Book Review- Off the record by Ajith Pillai

If journalists are considered to be the historians of  modern age where  history is always in the making, then Ajith Pillai's book ' Off the record' is a precious historical text. It tells the unwritten story of  India, as Pillai had witnessed during his vast three decade career as a journalist.

Non-pompous  and clear in its approach it takes the reader through the depths of Mumbai underworld in 80s, the snow-capped mountains of Kargil, stories from down south to up north  which sometimes make one give out short chuckles or feel miffed  and leaves the reader hooked to the text.

Written in simple plain first person, 'Off the record' is a narrative of the non narrated portions of India since 80s. It sheds light on the hazy events of major controversies, disasters and events that India witnessed during the last three decades which have been ill or misunderstood.  It sheds light on lesser known aspects of news that circulated and talks about the irresponsible and even questioning role of the army heads during the Kargil war, the hardships faced by a  reporter in Kashmir and even the nuances of national politics.

Being referred to as the ' first draft of history' by the renowned editor Vinod Mehta, it is indeed an interesting tale told at a pace that justifies the massive metamorphosis of the nation in the previous decades. One can gauge the mammoth changes brought in with liberalization and technological revolution from the transition of stories where Pillai had to rely on personal contact and hard field work to those where the use of cellular phones and internet made the work easy for him.

Far from the mostly preening and self important monologues of journalists about their lives this book is  balanced and non polemical in style and makes a good read and may also be a  reason for many turning in their shoes or graves.