Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, The Proud Gorkha Who Fought Five Wars For India

As fans eagerly wait for Vicky Kaushal's upcoming film 'Sam Bahadur', here's the real story of the one of India's bravest sons, who has inspired millions to serve the nation.??

Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw was the first Indian Army officer to be promoted to the rank of Field Marshal. Popularly known as Sam Bahadur (Sam the brave), Field Marshal Manekshaw was known for his wit and straight-talking nature.

Here are some facts about the brave officer on his birth anniversary.

1. He was trained in the first batch of the Indian Military Academy in 1932. He has earlier wanted to be a doctor, just like his father.

2. He took part in five wars for the country - World War II, 1947 Indo-Pak War, 1962 Indo-China War, 1965 Indo-Pak War and 1971 Indo-Pak War.

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3. The unit he was serving in during the second world war, the 4 Battalion of 12 Frontier Force Regiment, went to Pakistan Army after partition. By the end of 1947 he was posted to 3/5 Gorkha Rifles.

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4. He wasn’t fazed by the political leadership. He allegedly told VK Menon to refrain from asking officers what they thought about their seniors. In 1971, when Indira Gandhi asked him “General are you ready?” (for war), he replied: “I am always ready sweetie”.

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5. He was the tactician behind India’s victory in 1971 war. When he was asked to go to East Pakistan to accept the surrender of the Pakistan Army, he declined and said the honour should go to his army commander in the East, Lt. Gen. Jagjit Singh Aurora.

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6. Pakistan military ruler Yahya Khan, Manekshaw’s junior in 1947, never paid him the money for his motorcycle he took from him. Manekshaw recalled the event and said: ''I never received the Rs 1000, but he gave me the whole of East Pakistan.''

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7. Injured in war in Burma, he was rescued by his orderly and taken to a surgeon. Seven bullets were removed from his body. When the surgeon asked him what had happened to him, he retorted that he was “kicked by a mule”.

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8. A proud Gorkha officer, he had reportedly commented that “If a man says he is not afraid of dying, he is either lying or he is a Gurkha”.