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3 April 2014

Sam Manekshaw: An icon of Indian Army

April 3, 2014, marks the 100 birth anniversary of Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw. If greatness is judged by the silhouette a person has popularised, a sensibility he has nurtured, an aesthetics that is unmistakably his own, we can say he has added to the vocabulary of soldiering. This is true of Sam 


Lt Gen Depinder Singh (Retd)

TO Sam Manekshaw fame and power came naturally, the reward of a hugely successful career and the validation of great professional competence, impeccable personal character and indomitable courage. The admiration, affection and confidence he evoked were unparalleled in the history of our armed forces leadership. He was appointed Chief of Army Staff in May 1969 and his Special Order of the Day on assuming command was a model of brevity: "I have today taken over as Chief of the Army Staff. I expect everyone to do his duty."

Sam Manekshaw did not take kindly to ‘passengers’, saying, "Everyone is paid and everyone has to do his job 100 per cent.” 

The period up to March 1971 saw a rapidly increasing tempo. Commands would be grilled over their daily situation reports which he saw first thing every morning, directors and principal staff officers at Army Headquarters got to see his phenomenal memory when he would quote assurances given and not yet fulfilled, if he did not understand some subject or was dissatisfied with a draft, he would pick up the file and march at this customary 140 paces to the minute to the officer concerned who would get a shock seeing the Chief entering his office and sitting down opposite him to question and advise. The bureaucracy was cautioned that a case under the Chief's signature would bear notings by the Defence Secretary only. Concurrently, re-organisation and re-equipment of the Army was taken up. A massive construction programme was launched to overcome the huge deficiencies of accommodation. Orders were issued that allotted funds must be expended in full and in time, cautioning that the time honoured practice of saving allotted funds and then expecting a pat on the back would, instead, get a rap on the knuckles. A widely welcome change in the retirement age of personnel was that it would be by age replacing the existing ad-hoc tenure system wherein no one knew when the retirement axe would fall.

Three incidents

Three incidents from this hectic period deserve mention. One, while returning from Palam one evening he noticed that the exterior upkeep of Sardar Patel Officers Quarters was shoddy. The next morning the Quarter Master General and the Engineer-in-Chief were directed to visit the site and report back within two hours with a corrective plan. Two, while inspecting new construction coming up in Jaipur, he expressed annoyance over the lack of attention to detail. The accompanying garrison engineer (a Major) bore the brunt of his criticism but retained his cool and pointed out that plans emanated from Delhi and he was not empowered to make any changes. Some months after this visit, promotion board proceedings were put up to the Chief for approval. When the proceedings came out there was a remark in red ink against the same Major who had not been cleared by the board. "Clear him. He had guts to stand up to me," Sam remarked. Three, visiting a battalion of the Garhwal Rifles he asked the Commanding Officer what action was taken against a soldier who contacted a venereal disease. "We get this head shaved off," said the officer, who did not know where to look when the Chief retorted, "But Sweetie, he did not do it with this head." Busy as he was with this hectic schedule, he still found time to notice that the civilian staff of his secretariat warmed their lunch boxes on the stove. They get a hot box.

Sam enjoyed excellent rapport with the then Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi. Following the Kamraj Plan re-shuffle, she was a bit apprehensive of some senior ministers ganging up against her. Her solution: Get the Army Chief to visit her office, have a one to one meeting after which he would leave with everyone trying to guess what the two had discussed. In one such meeting she remarked that there were reports that he was planning a coup. With a smile he said, "You do your job and let me do mine.' While on the subject, another incident comes to mind. In an interview, Abu Abraham, the famous cartoonist, asked, "Can the Army stage a coup?" The answer was, "The question is grammatically incorrect. Can implies capability and of course the Army can, but it never will." Despite the rapport with the PM, Sam was constantly emphasising the need for correctness while dealing with civilians. "We serve, but we are not sycophants." This was highlighted in a dramatic manner one day. The Defence Secretary was chairing a meeting in the Ministry's conference room. It was a warm day and as the Secretary entered, he shouted at an officer sitting next to a closed window, "You there, open that window." Before the officer could react came another command, "Please sit." This was from the chief who had entered through another door. He then turned to the Secretary and said, "You will never address an officer of mine as 'you there'. A very useful lesson was learnt by all that day.

