Origins & Early Life

Field Marshal Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw, (3 April 1914 – 27 June 2008), nicknamed as Sam Bahadur ("the Brave"), was an Indian Army general officer who was the Chief of the army staff during the India–Pakistan war of 1971, and the first Indian army officer to be promoted to the rank of field marshal. His active military career spanned four decades, beginning with service in World War II. Manekshaw joined the first intake of the Indian Military Academy at Dehradun in 1932. He was commissioned into the 4th Battalion, 12th Frontier Force Regiment.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

In World War II, he was awarded the Military Cross for gallantry. Following the Partition of India in 1947, he was reassigned to the 8th Gorkha Rifles. Manekshaw was seconded to a planning role during the 1947 Indo-Pakistani War and the Hyderabad crisis, and as a result, he never commanded an infantry battalion. He was promoted to the rank of brigadier while serving at the Military Operations Directorate. He became the commander of 167 Infantry Brigade in 1952 and served in this position until 1954 when he took over as the director of military training at the Army Headquarters.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

After completing the higher command course at the Imperial...

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