Siddhant Kumar presents his poetry collection to Gen Dhiraj Seth. (Photo: X/adgpi)
New Delhi: A 16-year-old Class XI student presented his book of patriotic poems to the Indian Army chief, General Dhiraj Seth, at South Block on Tuesday, at an event meant to encourage literary and creative work.
Siddhant Kumar, a student of Tagore International School in Vasant Kunj, gave the general a copy of ‘Guardians in the Gale: The Unsung Breath of Heroes’, a collection of 21 poems on the courage and sacrifice of India’s armed forces.
Besides him, two other authors and an artist also presented their works to the Army chief.
The chief, who took over as the 31st Chief of the Army Staff on June 30, appreciated their work, according to the Army. It said he highlighted the role of such pursuits in building a culture of learning and professional excellence.
Encouraging Ideas. Inspiring Expression.
— ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) September 29, 2026
In furtherance of encouraging literary and creative pursuits, a book presentation event was held at South Block, New Delhi, on 29 Sep. Four authors and an artist presented a copy of their publication to #GeneralDhirajSeth, #COAS.… pic.twitter.com/eJmQPwqx9R
Other works presented
Colonel Maneesh Mishra presented ‘Gurzek: Life, Leadership and the Frozen Front’, a work of military fiction about leadership, resilience and command in high-altitude terrain.
Suhail Saeed Lone, an author and filmmaker, presented ‘Breaking the Silence – The Truth of Terror’. The book is a personal reflection on terrorism, its human cost and the search for lasting peace in Jammu and Kashmir.
Colonel Lakshyajeet Singh Chauhan (retired) presented ‘Wings of Astra: Designing the Future of Indigenous Drone’. It looks at how India can build indigenous drone capabilities that meet operational needs, from a practitioner’s perspective.
Surjeet Thakur, the headmaster of Government High School in Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, and a national-level sketch artist, gave the general a handmade sketch.
The young author
Siddhant, born on April 21, 2010, is an Army ward who says he grew up around the values of discipline, duty and service linked with the forces. He is also a developer and young entrepreneur. He completed Class X at Army Public School, Dhaula Kuan.
‘Guardians in the Gale’ has been recognized by the India Book of Records in the category “Maximum Patriotic Poems Authored by a Teen as a Tribute to the Unsung Heroes of the Armed Forces”. The Uttarakhand chief minister, Pushkar Singh Dhami, released the book.
It has also drawn appreciation from the Uttar Pradesh chief minister, Yogi Adityanath; the governor of Arunachal Pradesh, Lieutenant General K T Parnaik (retired); the governor of Gujarat, Acharya Devvrat; the governor of Uttarakhand, Lieutenant General Gurmit Singh (retired); the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal A P Singh; and the Director General of Armed Forces Medical Services, Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin.
His writing was also featured in the June 2026 edition of Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Diplomatist magazine.
About the book
The collection goes beyond the battlefield to write about duty, honour, sacrifice, family and the bond between the nation and those who defend it. It also acknowledges the families, medical personnel, engineers and others whose quiet work supports those in uniform.
Siddhant is the founder of Inspire Talent Hub, a digital platform that creates competitions and opportunities for school students across India. He works on software, artificial intelligence and Internet of Things projects. He is also working on more literary projects and a drone-technology startup.
