Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw passes away

Nayak · Post by **Nayak** » 27 Jun 2008 08:57

The Valhalla will be proud to have a warrior worthy of respect of Odin himself.

Hail to the warrior.

RayC · Post by **RayC** » 27 Jun 2008 09:03

Sad.

RIP, sir!

pradeepe · Post by **pradeepe** » 27 Jun 2008 09:29

Sad day.

RIP sir.

Rahul Shukla · Post by **Rahul Shukla** » 27 Jun 2008 09:46

Thank you for your invaluable service to India.

RIP & Salute!

gauravjkale · Post by **gauravjkale** » 27 Jun 2008 09:48

A sad day for the nation.

I wonder how many of the new generation knows him, there is so much to learn from him.

But he will never be forgotten by few who knew him.

We salute him and he will live forever in our heart and souls.

Vikas · Post by **Vikas** » 27 Jun 2008 09:57

God bless his soul. Mother India lost her true son.

bala · Post by **bala** » 27 Jun 2008 10:01

A soldier, a warrior, a true hero, they never die from the conscious of a grateful nation but remain forever in our hearts and minds. Thank your Sir FM Sam Manekshaw, RIP.

bkumar · Post by **bkumar** » 27 Jun 2008 10:19

God bless his soul.
RIP, sir.

prashanth · Post by **prashanth** » 27 Jun 2008 10:26

May his soul rest in peace . India will never forget his service.

Murugan · Post by **Murugan** » 27 Jun 2008 10:40

Salute to the Bravest of the Braves!

soutikghosh · Post by **soutikghosh** » 27 Jun 2008 11:09

A great loss for the nation.

May his soul rest in peace.

Swaroop · Post by **Swaroop** » 27 Jun 2008 11:16

Sad day Indeed. A grateful nation thanks you and salutes you. Rest in peace Sir.

jerry · Post by **jerry** » 27 Jun 2008 11:29

Salute to a Hero

We were very small when he gave India one of its finest victory.
I really wonder how many of this generation know about the life n times of the Great Fieal Marshal India had

Thanks Gerad for the Quotes keep them comming there are sooo much more.
If you or anyone has more plz post here. Thats the best tribute we can give the guy.

ASPuar · Post by **ASPuar** » 27 Jun 2008 12:35

A long and glorious life, proudly lived, in service of this nation.

General Manekshaw was a hero greater than any that India has had, in the post Independence era.

He will always watch over this nation and protect it, in death, as he did in life.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 27 Jun 2008 12:52

RIP Sir.

kunal anand · Post by **kunal anand** » 27 Jun 2008 14:10

Our nation has lost a true patriot, brilliant commander, a brave soldier and a gentleman. A greatful nation salutes you sir. You will live forever in our memories. Jai Hind.

karan_mc · Post by **karan_mc** » 27 Jun 2008 15:07

Mother India lost on of the bravest son it had today ,may his soul rest in peace

clay · Post by **clay** » 27 Jun 2008 15:19

Thank You. RIP.

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 27 Jun 2008 15:43

State funeral for Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 27 Jun 2008 15:46

In pics: Sam Manekshaw

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 27 Jun 2008 15:48

Lt-General A.K. Kalkat, a former army commander in Manekshaw's regiment, remembers a conversation between Manekshaw and a general accused of misusing funds: "Sir, do you know what you are saying?" asked the general. "You are accusing a general of being dishonest." Replied Manekshaw: "Your chief is not only accusing you of being dishonest but also calling you a thief. If I were you I would go home and either shoot myself or resign. I am waiting to see what you will do." The general submitted his resignation.

Following Pakistan's surrender in the east, Manekshaw flew into Calcutta to compliment his officers. The ceremonial reception over at Dum Dum airport, he was escorted to a car -- a Mercedes captured from the enemy. Manekshaw refused to sit in it, leaving the officers red-faced.

On one occasion, he found that the defence secretary had penned his own observations on a note he had written to the prime minister and defence minister. Infuriated, Manekshaw took the file and walked straight into Mrs Gandhi's office. He told her that if she found the defence secretary more competent than him to advise her on military matters she did not have a need for him. The defence secretary was found a new job.

Patni · Post by **Patni** » 27 Jun 2008 17:09

One of the True Hero of Mother India.

Salute to Sam Bahadur...

Prem G · Post by **Prem G** » 27 Jun 2008 18:41

RIP, Sir.

