India observes 13th death anniversary Field Marshal Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw. Sm Manekshaw died on June 27, 2008. He was the first field Marshal of the Indian Army.Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw was the brain behind India’s victory against Pakistan in 1971. Manekshaw was born in a Parsi family on April 3, 1914, to Hormizd Manekshaw and Hilla Mehta, in Amritsar.
Maneskshaw joined the first batch of the Indian Military Academy in 1932. After completing the training, he was commissioned into the British Indian Army in 1934. His career spanned for four decades. After the partition of 1947 Field Marshal Manekshaw was first reassigned to the 16th Punjab Regiment and then moved to 8 Gorkha Rifles.
Here Are Facts About Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw:
- He did his schooling from Sherwood College, Nainital.
- 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.
- During the World War II Manekshaw was awarded Military Cross.
- The first batch of IMA cadets, also called pioneers, included Smith Dun and Muhammad Musa Khan, future commanders-in-chief of Burma and Pakistan.
- Sam Manekshaw succeeded the Gen P. P. Kumaramangalam as the Chief of Army Staff in June 1969.
- He was awarded Padma Vibhushan in 1972.
- 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 married Siloo Bode on April 22, 1939.
After retirement, Field Marshal Manekshaw spent rest of his life in Coonoor, Tamil Nadu. At the age of 94 years, Field Marshal Sam Hormusji Framji Manekshaw died on June 27, 2008. On December 16, 2008, the then President Pratibha Patil released a postal stamp of Manekshaw in his field marshal’s uniform.
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