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.
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