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#ShauryaStories: Remembering India's first Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw

In 1973, "in recognition of outstanding services to the Armed Forces and the nation", Manekshaw was promoted to the rank of field marshal.

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Sam Manekshaw | File photo
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This Republic Day, as the nation honours its heroes and confers bravery awards, we take a look at one 'shaurya story' that will inspire the generations to come. 

This is the inspiring story of the first Indian Army officer to be promoted to the rank of field marshal, Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw or 'Sam Manekshaw' was the Chief of Army Staff on the Indian Army during the 1971 India-Pakistan war. 

Military Career:

In 1932, Manekshaw joined the Indian Army as the first batch of cadets and was posted at the 2nd Battalion, Royal Scots, stationed at Lahore but was later commissioned into the 4th Battalion, 12th Frontier Force Regiment, stationed in Burma.

In his military career spanning four decades, he witnessed five wars, beginning with service in the British Indian Army in World War II.

He was honoured with the Military Cross for showing exemplary courage and bravery in the face of stiff resistance during World War II. 

It was during the fighting around Pagoda Hill, that Manekshaw led his company in a counter-attack against the invading Imperial Japanese Army. And despite 50% casualties in his company, they managed to achieve their objective. But Manekshaw was badly wounded after he was hit by machine gun fire. Later, after receiving medical treatment, he somehow managed to recover from his near fatal wounds. 

Later, he was appointed to supervise the demilitarisation of thousands of Japanese prisoners of war. His handling of the situation was near perfect. No cases of indiscipline or escape attempts were reported under his supervision. 

Because of this, he was promoted to acting lieutenant colonel in 1946, and then to the substantive rank of major in 1947. 

In 1947, after India-Pakistan partition, Manekshaw's unit, the 4th Battalion, 12th Frontier Force Regiment, became part of the Pakistan Army, so he was reassigned to the 8th Gorkha Rifles. 

On the Kashmir issue, in a briefing to Lord Mountbatten and the Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, it was Manekshaw who suggested immediate deployments of troops to prevent Kashmir from being captured.

On October 27, before Pakistani forces reacahed the city, Indian troops were sent to Kashmir, and Srinagar was occupied.  As a consequence, Manekshaw was posted to the MO Directorate. 

In the following years, Manekshaw, on the basis of his skills and valour was subsequently posted and promoted from one rank to another. 

In 1962, Manekshaw was promoted to acting lieutenant general and appointed GOC of IV Corps at Tezpur after a court case that nearly ended his career was closed and he exonerated. 

Later, in the 1971 India-Pakistan War, Manekshaw showed exceptional military planning skills and on December 9, 11 and 15, he addressed the Pakistani troops by radio broadcast and assured them that if they surrendered, since India had occupied most strategic positions and isolated Pakistan, they would receive honourable treatment from the Indian troops.

Pakistan surrendered on December 16, 1971.

In 1972 Manekshaw was awarded Padma Vibhushan. 

In 1973,  "in recognition of outstanding services to the Armed Forces and the nation", Manekshaw was promoted to the rank of field marshal. He was formally conferred with the rank in a ceremony January 3.

Sam Manekshaw biopic:

On the 11th death anniversary of Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw it was announced that filmmaker Meghna Gulzar will be directing a biopic on the Indian military leader with actor Vicky Kaushal playing the lead role.

On being quizzed about shooting plans, the filmmaker replied, "We will start shooting in 2021, which is good for all of us because it needs that much prep time as we have the Partition, accession of Kashmir, and the 1971 Indo-Pak war to cover in the narrative."

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