| Published on 27-06-2008 In World |
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| The creator of Bangladesh :Field Marshal Manekshaw dead |
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Written by
Naresh |
 Field Marshal Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw who showed exemplary courage and unheard of strategy to rout Pakistan army in Indo-Pak war 1971 with India’s greatest military victory that created not only history but birth of new nation Bangladesh.
Sam Bahadur, Manekshaw (94) was born in Amritsar in 3 rd April,1914,to Parsi parents who migrated to Punjab from the small town of Valsad on the Gujarat coast.Sam completed his schooling in Amritsar and Sherwood College, Nainital. Sam met his love Silloo at social gathering in Lahore 1937, fell in love and were married on April 22, 1939. Chief architect and great strategist of military plans for battle field who has served for four decades the Indian army is dead.His best moment of his life came when 90000 POW of Pakistani army men surrendered and won the battle in 14 days with new nation Bangladesh was born.
Sam was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Indian Army after he passed out of the IMA in December 1934. From the British era to the World War II. After India`s independence in 1947 three wars against China and Pakistan. World War II Manekshaw's Burma campaign on Sittang River as a Captain with the 4/12 Frontier Force Regimenthe won the rare distinction of being honoured for his bravery on the battle front itself, leading a counter-offensive against the invading Japanese Army in Burma aand in course of the offensive he was hit by a burst of LMG bullets and was severely wounded in the stomach,the end of World War II, Manekshaw was sent as Staff Officer to General Daisy in Indo-China where, after the Japanese surrender, he helped rehabilitate over 10,000 POWs.
Therafter he was on a six-month lecture tour to Australia in 1946, and after his return served as a First Grade Staff Officer in the Military Operations Directorate.
Manekshaw showed acumen for planning and administration while handling the issues related to Partition in 1947, and later put to use his battle skills during the 1947-48 Jammu " Kashmir Operations.Sam at the Infantry Brigade, was posted as the Commandant of the Infantry School and also became the Colonel of 8 Gorkha Rifles (which became his new regimental home, since his original parent regiment The 12th Frontier Force Regiment went on to join the new Pakistan Army at partition ) and 61 Cavalry.
Sam commanded Division in Jammu " Kashmir and a Corps in the North East, with a tenure as Commandant of Defence Services Staff College (DSSC) in between and As GOC-in-C Eastern Command, Sam handled the tricky problem of insurgency in Nagaland and the grateful nation honoured him with a Padma Bhushan in 1968.
Sam Bahadur of 1971 Manekshaw became the 8th Chief of Army Staff when he succeeded General Kumaramangalam on 7 June 1969. During his tenure, thousands of refugees from the erstwhile East Pakistan started crossing over to India as a result of oppression from West Pakistan.During this Indo-Pakistan War of 1971, Manekshaw with inherent ability to motivate the forces, coupling it with a mature war strategy. The war ended with Pakistan`s unconditional surrender, and the formation of Bangladesh. More than 45,000 Pakistani soldiers and 45,000 civilian personnel were taken as POWs.
Sam masterminded the rout of the Pakistan Army in one of the quickest victories in the recent military history. This led to the Shimla Agreement which opened the door to the creation of the nation of Bangladesh as separate from Pakistan.
President of India awarded him a Padma Vibhushan in 1972 and conferred upon him the rank of Field Marshal on 1 January 1973,the other to this honorary being the late Field Marshal Kodandera Madappa Cariappa.
Manekshaw retired a fortnight later on 15 January 1973 from active army services. Field Marshals of the Indian Army never retire because the rank is conferred for life.Sam after completing nearly four decades of military service after his retirement from the Indian Army, Manekshaw being popular figures successfully served corporate world with distinction of director of companies
Sam's achievements as COAS are Prepared the Army for a well-planned and a well executed operation against Pakistan in 1971, leading to the creation of Bangladesh.As Chairman of Chiefs of Staff Committee, he welded the Army, Navy and Air Force into a well-knit team. |
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