Steering from the Lower Deck: Leadership Lessons from a Sailor’s Memoirs is a rare and pioneering work—the first leadership memoir written by a sailor from the Other Ranks of the Indian Navy. Unlike conventional military narratives that emerge from command positions, this book speaks from below deck, offering an authentic and deeply human perspective on leadership shaped by responsibility, discipline, and lived experience rather than rank.
The memoir gives voice to the often-unseen sailors—the seamen, radar plotters, gunners, and watchkeepers—whose silent vigilance keeps ships operational and lives safe. Tracing the author’s journey from a fauji childhood in Wellington and a nomadic education across Kendriya Vidyalayas to the rigorous training at INS Chilka and years at sea, the book reveals how leadership is learned through trust, endurance, and accountability.
The narrative extends beyond naval service into civilian and corporate life, capturing the challenges of transition, identity, and adaptation in global workplaces. Interwoven is a profoundly personal battle with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, reinforcing the book’s central insight: leadership is not granted by position, but revealed in resilience during uncertainty.
Written with honesty and quiet authority, the memoir addresses unspoken themes such as mental health and life after service. It offers lived wisdom rather than theories—making it a powerful companion for veterans, leaders, and anyone carrying responsibility without recognition.