Jagan · Post by **Jagan** » 27 Jun 2008 18:51

Video report from ANI on his passing away.

http://ishare.rediff.com/filevideo.php?id=360070

Jagan · Post by **Jagan** » 27 Jun 2008 18:55

Video Reports from NDTV

Recalling his legacy
http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/vi ... x?id=32247

State Funeral for Sam
http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/vi ... x?id=32246

Report on his passing away (5 min profile by Vishnu Som)
http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/vi ... x?id=32237

Jagan · Post by **Jagan** » 27 Jun 2008 19:05

From IBN LIve

http://www.ibnlive.com/videos/67842/ind ... -dead.html

From the documentary by Parzor foundation (Not to be missed)
http://www.ibnlive.com/videos/67888/sam ... ories.html

IBN's Sub Site
http://topics.ibnlive.com/Sam+manekshaw.html

nkumar · Post by **nkumar** » 27 Jun 2008 19:13

Salute to the great son of India.

'Here's my pistol, now come on shoot me'

vinayd · Post by **vinayd** » 27 Jun 2008 19:56

The great warrior has left his motherland for his heavenly abode.

May his soul rest in Peace.

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 27 Jun 2008 20:04

Thank You sir for restoring izzat and rolling back force of history.

Rest in Peace. India that is Bharat is forever rhuni to you.

Can we capture all the good stories and memories of Sam Bahdur that people are recollecting in the media. A BRF tribute to Sam Bahadur perhaps?

John Snow · Post by **John Snow** » 27 Jun 2008 20:36

A true soldier, never afraid of his superiors or enemies. My father worked under him when he was Col.
Thanks for the service. RIP sir.

Arunkumar · Post by **Arunkumar** » 27 Jun 2008 20:56

May his soul Rest in Peace.

Sumit · Post by **Sumit** » 27 Jun 2008 21:28

I was in love with Sam. I knew but never wanted to even think that we would go one day. Hope he will get his deserved place near God but at the same time I wish him to be around all the time. I wish him to be back in India & lead the Indian Amry again in his own unique legandary manner. I wish I could get a chance to meet him. His sad demise has left a vacant space that NO ONE WOULD EVER BE ABLE TO FILL.

Jai Hind Sam Bahadur. Nation will never be able to pay you for what you did for our nation.

ChandraS · Post by **ChandraS** » 27 Jun 2008 21:51

I pray that his soul rest in peace in heavenly abode.

As I read in a book - 'Do not grieve that such fine, fearless men died. Instead celebrate that such men lived.'

FM San Manekshaw, Mother India salutes you for all you gave her and will ensure that your memory lives on for times to come.

RamaY · Post by **RamaY** » 27 Jun 2008 23:41

To the true son of Bharat... Salute to the great soul...

Katare · Post by **Katare** » 28 Jun 2008 00:41

RIP, Sir!

bala · Post by **bala** » 28 Jun 2008 01:19

surinder · Post by **surinder** » 28 Jun 2008 01:20

Can we collect articles of him that appear in the press as well as other tid-bits and details of his life?

I propose this due to my own selfishness of a desire to read and know more about him.

sunilUpa · Post by **sunilUpa** » 28 Jun 2008 01:20

As requested by Ramana Ji, here is the tribute to Sam by Maj General Ashok Mehta.

Ashok Mehta: The wonder that was Sam

For managers struggling to learn the intricacies of that complex thing called leadership, the model to follow is Manekshaw.

So Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw is gone. The last time I met him was in Delhi over a drink. He was here to attend one of innumerable board meetings. We spoke of soldiering in war and peace. I learnt several lessons anew. One of them was a facet of Sam I hadn't known before.

The fact is there were other Generals in the Indian Army cleverer than him. But it was he who became a living legend of the Indian Army. How? One reason is Manekshaw was one of the finest communicators the Indian Army has ever had. And for managers struggling to learn the intricacies of that complex thing called leadership, the model to follow is Manekshaw.

On March 30, 1972, three and a half months after his victory over Pakistan, in a speech to cadets at the passing out parade at the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, Manekshaw said: "You are leaving here this morning as officers, as leaders. You will be going from here to your units that are deployed on the border. They are facing an enemy whom they have but recently fought and vanquished. You are going to be given command of troops in an operational area. You are indeed fortunate. Your tasks will be to administer to their needs and to lead them in battle. What sort of men will you be leading? You will be leading veterans, men who have fought, men who have won, men who are used to good leadership. Make sure you give it to them." His speech, his bearing, suggested grace was more important in victory than in defeat.

Management manuals are now discovering many of the attributes of leadership that came to Manekshaw naturally. He had a healthy contempt for bureaucratic authority and detested fawning officers. He wrote in the confidential report of one such officer: "Why this officer has not developed a stammer is incomprehensible to me. I know I shall never suffer from piles."

