Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw 107th Birth Anniversary: Remembering The 1st Field Marshal Of The Indian Army With His Inspirational Quotes

India is observing the 107th birth anniversary of Indian Army’s first Field Marshal Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw on Saturday. Field Marshal Manekshaw was the brain behind India’s victory against Pakistan in 1971. He was the eighth Chief of Army Staff of India. Manekshaw was born in a Parsi family on April 3, 1914, to Hormizd Manekshaw and Hilla Mehta, in Amritsar. He did his schooling from Sherwood College, Nainital. Manekshaw was part of the first batch of cadets – called Pioneers, who joined the India Indian Military Academy in 1932.

After completing the training he was commissioned into the British Indian Army in 1934. During the World War II Manekshaw was awarded Military Cross for his gallantry. Field Marshal Manekshaw during his military career spanning four decades fought four wars – World War –II, 1948 Kashmir War Against Pakistan and Afghan tribals, 1962 Indo-Sino war, 1951 and 1971 Indo-Pak wars. After the partition of 1947 Field Marshal Manekshaw was first reassigned to the 16th Punjab Regiment and then moved to 8 Gorkha Rifles. Fact Check: Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw Denied Pension After Retirement From Indian Army? Here is The Truth.

Here Are Motivational Quotes By Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw:

• “Give me a man or a woman with common sense and who is not an idiot and I assure you can make a leader out of him or her.”
• “If anyone tell you he is not afraid, he is a liar of or he is Gurkha.”
• “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.”
• “Professional knowledge has to be acquired the hard way. It is continuous study and you never acquire it in today’s fast-moving technological world that you are living in.”
• “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 Marshal but he can never become a leader nor, ever be respected.”
• “You should have to fight and fight to win. There is no roof for the losers. If you lose don’t come back. You will have disgraced the country and the country won’t accept you.”

On January 1, 1973, he became the first General of the Indian Army to be promoted to the rank of Field Marshal. Manekshaw retired from the Indian Army on January 15, 1973, after serving for 39 years. He was also a recipient of Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan. After retirement, Field Marshal Manekshaw spent rest of his life in Coonoor, Tamil Nadu. At the age of 94 years, Field Marshal Manekshaw died on June 27, 2008.

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