" I AM ALIVE & KICKING"........

I was seeing the Indian side being trashed by an ever confident Sri Lankan team at the finals of the Asia Cup 2008..........suddenly the camera zooms into a balcony, which is witnessing a sudden frenzy of events.....on the screen comes the President of Pakistan, General Pervez Musharraf.........he was looking relaxed as ever, though this time, he was looking slightly old & worn out..........was there a message he was trying to give to the world,hours after a bomb that killed 19(unofficially) & 8( officially) people near the now infamous Lal Masjid..................


maybe the message was......." Hey folks i am alive & kicking"............

GOODBYE......Field Marshal S.H.F.J Manekshaw, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, MC

On 27th June 2008 at about 0030 HRS one of the bravest officer & the only surviving Field Marshal of the Indian Army died battling a prolonged illness..........may his soul rest in peace.....

I am not going to sing songs of his praise, but will try to give the readers an idea about Sam Bahadur, his life in and outside the Army.

PERSONAL PROFILE

Name: Field Marshal Sam Hormusji Framji "Sam Bahadur" Jamshedji Manekshaw
Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, MC

Date of Birth: 03rd April 1914

Place of Birth: Amritsar, Punjab Province

Name of Father: Dr Hormusji Framji Manekshaw

Name of Mother: Not Available in any online search

Name of Wife: Mrs. Siloo Manekshaw

Schooling: Amritsar and Sherwood College, Nainital
Indian Military Academy:First batch of Indian MA graduate. He was one of the 16 chosen from an applicant base of more than 1200 candidates.

First Posting: Indian Army as a Second Lieutenant in "The Frontier Force Regiment" on 4th February 1934.
On completion of his attachment, as was customary then, with a British Infantry Battalion, the 2nd Battalion the Royal Scots, he joined the 4th Battalion, 12 Frontier Force Regiment, also known as the 54th Sikhs. After partition of India, this Regiment opted to join the Pakistan Army.

WW2 Campaign: He was severely injured taking 7 bullets in his abdomen, chest , hands during a campaign against the Japanese in WW2 in Burma. He was decorated with Military Cross( belonging to Maj. Gen. Cowan) of the battlefield itself by Major General Cowan, because a Milliary Cross cannot be awarded posthumously.

Facts you may not know about him & his life:

Did you know General Yahya Khan, who became the President of Pakistan still owes him Rs 1000/- for a 'James' motorcycle he sold to Yahya Khan.

He had a sharp memory & knew the wives of Army officers by names even after years.......

Manekshaw's prized possession is a Sunbeam Rapier ( a car) he owned till he died & it is still in excellent running condition.

i can go on & on with the text i am getting from reading books & online stuff...but to me this sums it up .......i now know my Hero....my country's most loved son..................


JAI HIND!!!!!!!

and remember an old saying.......

" A SOLDIER NEVER DIES, HE JUST FADES AWAY"........