FIELD MARSHAL SAM BAHADUR

SARASIJ MAJUMDER

In the battle for Sittang Bridge against the Japanese in Burma in 1942, Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw was said to have been shot nine times. Sam would have died had not his faithful Sikh orderly, Sepoy Sher Singh, carried him in his arms and, collaring a doctor, forced him to attend to the wounds. The Australian surgeon initially declined to operate on Sam, since he saw little chance of his surviving. However, Sher Singh would not take no for an answer. By now, Sam had regained consciousness. When the surgeon asked what had happened to him, Sam replied: “A bloody mule kicked me.” The surgeon laughed, and said: “By Jove, you have a sense of humour. I think you are worth saving.” He removed much of Sam’s intestines and stitched him up.

Manekshaw was born on 3 April 1914 in Amritsar to Hormusji Manekshaw, a doctor, and Heerabai. The fifth of six children, he acquired his school education at Sherwood College, Nainital. Thereafter, he returned to Amritsar for his studies at the Hindu Sabha College. In July 1932, he joined the Indian Military Academy as part of its first batch. It is believed that he did this as an act of rebellion against his father who refused to send the young boy to London to study medicine.

Flamboyant and colorful, Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw or ‘Sam Bahadur’ (Sam the Brave)—as he would be known after 1942--was a personality unmatched and one couldn’t help but be impressed by his gallantry. In a career spanning over 40 years, Manekshaw saw five wars. Post-Independence, India witnessed multiple wars, but the only one which was conclusive was the 1971 war against Pakistan, one which resulted in a decisive victory for the country and resulted in the creation of the nation of Bangladesh.

However, Manekshaw is most famously remembered for bluntly telling Prime Minister Indira Gandhi that the Indian Army wasn’t ready for war in April 1971. Saying that his job was to fight to win, he asked for a few months’ time — a request which Mrs. Gandhi, to her credit, accepted.

Manekshaw guided us to victory in a mere13 days, making it one of the shortest wars in history.

In yet another case, his career almost got derailed. A court of inquiry was ordered against him in the early 1960s, when he was serving as Commandant of the Defense Services Staff College in Wellington. The precise reasons were never articulated as Manekshaw refused to speak about it.

Former lieutenant general J.F.R. Jacob writes in his book An Odyssey in War and Peace that “the principal movers in the campaign against him [Manekshaw] were (defense minister V.K.) Krishna Menon and his protégé Lt Gen. (B.M.) Kaul. Kaul considered Manekshaw to be a potential rival”.

But Jacob also adds that Manekshaw had a habit of being overtly critical of the government, which irked the political brass.

The Indian debacle that followed in the 1962 war against China, however, saved Manekshaw, so to speak. Menon and Kaul had to resign, and Manekshaw was given command of 4 Corps.

From thereon, he had a relatively smooth sail and was appointed Army chief by PM Indira Gandhi in July 1969.

In January 1973, the month of his retirement, Manekshaw was appointed as Field Marshal — a largely ceremonial rank, but reflective of his stature in the Indian armed force’s history.

There was some controversy on his pension, but clarified by his daughter Maja Daruwala in “QUINT” --“he was paid a pension but since a field marshal never retires, his full pay and benefits were due, and this was given to him after President Abdul Kalam’s intervention.”

The defense ministry in a statement in 2007 said that FM Manekshaw and Air Marshal of IAF Arjan Singh would be entitled to “full salary and allowances equivalent to that for serving chiefs of the two services”. After this announcement, FM Manekshaw received a cheque of over Rs 1.16 crore, dating from 1 January 1973. The then Defense Secretary Shekhar Dutt handed over the cheque. It is learned that he donated the complete amount to the WELFARE FUND FOR ARMY.

There are some interesting ANECDOTES about him. I collected, and list some below: -

Once, for instance, Manekshaw invited the members of the Pay Commission when he heard of a planned cut in the soldiers’ uniform allowance, it was reported. He then asked the members, “Now gentlemen, you tell me, who would obey my orders if I was dressed in a crumpled dhoti and kurta”. This settled the debate.

Manekshaw reportedly told Indira Gandhi when she asked him if he was ready to go to war with Pakistan over Bangladesh in 1971. 

“I am always ready, SWEETY”—seems to be was his reply. This was PERSI connection.

“You know I have no political ambitions. My job is to command my army and see that it is kept as a first-rate instrument. Your job is to look after the country”- Manekshaw's reported remark when Gandhi asked him if he was planning a coup against her government. 

“I wonder, whether those of our political masters who have been put in charge of the defence of the country can distinguish a mortar from a motor; a gun from a howitzer; a guerrilla from a gorilla, although a great many resemble the latter”- Sam Manekshaw on his opinion about politicians' understanding of the military.

“Professional knowledge and professional competence are the main attributes of leadership. Unless you know, and the men you command know that you know your job, you will never be a leader” - Manekshaw's often cited quote on leadership.

 

Once he was about to sign a letter to the Raksha Mantri (Defence Minister), he noticed a Typo Error in the signature block.

Instead of the ‘C’ in his designation, a ‘T’ had got typed, and it now read:

“Thief of the Army Staff” +

He didn’t Sign the letter, promptly put a circle in red ink around the word ‘Thief’, marked the letter back to the Adjutant General by whom it had been put up to the Chief for signature, with a remark, also in Red Ink:

“May be true, but keep it within the Army, goddamn it!!”

Some more Quotes:

“A ‘Yes man’ is a dangerous man. He is a menace. He will go very far. He can become a minister, a secretary or a Field Marshall but he can never become a leader nor, ever be respected. He will be used by his superiors, disliked by his colleagues and despised by his subordinates.”

“If a man says he is not afraid of dying, he is either lying or is a Gurkha.”

 “What is Moral Courage? It is the ability to distinguish right from wrong and having so distinguished it, be prepared to say so, irrespective of the views held by your superiors or subordinates and of consequences to yourself.”

His knack for coordination, coupled with the complete trust in the men he led and clairvoyance on the battlefield, made him independent India’s perhaps the finest military leader, we had till day.

After retirement, he stayed in Connor. Here, while mowing his LAWN, all by himself- a LADY,  passing by in a car, asked him – “How much you charge for mowing a lawn?”

Sam replied- “I am not paid. But the Lady of the house shares the bed with me”

It is learnt that the lady soon raised the window glass, and sped off.

Manekshaw, ever the Braveheart, was defiant even in his last moments. “I am OK” were the last words he ever spoke two days before he died on 27 June 2008.

 

Sources:-

Collected from Newspapers, and Military Journals over time.