He was obsessive about the welfare of the troops, although few know that the Field Marshal never commanded a battalion. He was a fastidious and unconventional dresser, his uniform never conformed to regulation, it was always that little bit smarter. And he flirted outrageously with the ladies. All this came together to create a mystique that made people listen to Manekshaw — after all, how many chiefs would refuse to call the prime minister Madame on the grounds that it would be impolite to use a word more appropriate in bawdy houses?

Not everything Manekshaw described about his days in the Army was strictly accurate. Lt Gen JFR Jacob, in his Witness to Surrender, an account of the war for Bangladesh, says the capture of Dacca — the event that led to the complete surrender of the Pakistan Army — was never an objective set out by those who planned the war from Delhi, namely Army Headquarters. Gen Jacob's book is intended to demystify India's military victory over Pakistan in 1971 and Manekshaw's part in it.

But although that is probably the truth, the reality is that because of his personality and the way he told the story, Manekshaw's version of the war is the one that India internalised. He warded off pressures from Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to go to war following the crackdown by the Pakistan Army in East Pakistan. "War, yes. But not now" he said. During a cabinet meeting Manekshaw managed to convince Gandhi that more time was required to ensure victory. "I guarantee the capture of East Pakistan in two weeks" he said on at least two occasions. It was the timing of the war that won it for India, though Mankshaw accepted, luck played a part.

Sam became a Field Marshal in 1973. For someone who was nearly sacked as a two-star General for being too anglicised and rubbing the wrong way, Defence Minister Krishna Menon and Lt Gen Bijji Kaul, his rehabilitation was remarkable. What saved him from the guillotine was the 1962 war (the Chinese came to my rescue, he used to say). Ironically he was promoted to relieve Kaul, the very man gunning for him. Immediately on reaching the demoralised 4 Corps headquarters he announced: "Gentlemen, I have arrived. There will be no more withdrawal in 4 Corps". Providentially the Chinese declared a unilateral ceasefire and from then on Sam rose to give India its first decisive military victory in 1971.

Today Manekshaw's home Stavka, in Coonoor, Tamil Nadu, custom designed by his late wife, Silloo, must be silent. He used have half a dozen Gorkhas in attendance, two dogs, one called Piffer and the other one called Ceasar; and a cow. He used to do his own typing and replied to his mail himself. His bridge partners at the Wellington Gymkhana Club must be desolate — he was regular visitor. He used to be on the board of 14 companies. Then it became six, and lately, he had been excusing himself from most.

Manekshaw had many stories to tell. But one of the most exquisite was the one when at a presidential banquet, he told Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi: "You look very pretty tonight". Surrounded by her ministers, she bowed and said: "Thank you, Sam".

Had Sam not gone off to join the Army he might have become a gynecologist. Luckily he did become a soldier and went on to win the Military Cross in Burma later joining the 8 Gurkha Rifles. He was a favourite with the Gurkhas. It was during his visit to Nepal in 1972 that King Mahendra conferred on him the title of Honorary General of his Army which ruffled some feathers in the Foreign Ministry at Delhi. Since then both countries have made each other's Army Chiefs Generals of their armies. For the Gurkhas he will always be Sam Bahadur, a name given to him on the spur of the moment by Harka Bahadur, a young soldier from his battalion.

Sadly in the twilight of his life, he became a victim of a TV assault. After then President APJ Abdul Kalam handed over Rs 1.6 crore as pension arrears following a hike in the Field Marshal's pension, a TV channel raked up Pakistani soldier-diplomat, Gauhar Ayub's charge against an Indian Brigadier who allegedly sold in the early 1950s, Indian war plans to the enemy for Rs 20,000. A conversation between Manekshaw and US Consul General William K Hitchcock in Calcutta in 1967, in which Hitchcock reported how indiscreet Manekshaw was, was also recalled. Ayub's book where he threatened to reveal all, is however, yet to come out.

In 1968 when Sam was about to become Chief of Army Staff, I was sounded to be ready to move at short notice, as his aide-de-camp. That never happened. Later I knew why. Sam said: "that b….r ? I'll end up becoming his ADC". It was an appointment I didn't get. To this day I have not ceased to regret it.

When the Field Marshal was leading the India-Pakistan war of 1972, Major General Ashok K Mehta was racing towards Dacca with a battalion of 2/5 Gorkha Rifles to help capture it

surinder · Post by **surinder** » 28 Jun 2008 01:30

I can see no reference to his death in Dawn.

But here is a quote from an old article by Cowasjee:

http://www.dawn.com/weekly/cowas/20020908.htm

Let us take the attitude of another army man, a man from our neighbour India, a fellow Zoroastrian, the highly respected Field Marshal Sam Maneckshaw. When in Delhi last year I had the privilege of meeting him.

