Young voice for an old war- a fourteen-year-old Rishan Sen Gupta's new book has been published.

Brezhnev's Gamble, the book has been published by Kolkata Press Books, and the author is a 14-year-old student from GEMS Modern Academy, Dubai, who has an active passion for History.

The book is set against the backdrop of the Cold War. Brezhnev's Gamble explores the Soviet Union's fateful decision to invade Afghanistan in 1979-a move driven by ideology, paranoia, and geopolitical pressure. Under the rigid Brezhnev Doctrine, Soviet leadership believed that once a nation embraced socialism, it could never be allowed to leave. When Afghanistan descended into chaos after internal conflicts and leadership struggles, Moscow intervened, expecting a swift and controlled operation. The narrative follows key events such as the dramatic assassination of Afghan leader Hafizullah Amin in Operation Storm-333, the brutal military campaigns like Panjshir VII, and the rise of fierce resistance led by Mujahideen fighters. What began as a "limited intervention" soon spiraled into a prolonged and devastating war, exposing the Soviet military to the harsh realities of guerrilla warfare, difficult terrain, and foreign-backed insurgency. As the conflict dragged on, Afghanistan became a "notorious trap"-bleeding Soviet resources, morale, and global standing. The war not only intensified internal decay within the USSR but also contributed to the eventual collapse of the Soviet system. Through political miscalculations, human cost, and strategic failures, the book presents the invasion as a turning point that reshaped global power dynamics. Ultimately, Brezhnev's Gamble is a gripping account of ambition, misjudgment, and the high price of empire, leaving a lasting legacy on both Afghanistan and the Soviet Union.

Rishan Sen Gupta said, "I want to pursue my higher studies in Global Politics and Economics."

"Br​‌ezhnev's Ga‌​​mb‌l​‌e‌ i​‌s‌​ gr‌​i​​p​pin​​‌g,‌ ​​u‌rgen‌t, a‌​nd impos​s​‌ib‌​l‌​e‌ t‌‌o ig​‌n‌o‌​‌re.​‌​ I​​‌t e​x‌p‌​o‌​ses​‌​ how a‌r​‌r‌og‌​​a​‌nc‌‌e, i‌de‌​​olog​‌y,‌‌ and f‌e​​‌a​​​r ​pus​h‌e​​​d​​‌ ​​a‌ sup​​​er‌​powe​‌r ​​in‌‌t‌​o ‌a​‌ d‌​i​‌sas​t‌ro‌u​s wa‌​​r. If ​yo‌​‌u‌​‌ w‌​a​​​nt t​o un​d​e‌rst​‌and h​​​o​w ‌​hi‌​st​o‌ry‌‌ r​‌epe‌​​a‌ts ‌it‌s‌​e‌​‌l​‌f​ t‌​h‌​​r‌​o‌ugh p‌o​w​‌e‌r‌ an‌‌d ‌m‌i​​sca​‌​lcu‌la‌t​‌i​o​n, ​​​th‌i‌s i‌s ​a ​‌mus​t‌‌-r‌e‌a‌d‌​‌ t‌ha​t wil‌​l ‌​‌s​​‌t‌a​y wi‌t​‌h y​‌o​​​u l‌o‌n​‌g a​‌​fte‌​​r‌​‌.Spre​ad​​‌ t‌​he​​​ ‌word​‌. Said by Sumana Chatterjee, Chairperson and Mentor - Team UAE - World Individual Debating and Public Speaking Championships.

At a very young age, he has participated in public speaking competitions that include the World Scholars Cup (WSC) and Model United Nations (MUN) Conferences. A member of the UAE WIDPSC National Squad (2026-27), Rishan aspires to be a positive change-maker during his adolescent journey.