Gen Naravane book mystery deepens: We saw it, but publisher says it doesn't exist
India Today
Penguin Randomhouse, the publisher of Gen MM Naravane's memoir, has issued a statement denying that it printed the book. This deepens the mystery of how a printed hardbound copy of Four Stars of Destiny, yet to be approved by the Defence Ministry, reached Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. It seems the book exists, and yet it doesn't.
At a literature festival held in Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh, in October 2025, former Army chief General MM Naravane was reportedly asked about the fate of his long-awaited memoir. He was attending a session on his recently released fiction book, The Cantonment Conspiracy, when an audience member reportedly asked him about his memoir, Four Stars of Destiny. The General quipped, "I think it is maturing, like aged wine. The longer it's there, it becomes more and more vintage; of greater value." Touche! General.
The book, praised by former Generals, academicians and politicians who previewed it, is now at the centre of a controversy over how it appeared to have been released without being officially published. Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, brought a copy to Parliament "to gift it to Prime Minister Narendra Modi". The PDF of the "pre-print" unapproved copy is circulating online. And amid this, the publishing house, Penguin Random House India, has said in a statement that Four Stars of Destiny never went to the press.
The statement from the publisher came after India Today Digital first asked how a hardbound copy of the manuscript that was yet to be approved by the Ministry of Defence reached Rahul Gandhi. You can read our detailed report on Gen Naravane's memoir here.
Hours after the report was published on Monday (February 9), the Delhi Police registered an FIR over the online circulation of typeset manuscript of the memoir by former COAS General MM Naravane (Retd). Later on Monday night, Penguin Random House India said in a statement on X, "We wish to make it clear that the book has not gone into publication. No copies — in print or digital form — have been published, distributed, sold, or otherwise made available to the public by Penguin Random House India."
On Tuesday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said he trusted Gen Naravane over the publisher, when asked to comment on the statement by Penguin Randomhouse.
We trust our eyes too, as we saw a copy of the book with Rahul Gandhi.
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