WHO IS SAM MANEKSHAW ? (worth knowing) He was an Indian military leader who was the first Indian Army officer to be promoted to the rank of Field Marshal. April 1971, Indira Gandhi, Prime Minister of India at that time, asked Gen. Manekshaw if he was ready to go to war with Pakistan. Manekshaw refused saying his armoured division and two infantry divisions were deployed elsewhere, of whose 189 tanks, only 11 were fit to fight and not ready to risk the life of soldiers !! Besides, the Himalayan passes would soon open up, with the forthcoming monsoon in East Pakistan turning rivers into oceans. When she asked the cabinet to leave the room and the chief to stay, he offered to resign. She declined to accept it, but sought his advice. He then said he could guarantee victory if she would allow him to prepare for the conflict on his terms, and set a date for it. Manekshaw masterminded the rout of the Pakistan Army in one of the easiest and quickest victories in recent military history. The war, lasting under a fortnight, saw more than 45,000 Pakistani soldiers and 45,000 civilian personnel being taken as Prisoners . It ended with Pakistans unconditional surrender of its eastern half, resulting in the release of Prisoners and birth of Bangladesh as a new nation. Its only a man of Manekshaws stature who could keep Most Powerful and Corrupt Bureaucrats(babus) in their place. He called babus as Munshis,Curruptpoliticians as Dhotiwalas and Mrs. Indira Gandhi (in private) Sweaty. Had we more such Chiefs in office, we wouldnt be going through the turmoil as at present. The tales from yesteryears .. On a rather warm day the Defence Secretary, Harish Sarin, a powerful civil servant, on entering the Ministry’s conference room is said to have told a Colonel sitting near a window, “You there, open that window!” Before the Colonel could get up came a sharp “Sit down” from Sam Manekshaw, who had just entered the conference room from another door. Turning to the Defence Secretary, he said, “Mr.Secretary, don’t you ever address my Officers in that tone of voice. You may however say,“Sam, would you please open that window, and I will open the window for you. That Officer you called out to is a Colonel, and not ‘You there’. Harish Sarin mumbled something to the effect that he didn’t mean it that way, to which Sam replied, ”I don’t care how you meant it. I heard it & didn’t like it. Those were the days...Todays chief sit in politicians lap and sing their song at the cost of our soldiers at border. Manekshaw was one of the greatest man to serve the Indian Armed Forces.. SHARE and let others know Him !! SHARE His story if you feel like. Namaste.
Posted on: Sun, 01 Dec 2013 10:29:55 +0000