#memory
Field Marshal Manekshaw.
27 June is the death anniversary of the legend, Field Marshal SHFJ Manekshaw MC (1914-2008).
Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw was commissioned into the Royal British Indian Army and won the Military Cross for valour in World War II.
He was seconded to 8 Gurkha Rifles of the Indian Army, on independence.
The outspoken officer narrowly escaped early retirement as Major General, when in 1961 he was tried for treason, in a vain bid to jeopardise his brilliant career. Luckily he came out unscathed.
The debacle of the 1V Corps under Lt. General BM Kaul in the 1962 India China War led to Kaul being replaced by Sam Manekshaw, but by the time he took over, the Chinese had declared a unilateral ceasefire.
Manekshaw went on to command the Western and Eastern Armies.
General Manekshaw was appointed Army Chief in 1969.
He had the guts to defer with Prime Minister Indira Gandhi when in 1971, he was asked to initiate war against East Pakistan. He chose a later time and place of attack, and won the war for India.
In 1973, Manekshaw was appointed the country’s first Field Marshall, for his outstanding leadership of the war.
A Field Marshall never retires, and the legendary Sam Manekshaw faded away from this world, on 27 June 2008.
– Joy Kallivayalil.