We come now to March 25, 1971, and his crowning achievement. That day the Pakistan Army cracked down in what was then East Pakistan. Later in the evening, the Prime Minister was briefed by the Chief. She heard him out in silence and then asked if we could do something to help. The Chief replied that he had not been allowed to recruit 'Badmashes' (crooks). if he had some of these, they could have been sent in. The PM gave her enigmatic smile and with a "Thank you," departed. During the next few days pressure mounted, demanding military intervention culminating in a meeting of the Cabinet where the Chief, also Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee by now, was invited. Every minister was for immediate military intervention and finally the PM asked the Chief for his views.

Advice to Indira Gandhi

Then followed a brilliant oration counseling delay citing valid reasons. The Army was widely dispersed overseeing elections in Assam and Bengal; it would take time to concentrate. The monsoon was due shortly and the flooded terrain would make movement very difficult for the attacker. The Himalayan passes were opening and Chinese intervention was a distinct possibility. Public opinion, both domestic and foreign needed to be moulded to understand and accept our concerns because otherwise, the world viewed the uprising as an internal affair of Pakistan. Addressing the ministers concerned, he pointed out that despite the services asking for more funds for modernisation and the urgency of making up glaring deficiencies and creation of infrastructure, the allotted funds fell far short of demand. Time was required to make up deficiencies by increasing domestic production and imports. He concluded with the words that immediate intervention would invite defeat. Given time, he could guarantee success. The PM, the statesman as she was, saw the merit in this argument, closed the meeting and directed the Chief to have his way. The next few months saw an incredible increase in activity where his leadership qualities came to the fore --guiding, checking, correcting and ever impatient with delay and indecisiveness. He selected his subordinates, discussed operational plans in detail and made certain every commander knew what resources he would have and what his job was.

He visited all formations and spoke to the officers and men, exhorting them to win as ours was a just cause. This was when two famous quotes were created -- "If anyone says he is not afraid, he is either a liar or is a Gorkha," and "There will be no molesting women. If the urge strikes, put your hands in your pockets and think of me." Infrastructure in Tripura was improved to permit opening another front. A critical decision whether to employ the Mukti Bahini (Freedom Fighters) along the border or in the hinterland was discussed. It was decided to adopt the former and when the war came, this resulted in Pakistani forces being widely dispersed.

On December 3, 1971, Pakistan attacked and the war was on. The Chief’s re-action, when news came in, was, "The moment we were looking forward to has arrived. Now let us get them." After some time he went home, changed and took a drive in his private car up to Palam, got back, changed again and was off to a party. That is confidence. A typical day during the war would be: Office at 8 am to peruse a synopsis of the preceding day’s events, a chat with the Director, Military Operations and then off to brief the PM. During the day the Defence Minister would be briefed followed by a meeting of the Chiefs of Staff Committee. Here, after reviewing the past activities, plans would be fanalised for the next 24 hours. Then a call to all the Army Commanders with advice, encouragement and sometimes, a rebuke.

The strategic vision of Sam Manekshaw, the meticulous planning, full support of the PM and professionalism of the services ensured that except for a couple of inevitable hiccups, everything went according to plan. On December 16, 1971, Pakistan sought and was granted a ceasefire. Over 90,000 combatants surrendered making this, after Chandragupta Maurya's victory over Selecus in 303 BC, the next truly great Indian victory. The PM was keen that Sam proceed to Dacca to take the surrender. Gracious as ever, he declined stating that it was Lt Gen JS Aurora's victory and he should get the honour. This act will give the lie to the canard that the two did not get along.

