Abdul Kalam and Arun Tiwari
‘Wings of Fire’ is an autobiography on the Missile Man of India and former President, A. P. J. Abdul Kalam.
It shows how a man coming from a modest background goes on to achieving all that he did.
The book is deeply personal and passionate and has a message of hard work and believing in what you do. The book includes personal insights for Abdul Kalam ji, and his journey to success.
Having seen the work and determination Kalam ji has put in, this autobiography is sure to fill you up with immense motivation.
10. Death Wasn’t Painful by Dhirendra S. Jafa
The book covers a true account of incidents of when Indian fighter pilots were taken as prisoners during the 1971 Indo-Pak, Bangladesh Liberation War.
The book is heart breaking and heart-warming at the same time.
It covers everything that happened between the two countries and the stories of the brave pilots who fought valiantly for their country.
This book is a definite must read for all the fighter pilot aspirants out there!
11. Kargil: From Surprise to Victory by Gen. V. P. Malik
The intrusion of the Pakistani Army into key vantage points at Kargil is what lead to the brief war between India and Pakistan.
The man in-charge, Gen. V. P. Malik, gives us facts and truths in a well-documented and put together manner.
We get a chance to experience the soldiers thought process that was put into their every move through the words in the book. It is an excellent book that states the strengths, weakness, preparedness and unpreparedness of the Indian Army.
One should definitely read this book to get insights into a soldiers’ life at war.
12. Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw: The Man and His Times by Brig. Behram Panthaki and Zenobia Panthaki
Perhaps the most renowned leader in India’s Military history, Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw was the Chief of the Indian Army from 1969 to 1973.
His clever insights and tactics are what gave India an upper hand against Pakistan.
The book encapsulates Sam Manekshaw in his entirety; his humor, his personality, his courage and everything that made his who he was.
Every Indian Army aspirant knows about Sam Manekshaw, this book will expand your knowledge about him and give you valuable tips and motivate you to become a great officer.
13. Four Miles to Freedom: Escape from a Pakistani POW Camp by Faith Johnston
The book records the escape of Flight Lieutenant Dilip Parulkar, whose flight was shot down in enemy lines, from a Pakistani Prisoner of War camp, along with Malvinder Singh Grewal and Harish Sinhji.
Based on facts taken from interviews of officers who helped plan the escape, this book is anything but fiction. It keeps the reader hooked till the end.
A must read for anyone who loves a good narrative, based on facts and real-life incidents.
14. Shoot, Dive and Fly by Rachna Bisht Rawat
The author carefully and completely outlines what it is like to walk in the shoes of a soldier; to live their lives of danger, adrenaline, the rigor and adventure they experience.
A career in the uniform is not for the faint-hearted.
This book beautifully captures it all, engaging the youth to serve their country with pride.
15. The One Thing by Gary W. Keller and Jay Papasan
This is a must-read book especially for those individuals who overwork themselves. The book emphasizes on picking out the one most important point of work in a particular task and giving it your all.
It revolves around the value of simplifying one’s work. A self-help guide that teaches us to overcome the hurdles we may face and succeed in the face of failure.
Also Read: Everything You Must Know About 15 OLQs And 4 Factors To Clear SSB Interview
These books are sure to fill any person up with heaps of motivation to lead a better life filled with discipline and a strong-minded will to achieve great things.
Personality development is a must for any defence aspirant, and these books will help you inculcate an officer-like attitude and keep you grounded and focused.
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Very helpful content for all defence aspirants