Sam Manekshaw

Sam Manekshaw

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Category: Social Work

Sam Manekshaw Profile

  • Name:
  • Sam Manekshaw
  • Born:
  • April 3, 1914
  • Died:
  • June 27, 2008
  • Father:
  • Hormusji Manekshaw
  • Mother:
  • Heerabai

Sam Manekshaw Biography

Sam Manekshaw was an Indian military leader who was the first Indian Army officer to be promoted to the rank of Field Marshal. He is also known by the name Sam Bahadur. His military career spanned four decades and five wars. His career began with service in the British Indian Army during World War II. He became chief of staff in the year 1969. Under his command, Indian military forces fought against Pakistan in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 that eventually led to the liberation of Bangladesh the same year in December.

 

Manekshaw was born in Amritsar to Parsi parents on 3 April 1914. Later the family moved to Valsad, a small town in Punjab where he completed schooling. He completed studies with distinction in the School Certificate examination of the Cambridge Board. Though he asked his father to send him to London to study medicine his father refused. In protest, Sam appeared in entrance examination for enrolment into the Indian Military Academy and got selected. He graduated from the IMA in 1934 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the British Indian Army. From the British era and World War II to post Indian Independence, Sam served the country for 4 decades. It included three wars against Pakistan and China. He held several regimental, staff and command assignments.

 

He was the first Indian field marshal. During World War II, Manekshaw was at Burma as a captain with the 4/12 Frontier Force Regiment. He was hit by a burst of LMG bullets and was severely wounded. Major General Cowan quickly pinned his own Military Cross ribbon to Sam saying a dead person can never be awarded a Military Cross. Yet he survived. Serving the country for four decades, he retired from service as Field Marshal. He died on 27 June 2008 at the age of 94 at the Military Hospital in Wellington, Tamil Nadu. He was laid to rest in Ootacamund with military honours.

Published: N/A

Updated: February 25, 2014

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