The Simla Agreement unwittingly provided another feather in the over-laden cap of Sam Manekshaw. Though both countries agreed to vacate all territory occupied during the war, Pakistan refused to return a 14 square kilometer enclave, Thako Chak near Jammu. When all efforts failed the PM asked the Chief to proceed to Lahore and resolve the issue. The visit ended in a stalemate. After a few days the PM met the Chief and directed that he go again and, if need be, hand over Thako Chak to Pakistan. On his query why the Foreign Minister could not do this, he was told that handing over by a politician would be indefensible in Parliament. The same act by the Chief would be acceptable. This visit was a huge success as Pakistan agreed to vacate the enclave.

In April 1972 Sam was completing his age of superannuation and was keen to retire. The PM, on the other hand, was adamant that he continue. In one heated argument, she remarked that she was so angry she felt like slapping him. The reply that if she did, he would still love her, brought the temperature down. She had her way, however, and an announcement was made that Sam Manekshaw would continue to serve at the President's pleasure. Apart from the Padama Vibhushan he was awarded, the PM was keen to promote him to Field Marshal. The first effort in early 1972 was aborted by the bureaucracy by the simple expedient of citing avoidable inter-service friction. Towards the end of 1972 she had her way. He was promoted and she asked him to remain in Delhi after relinquishing office on January 15, 1973, as she wanted to appoint him as Member Defence in the Planning Commission with cabinet rank. This will answer the allegations that surfaced later that he was hankering for a job. However, before this could fructify, the politician-bureaucrat nexus spread the canard questioning his loyalty and Indianess. Hurt that the PM did not defend him in parliament, he quietly packed his bags and left for Coonor. The totally unfounded apprehension that his shining too bright and burning too hot would consign the politician to his shadow deprived the country of his continued services.

Professional competence

What can we learn from the man? The first quality we see is professional competence. He did not take kindly to 'passengers', saying, "Everyone is paid and everyone has to do his job 100 per cent." Before a meeting, he would insist on detailed briefings so that he was fully prepared. I once asked him about this and was told that, as Director, Military Operations, he had seen generals of the calibre of Thimayya being outwitted by bureaucrats who were better prepared. "No one is going to make a monkey out of me," he would say.

The next quality that stood out was character. Recall how he stood up to the Prime Minister and the entire Cabinet for what he saw was correct. Isaiah Berlin, the philosopher once remarked that one should never underestimate the role of shame and humiliation in human affairs. A Court of Inquiry ordered against him in 1962 on frivolous grounds, with the more serious and devious motive of removing him from the scene to clear the path for the appointment of Lt Gen BM Kaul as Army Chief, saw 3-4 officers giving evidence against him. The inquiry eventually exonerated him. A normal man would have remembered and taken revenge when he was in a position to do so. Sam did not victimise or harass anyone. When someone who has been shamed and humiliated, refuses to inflict his pain and anguish on others, we witness moral greatness and the creation of an aura that endures. There is of course, much more -- Strategic vision, loyalty, trust and so. I cannot miss his bubbling sense of humour exemplified by the following incident.

What a man!

* In contrast to the scams and delays one hears about these days in acquiring new equipment, a simple expedient was resorted to. He would walk into a meeting of secretaries and announce, "Gentlemen, I have obtained the PM's approval to import/acquire so and so in so much quantity by so and so date. I now leave you to work out the details and I will check with you next week." There were no delays and no scams; perhaps there is a lesson in this somewhere!

* The PMO sent an anonymous complaint alleging nepotism in the Army, citing the appointment of Maj Gen Das as Director, Weapons and Equipment. No reply was called for, but he responded, saying, "The Oxford Dictionary defines nepotism as undue favourtism to relatives. Das is a high caste Hindu and I am an equally high caste Parsi. So there is no religious relationship. The General is 52 years of age whereas I am 58. Though I was always a precocious child, I could not have sired him. Therefore, there is no family relationship." There was no reply from the PMO

The writer was Military Assistant to Sam Manekshaw during his tenure as Chief of the Army Staff

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2014/20140403/edit.htm#6


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