The Sunday Tribune

A world gone wrong
Merchants of Death

by Neelima Dalmia Adhar Har-Anand Publications. Pages 371. Rs 395.

The daughter of a famous industrialist, the author, Neelima Dalmia Adhar, is known for her insightful biography of her father, titled Father dearest, the life and times of R.K. Dalmia. Her mother is the Padma Bhushan awardee Dineshnandini Dalmia. A prominent disclaimer, however, insists that Merchants of Death, her second book, is a work of fiction and none of the main characters are real.

The introduction to the work talks intriguingly about a "sinister curse" trailing a family of arms dealers heading a large conglomerate of industries.

The novel sets out to portray the conflict-filled world of the business family, the members of whom, afflicted by money, greed and much else, are headed for a tragic ending.

The title refers to the community of arms dealers, but the novelist’s interest clearly centres around the human element, with the bulk of the story focusing on the dysfunctional relationships of the characters. The book is a strong indictment of "a value system where licentiousness and perverseness are infinitely glorified."

Of particular interest are the sequences of events where the chairman of the group is hit with a raid by the authorities, which is only to be thwarted by court petitions, a "media blitzkrieg," and a heart attack that puts him in hospital. These events, the political references, and the purchase of a "non-existent aircraft" the Sukhoi-30, provide the background for the characters, as they hurtle inexorably towards loss, pain and death.

The narrative style adopted by the author is straightforward and descriptive, with the writing reflecting a practised hand. But it gives little idea of all that happens in the arms bazaar.—S.C.

EXTRACT

Bharat Loya was no novice at the game. He was brief and came straight to the point. The offer was a clean seven per cent of the six thousand crore to be spent by the government of India on thirty aircraft in the first phase of the agreement. They were willing to deposit the payment in any currency anywhere in the world the moment the signatures had been put on the contract.

At his slimy, oily best Sinha clutched his heart that was somersaulting at the thought of the lucre that had suddenly and effortlessly fallen into his lap. But he had learnt to be a tough bargainer.

"Ten or nothing." He dug in his heels. "Don’t be so selfish Loyaji..."

The deal was struck at ten per cent but with one rider. Loya would have to manage the Leader of the Opposition so that they posed no impediment to signing the contract.