Now almost ninety, he stands as straight as an arrow, and like a good soldier can look down over a belt that does not sag, over a flat stomach, and see his shoelaces. And, like a good soldier he does not dye his hair or his bristling moustache. They have grown into a natural, distinguished and becoming grey.

Over lunch at his charming daughter's flat, I asked him whether in his experience as a soldier there had ever been any danger of the army stepping in to take over the government of India. He laughed and said, never - it could never happen. But, there was one odd occasion when he was heading the army and Indira Gandhi was prime minister, when matters in India were not going too well, there was much unrest, and Indira was apprehensive that the army may step in.

So one day, she asked if she could call upon him at his headquarters. When he naturally said she should not, and that he would come to her, she put her foot firmly down and insisted that it would be she who would go to him.

Her problem was that she had heard on the grapevine that the field marshal was contemplating stepping in to sort out the messy political situation. She asked him whether there was any truth in the rumour. His answer to her : "Little girl, I have a big and long nose, as do you. You keep your nose out of the affairs of my army and I will keep my nose out of the affairs of your government. Now run along, and try and sort things out."

sunilUpa · Post by **sunilUpa** » 28 Jun 2008 01:31

Celebration of Sams life continued..

Here's my pistol, now come on shoot me

As a young major in 1947, Eustace D'Souza first read about Major Sam Manekshaw when reading about the Burma campaign in World War II. Manekshaw was shot in the stomach when he and his company were holding the Sittang bridge. For that act of valour, he was given the Military Cross on the field of battle; his commanding British officer did not expert the flamboyant Parsi officer to survive. But survive Sam did, leading the Indian Army to an incredible military victory in the 1971 war.

Commissioned in the Indian Army in 1943, Major General D'Souza (retd), now 87, has fought four wars and had several interactions with Field Marshal Manekshaw. He spoke about the man who was an outstanding leader of men. A first person account of a great soldier who passed into the ages shortly after midnight June 27:

Till yesterday Sam Manekshaw was the oldest living field marshal in the world.

I first met Sam Manekshaw when I was facing the Chinese in Nathu La, commanding a brigade. It was in 1964-1965. The Chinese were across a little strip and my brigade held them when they first moved up with 2,000 troops, we held fast, we didn't panic like in '62.

Sam came to visit us as he was very pleased, and then he came again to request me to stay on as brigade commander. I told him, 'Sir I have a family too, I have been away from my family for four years -- three in high altitude.' He recommended me to the National Defence College and I went there.

He was very perceptive. When he came to visit me at Nathu La at 13,600 ft, I was a brigadier then with 5,000 troops under me. He said, 'Souzie -- he used to call me that --what do you do for your young officers, they must be absolutely cheesed off here.'

He went back to Calcutta and sent back a packet of girly magazines. He said this is for your young officers. He had wanted to see how I lived and saw a portable record player with lots of LPs -- and I am a Western classical music fan. He went back and sent a parcel with a LP record of the famous American singer Marian Anderson.

He was fearless. When he was a major with the Sikh company in Burma, they had a promotion meeting for the appointment of lance naik to naik.

He didn't approve of one name because he said he was a rascal. That man sent word to Sam saying, 'I would kill you.' So Sam Manekshaw told his senior subedar -- 'Unko march karna hai'.

He was marched before Sam and he asked him -- 'You are going to kill me? Here's my pistol, now come on shoot me.' That man was so taken aback that he marched out meekly. Sam appointed him as batman. That was the sort of man he was.

Once in a riot he walked through the crowd with just his cane.

Once he visited our 4th battalion in the '65 war in the Barmer sector. There was a mike etc for him and he said, 'Take this bloody thing off, I want to speak to my boys.' He knew how to win people. In Nathu La, we got tea for him on a silver tray and he said, 'I want it in a mug.'

Professionally he was good, there is no doubt about it. He was the first Indian to be appointed by the British after World War II to the military operations directorate.

Just before the war ended, he was sent on a three month deputation to Australia to tell them about the Indian Army. He did a good job. He came into focus then.

When he became chief it was a toss up between him and (Lieutenant) General Harbaksh Singh. His becoming chief was touch and go between him and General Harbaksh. Tactically and strategically, he was a very good soldier. He knew how to get around men. He commanded the Western and Eastern Commands -- both hot seat commands.

He will always be remembered as the creator of Bangladesh and the man who split Pakistan. What was most outstanding was that he could get a team going because the Navy and Air Force, who were always at loggerheads, he got them around in Bangladesh.

