In the end, it came down to the Battle of the Tennis Court in World War II, when Allied troops clung to the hill leading up to the Deputy Commissioner's mansion in Kohima, forcing the invading Japanese forces to retire and, in the process, changing the trajectory of the fighting in the region.

This book exposes the forgotten narrative of how Kohima, now the capital of Nagaland, evolved from being an inconspicuous tiny hilltop to becoming the British Government's political and administrative headquarters and, unwittingly, becoming the scene of the world-changing battle.

The Battle of Kohima, which culminated in the Battle of the Tennis Court, is commonly referred to as the Stalingrad of the East by Western researchers. According to historians, this was the final true war of the British Empire and the first engagement of the new India. The true history of the Japanese army, headed by Japanese Lieutenant General Kotoku Sato, and the Allied troops, however, has yet to be written.

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Kikon, a poet turned novelist, says on the impending book: "Penguin Random House will publish my first nonfiction book, which I am really excited about. The conversation with our past must continue in the light of the present and be revisited on a regular basis by reviewing history, as I shall do in the book. Many facets of our policies reflect the Empire, and we must continue to investigate them as new chapters of history are written."

"I'm hoping that my piece will complement the current body of art. It is an excellent time to investigate the numerous elements of the events that influenced world history and to place present debate into a fresh context "he continues.

(IANS/PR)

(Keywords: Kohima, now the capital of Nagaland, Penguin Random House, Battle of the Tennis Court, World War II, apanese Lieutenant General Kotoku Sato, Penguin, 1944)