[sanjayatarizona]

RIP Sir Field Marshal. It is as well that any of the worthless politico folks did not turn up and vitiate the dignity of the ceremony.

[ajmat]

Was talking to someone in the army about this. The army chief / ex-chief is only 17th on the protocol list so one cannot expect much

[BaCkSeAtDrIVeR]

It was several years back. My mother's grandmother had come visiting and was poring our our family album, when she came across one of my pictures from early childhood. I was wearing a cap, and holding a toy gun; and the background was some moneyplants, to give the authentic jungle effect. She exclaimed, "Oh, you look like Manick sha". I was a bit puzzled; for I knew not the meaning of the word "resemble". And "Manick Shaw" was a strange sounding name.

I remembered that name. And when the old lady left, asked mother who this Manick Shaw is. She was a bit puzzled first, and then said "it is not 'Manick Shaw', it 'Maneckshaw"".

As I grew up, I began to keep a note fo his bravura. His full name was SHFJ Maneckshaw - Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw

He had won a war for India, and was a hero.

During my teens, he made an off-cuff remark about the importance of being brave enough to say "no". He rued that he was being wooed by sooo many companies to be a director on their board; and he was finding it difficult to say no. Those were the times I was worried about finding a job after education, and almost wrote to him asking him to recommend to the directorships he declined.

And at some point of time, I used to wodner about his religion and community. That was before I foudn what "SHFJ" meant. Was he a Coorgi? A prominent rally driver had a long nose like this chap, and probably, this chap IS from Coorg.


Here is more about the great soldier.

Sam Manekshaw - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Thad E Ginathom]

I was deeply moved by what I read of his life and character yesterday. A Real Hero's Hero. A friend of mine has an army family background, he said yes, he had met Sam several times, and he was indeed quite a guy.

It is sad to read what you guys have to say about the politicians, and true.

Perhaps former President AJP Kalam might have done better: another gentleman of true principle.

[TrueDreamer]

May his soul RIP. Jai Hind!

[Amien]

This is pathetic, Although for the best, It would've been a terrible dishonour if some leaders would turn up and try to gain political mileage from the whole thing.

[Prabal]

I have a slightly different take on this whole thing about the larger issue of honouring our soldiers. Field Marshal Maneckshaw needs no further words of praise, the man was much bigger than anything I can say. On a personal front he was a friend (although senior) of my father, and losing him is a double hit for us, as we also lost Papa on February 18th, this year.

Anyway, the politicians are what they are. It's not worth venting our spleen over them. The military top brass' absence (Naval and Air Force), other than the army chief's since he was in Russia, was surprising. I don't know about Uncle Sam coming at number 17, since a Field Marshal wears his uniform for life, but protocol or no protocol, his funeral warranted the presence of the top guns, IMHO.

However, while we are castigating everybody else, as we are wont to do in India, how about asking how many of us really appreciate what the soldier does for us? Not just in war, but in peace when he plays a huge role, unbeknown to many. How much do we really feel for a soldier when we see one, or dream of becoming one ourselves? Is there really much empathy with the Armed Forces? I'm not pontificating, I'm guilty of not doing my bit either.

Anyway, slightly OT maybe, but the Army has devised a very nice system of honouring all it's recently departed soldiers. Of course there's a protocol in place here too, as the extent of the action is dependant on the soldier's rank and stature. But what I'm talking about is that when a soldier (who's registered with the Army for this, which is a small pre-requisite) dies if the Army HQ, or the designated office in the station, is informed of the funeral, the Army sends a team in uniform with wreaths, etc. to pay their last respects to the departed soul. This has also been necessitated due to nuclear families fragmenting further with many old people living away from their children, and in the case of military people often settled down in a place which is not their original hometown, not many relatives around either. At old age, many friends are gone too. This institution, the Army, is doing its bit towards alleviating that loneliness for the surviving partner. In fact, sometimes even the partner is no more and there is no one to perform the last rites, so these guys help there too!

We need a better social fabric for all our citizens. The one gone is gone, but those left behind can always do with a genuine support system around. No?

[given2fly]

Another one of the old stout men leaves us behind. You shall always be remembered for the great deeds for your country and continue to inspire countless lives. Well done, F. M. Maneckshaw. Salute of the highest order to You.

[madan80]

one of the main reasons india won the war - in 1971- was because of the field marshals amazing foresight into field tactics.
i read the news and I was quite shocked.

I read the news first on the Reuters site (www.in.reuters.com) and not any of the indian news sites- which just goes to show what are the priorities set by the masses.

I dont even think half the people know who this great man was.