Sam Manekshaw

SAM MANEKSHAW

Many of you who read this blog would think as to what an article on Sam Bahadur is doing in a write-up about Punjabi traditions and stories of valour. However as you read through I hope your doubts will be put to rest.

Field Marshal Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji (SHFJ) Manekshaw also known as Sam Bahadur (Sam the Brave) was the first Field Marshal of the Indian Army. He was born on 3 April 1914 in Amritsar, Punjab. His parents Hormusji Manekshaw, a doctor, and his mother Heerabai, had moved to Amritsar from Valsad, Gujarat.

Sam completed his primary education in Amritsar and moved to Sherwood College in Nainital thereafter. After completing his education in 1929 he wanted to go abroad (London) to study medicine and become a doctor. However his father opined that he was too young to go abroad. He then got him admitted to Hindu Sabha College in Amritsar. Sam then volunteered to join the Indian Army and was amongst the first batch of Indians to qualify in the examination for the same. He joined the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun on 30 September 1932 and graduated from there on 4 February 1934. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant and first served 2^nd Battalion THE ROYAL SCOTS and later with 4^th Battalion 12^th FRONTIER FORCE REGIMENT. After partition, though this regiment opted to join Pakistani Army, he remained in the Indian Army.

His military career spanned four decades from the British era and World War II, to the wars against China and Pakistan after India’s independence in 1947.

In the Second World War he was deployed on the Burma front. He was severely wounded on 22 Feb 1942 while gallantly leading his company to capture a vital enemy position, Pagoda Hill. He was hit by a burst from a LMG and took many bullets in his stomach and body. Major General DT Cowan spotted Manekshaw holding onto life. The General was aware of the valour of Manekshaw in the face of stiff resistance from the Japanese and immediately fearing the worst quickly pinned his own MILITARY CROSS ribbon to Manekshaw saying that, “A dead person cannot be awarded a Military Cross.” He thus has the distinction of being honoured for his bravery on the battlefield. When he was brought nearly dead to the hospital and the surgeon asked him as to what had happened, he replied that he was “kicked by a bloody mule.” This shows the true spirit of the man in even a hopeless situation.

He attended the Staff College at Quetta from 23 August to 22 December 1943 and was posted as Brigade Major of Razmak Brigade till 22 October 1944. Upon partition since his regiment opted to join Pakistan Army he was first empanelled with 16 PUNJAB Regiment and later to 3^rd Battalion 5^th GURKHA RIFLES. However he could not command the battalion since the events of partition kept him as a staff officer at the Army Headquarters. This has always been disappointing for him.

He commanded 167 Infantry Brigade in Ferozepur and was later posted as Commandant Infantry School. He took over command of 26 Infantry Division in December 1957. Thereafter he was Commandant of the Staff College at Wellington, Tamil Nadu and was later appointed to command 4 Corps after General Kaul resigned. He was appointed GOC-in-C of Western Command and later Eastern Command. He became the eighth Chief of the Indian Army on 7^th June 1969. As Chief he masterminded the complete annihilation of the Pakistan Army in the 1971 war leading to the surrender of more than 93000 troops and creation of a new nation Bangladesh. He retired on 15 Jan 1973.

He was honoured with a Military Cross in 1942, Padma Bhushan in 1968 and Padma Vibhushan in 1972. He was conferred the rank of Field Marshal on 1 Jan 1973.

Field Marshal Manekshaw died of complications from pneumonia at the Military Hospital in Wellington, Tamil Nadu on 27 June 2008. He was laid to rest in Ootacamund, Tamil Nadu with full military honours.

Some of his famous quotes showing the character of the man are given below:-

After being given command of the retreating 4 Corps during the war with China in 1962: “There will be no withdrawal without written orders and these orders shall never be issued.”

After assisting a young Indian Army officer with his luggage when the grateful officer asked Sam, "What do you do here?". Sam replied "I everyday help officers like you with their luggage, but I do in my past time command this Infantry Division".

Note. I have surfed/gone through a lot of material on Field Marshal Manekshaw but have not been able to locate the school in which he studied in Amritsar. There are also no details of any remembrance to this great man in his birthplace of Amritsar. His birth centenary will occur on 3 Apr 2014. Let us hope that Amritsar will remember him and give a befitting tribute to this great son of Amritsar, Punjab and India.