If there was no Bangladesh, he would not be a field marshal. He was at the right place at the right time. He deserved to be field marshal because he carried the air force and navy with him in '71. Remember we were fighting on two fronts -- east and west. He stood out.

He had a presence, was impeccable in dress and appearance. His shoes were polished, he had a good knowledge of the English language, sense of humour and was a good orator.

When (then prime minister) Mrs (Indira) Gandhi asked him if he was going to take over the country, he told her are you asking for my resignation on grounds of mental instability? Here's my resignation.

His only fault if you can call it that is having an inner circle of friends but who doesn't. All of them flourished. Once I was told that Sam Manekshaw doesn't like anyone taller than him.

In the '71 war, I was commanding the division in Baramulah -- responsible for 200 kms of the border between India and Pakistan, somebody carried tales to him that when I took over the division, my predecessor said -- 'I'm sorry Souzie there are no Gorkhas in this division' and I said -- 'thank god'.

That was carried to Sam; after that he was after my blood (the field marshal was from the Gorkha regiment] Sam. During the war, my division captured 73 square kilometres of Pakistan territory, but he never visited my boys. I had 25,000 troops from 365 castes and communities.

I retired in 1978 and came to Bombay, I was on the management of Xavier Institute of Management and we did a series on leadership for which I asked for Sam -- along with five other names.

I asked for an appointment, at that time he used to live at the Oberoi (hotel, now the Hilton in Mumbai). He was very surprised because he thought I hated his guts but there is no doubt that he had leadership qualities.

I asked him to come and speak on leadership for an hour. He said, 'You really want me -- and I said -- yes sir, that's why I've come here.' He spoke brilliantly without notes, answered all the questions, held the audience in a packed hall. I had it recorded and have shown it all around the country.

He was called to speak on leadership many times in Bombay and he used to say, 'Souzie, haven't you heard enough of me?'

He was always prepared well in advance if he was making a talk, he never used notes and his turnout was impeccable. Even if he was to give a talk in the evening, he would shave again so that there was no shadow on his face.

He had a sense of humour, sometimes it backfired. Once a remark in Patiala offended the royal family there. Wherever I took that CD of the leaders, and asked people of the 6 who impressed you most -- 100% it was Sam Mankeshaw. He used to get a standing ovation.

When the Parsis had a felicitation for him at the Tata Theatre (in Mumbai), I was asked to rally all the ex-service officers. I told them to come wearing their medals and when he saw all of us, he was really touched.

I called on him in Connoor when his wife was living, she was a very nice warm hearted person.

He was a great believer of Satya [Images] Sai Baba.

He liked good looking girls and was colour conscious. When he went as commadant of the Staff College in Wellington, he got into trouble in the mid 1950s because he put up photographs of the (British) queen. Somebody made a complaint and there was an inquiry held by the then vice chief (Lieutenant) General (P P ) Kumaramangalam and he was later exonerated.

Sam wanted to be a doctor. He wanted to go to England [Images] where his brothers were doctors but his father knew that Sam was a naughty chap, he said -- 'you stay right here in Amritsar [Images].'

He read an ad in the paper asking for young Indian gentlemen to apply for the first course of the Indian Military Academy in 1930. He applied and got through.

He belonged to the 4/12 Frontier Force Regiment which went to Pakistan after Independence and commanded the Sikh Company.

The Sam Bahadur myth is all because of his association with the Gorkhas. He was allotted to the Gorkhas after Independence. His father was a doctor in the old Indian medical services and fought with the Second Royal Ludhiana Sikhs in Mesopotamia. Sam was partial to Gorkhas and Sikhs.

When he was sick, it was the saddest thing for me to see him being led up the stairs at the Tata Theatre by his daughter some 8, 9 years ago. It was unthinkable because he was always so dashing.

In the last few years he was mainly in hospital in Delhi. He said he wanted to go back to his home in Connoor because he was very fond of rose gardening. When he had come to Baramullah, I took him to my rose garden and said, 'Sir have a look at my roses,' and he said, 'What are you bloody well taking the credit for, it's because of the climate here.'

I think the top leaders of the Indian Army are Field Marshal K M Cariappa, General K S Thimayya and Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw. I rate General Thimayya number one. India hasn't produced a better general than him.

Major General Eustace D'Souza, PVSM, retired from the India Army in 1978. He served two years in Italy [Images], two years in Japan [Images] during World War II and fought the Pakistani army in Baramullah in the 1971 war. Now, 87, he recently traveled to Baramullah and met soldiers in the area he once commanded in Kashmir. He spoke to Archana Masih. Photograph: Archana Masih.