Early life and Education
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Manekshaw was born in Amritsar, Punjab to Parsi parents, Hormusji Manekshaw, a doctor, and his wife Heerabai, who moved to the Punjab from the small town of Valsad on the Gujarat coast. After completing his schooling in Amritsar and Sherwood College (Nainital), he asked his father to send him to college abroad to study medicine. When his father refused, in an act of rebellion, he applied to join the IMA and as a result became part of the first intake of 40 cadets at the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, on 1 October 1932. He passed out from the IMA on 4 February 1934 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Indian Army. He held several regimental assignments and was first attached to the 2nd Bn The Royal Scots and later to the 4/12th Frontier Force Regiment. Upon Partition, his Parent Unit 4/12 FFR became part of the Pakistan Army, so Maneckshaw transferred to the 8th Gurkha Rifles
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Military Career
.Manekshaw's military career spanned four decades, from the British era and World War II, to the three wars against China and Pakistan after India's independence in 1947.
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During World War II, Manekshaw saw action in Burma in the 1942 campaign on the Sittang River as a captain with the 4/12 Frontier Force Regiment,[2] and had the rare distinction of being honoured for his bravery on the battle front itself. He was commanding his battalion's 'A' Company in a counter-attack against the invading Japanese Army and despite suffering 50% casualties the company achieved its objective, Pagoda Hill, which was a key position on the left of the Sittang bridgehead. After capturing the hill, he was hit by a burst of LMG bullets and was severely wounded in the stomach.[3] Major General D.T. Cowan spotted Manekshaw holding on to life and was aware of his valour in face of stiff resistance from the Japanese. Fearing the worst, Major General Cowan quickly pinned his own Military Cross ribbon to Manekshaw saying, "A dead person cannot be awarded a Military Cross."[2] The official recommendation for the MC states that the success of the attack "was largely due to the excellent leadership and bearing of Captain Manekshaw". The award was made official with the publication of the notification in a supplement to the London Gazette of 21 April 1942 (dated 23 April 1942).
.Manekshaw was almost pronounced dead when brought to Rangoon hospital with nine bullets in the lung, liver and kidneys. The military surgeon was reluctant to operate, seeing his hopeless condition, though Manekshaw was conscious. When the surgeon asked what had happened to him he is said to have replied that he was "kicked by a donkey".
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Having recovered from those near-fatal wounds in Burma, Manekshaw went for a course at Staff College, Quetta, and later also served there as an instructor before being sent to join 12 Frontier Force Rifles in Burma under General (later Field Marshal) Slim's 14th Army. He was once again involved in a fierce battle with the Japanese, and was wounded for a second time. Towards the end of World War II, Manekshaw was sent as staff officer to General Daisy in Indo-China where, after the Japanese surrender, he helped rehabilitate over 10,000 POWs. He then went on a six-month lecture tour to Australia in 1946, and after his return served as a first grade staff officer in the Military Operations Directorate.
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Manekshaw showed acumen for planning and administration while handling the issues relating to Partition in 1947, and later put his battle skills to use during the 1947-48 Jammu & Kashmir Operations. After command of an Infantry Brigade, he was posted as the commandant of the Infantry School and also became the colonel of 8 Gurkha Rifles (which became his new regimental home, since his original parent regiment the 12th Frontier Force Regiment went on to join the new Pakistan Army at partition) and 61 Cavalry. He commanded a division in Jammu & Kashmir and a corps in the North East, with a tenure as commandant of Defence Services Staff College (DSSC) in between. As GOC-in-C Eastern Command, he handled the tricky problem of insurgency in Nagaland and the grateful nation honoured him with a Padma Bhushan in 1968.
Army Chief: The War of 1971
.Manekshaw became the 8th chief of army staff when he succeeded General Kumaramangalam on 7 June 1969. His years of military experience were soon put to the test as thousands of refugees from the erstwhile East Pakistan started crossing over to India as a result of its conflict with West Pakistan. The volatile situation erupted into a full-scale war in December 1971.
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Honour and Retirement
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For his distinguished service to the country, the President of India (then V. V. Giri) awarded him a Padma Vibhushan in 1972 and conferred upon him the rank of Field Marshal on 1 January 1973. Manekshaw became the first of the only two Indian Army Generals to be awarded this prestigious rank; the other being the late Field Marshal Kodandera Madappa Cariappa. Manekshaw moved out of active service a fortnight later on 15 January 1973 after completing nearly four decades of military service, and settled down with his wife Silloo in Coonoor, the civilian town next to Wellington Military Cantonment where he had served as Commandant of the Defence Services Staff College
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Following his time in active service in the Indian Army, Manekshaw successfully served on the board of directors for numerous companies, and was Chairman of several of them as well.
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Death
.He died of complications from pneumonia at the Military Hospital in Wellington, Tamil Nadu on 0030 hours, 27 June 2008 at the age of 94.
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He was laid to rest in Ootacamund, Tamil Nadu, with military honours, adjacent to his wife's grave. He is survived by two daughters and three grandchildren.
Reportedly, his last words were "I'm okay!"
Ranks & Promotions
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• Second Lieutenant, British Indian Army-1934
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• Lieutenant-1935
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• Captain-1940
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• Major-1943
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• Lieutenant-Colonel-1945
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• Colonel-1946
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• Brigadier-1947
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• Brigadier, Indian Army-1950
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• Major-General, Indian Army-December 1957
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• Lieutenant-General-December 1963
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• General (COAS)-8 June 1969
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• Field Marshal-3 January 1973
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