Sam Manekshaw Wiki, Age, Height, Death, Wife, Family, Biography, and More

Field Marshal Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw MC, also known as Sam Bahadur (“Sam the Brave”), held the position of Chief of the Army Staff in the Indian Army during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. He made history as the first Indian Army officer to attain the prestigious rank of field marshal. Manekshaw was widely acclaimed for his leadership in the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971, which played a pivotal role in securing India’s victory. Recognized as the mastermind behind India’s success in the conflict, he garnered admiration as a military strategist. Field Marshal Manekshaw, often referred to as a beloved national figure, earned both the love of his country and the disdain of the enemy.  In this article, you’ll find a comprehensive  Sam Manekshaw biography.

Sam Manekshaw Biography

Hormizd Manekshaw, a physician, successfully operated a bustling clinic and pharmacy in the heart of Amritsar. This aspect offers a distinctive glimpse into his mindset and approach to handling a wide spectrum of situations, ranging from the profound to the mundane. Sam Manekshaw, one of only two Indian military officers to achieve the esteemed rank of Field Marshal, had an active military career that spanned four decades and included participation in five wars, commencing with his service in World War II. Following the war, he played a pivotal role in the amalgamation of the Indian Army and the Pakistani Army. Subsequently, he enrolled in the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun. Intriguingly, it was a twist of fate that led him to join the army, as this brilliant student initially aspired to become a doctor.

Sam Manekshaw Picture

Sam Manekshaw With his Family Picture

Sam Manekshaw With his Wife Picture

Sam Manekshaw With his Daughter Picture

Family

Having relocated from Valsad, Gujarat, Sam Manekshaw’s family settled in Punjab. Sam adhered to the Zoroastrianism religion. His father, Dr. Hormusji Manekshaw, and his mother, Hilla, served as a homemaker. Captain Hormusji Manekshaw, Sam’s father and a former Royal British Army Captain, had established a medical practice and pharmacy in Bombay before moving to Amritsar. As the fifth child of his parents, Sam had three brothers—Fali (elder, an engineer), Jan (elder, an engineer), and Jemi (younger, a medical officer in the Royal Indian Air Force). Due to concerns about Sam’s age, his father hesitated to send him out on his own until he was older. Additionally, Sam had two elder sisters, Sila and Sheroo, both pursuing careers as teachers.

Age

Sam Manekshaw was born on Friday, April 3, 1914, in Amritsar, Punjab. At the time of his death, he was 94 years old. He is currently 109 years old.

Education

His schooling was completed at Sherwood College, Nainital, and he pursued his graduation at Hindu Sabha College, Amritsar.

Height and Weight

He stood at a height of 5 feet 9 inches and had a weight of 65 kilograms.

Wife and Daughters

Sam encountered his future wife, Siloo Bode, in 1937, and they tied the knot on April 22, 1939. Sam Bahadur spent his formative years in Amritsar, and together, he and Siloo had two daughters named Sherry and Maja.

Career

Sam joined the inaugural batch of the Indian Military Academy upon its establishment, successfully passing the entrance test and becoming one of the 40 cadets admitted in 1932, known as the Pioneers. Graduating on February 4, 1934, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the British Indian Army. Initially attached to the 2nd Battalion, the Royal Scots, after completing this attachment, he joined the 4th Battalion, 12 Frontier Force Regiment. This practice of commissioning Indian soldiers into British units before transferring them to Indian units was customary at that time.

During World War II in 1942, Sam served in Burma, specifically in the campaign along the Sittang River with the 4/12 Frontier Force Regiment, holding the rank of Captain. Facing the invading Japanese Army around Pagoda Hill, he was appointed acting Captain and Major due to a shortage of officers. Despite significant challenges, including being gravely wounded during the campaign, he demonstrated resilience and bravery.

In May 1938, Sam was appointed as the quartermaster of his battalion, and by October 1938, he qualified as a Higher Standard Army Interpreter in the Pashto language. During an attack to capture a hill, where half of his battalion perished, Sam’s unit successfully captured the hill, and he was commended for his courage.

After attending the 8th Staff Course at Staff College, Quetta, from August to December 1943, he served as the Brigade Major of the Razmak brigade until October 1944. In a subsequent advance, Sam was shot by a light machine gun, sustaining seven bullet wounds to his stomach. Despite the severity of his injuries, he recovered and resumed his duties.

Towards the end of World War II, he was sent to serve on General Daisy’s staff in Indo-China. Following an attack in which he was severely wounded, Major General David Cowan personally awarded Sam the Military Cross, stating, “A dead person cannot be awarded the Military Cross.” Post-attack, he played a crucial role in repatriating over 10,000 former Prisoners of War. Despite initial reluctance from a surgeon who deemed his condition critical, Sam defied the odds and survived.

Personal life and death

Manekshaw married Siloo Bode on April 22, 1939, in Bombay. In June 2008, he was hospitalized due to pneumonia. The couple had two daughters, Sherry and Maya (later Maja), born in 1940 and 1945, respectively. As his health deteriorated with complications, Sherry, who married Batliwala, has a daughter named Brandy. Sam Manekshaw passed away on June 27, 2008, at 12:30 am, succumbing to acute bronchopneumonia.

Maya, employed as a stewardess at British Airways, married Daruwala, a pilot. The couple has two sons named Raoul Sam and Jehan Sam. Given Sam’s Parsi background, he was buried. Manekshaw, at the age of 94, breathed his last at the Military Hospital in Wellington, Tamil Nadu, and was buried in Ooty, Tamil Nadu, beside his wife’s grave. Despite the controversies post-retirement, including the reported lack of VIP representation at his funeral and the absence of a national day of mourning, which was not customary for a leader of national importance, Sam Manekshaw’s legacy endured.

Legacy

Every year, on December 16, Vijay Diwas is commemorated to honor the victory achieved under the leadership of Manekshaw in 1971. He and Silloo Bode met at a social gathering in Lahore in 1937, eventually falling in love. The Manekshaw Centre in Delhi Cantonment, a top-tier institution of the Indian Army spread over 25 acres, is named after the field marshal. The biannual Army Commanders’ conference, a key policy-formulating event, is held at this center.

Sam Manekshaw, who enjoyed a long and fulfilling life, married Silloo Bode in April 1939, and they had two daughters. The Manekshaw parade ground in Bangalore is another tribute to him. He passed away at the age of 94 in 2008 due to pneumonia. In 2014, a granite statue was erected in his honor in Wellington, Nilgiris district, near the Manekshaw Bridge on the Ooty–Coonoor road, named after him in 2009.

Awards & Achievements

In recognition of his exceptional service to the nation, Sam Manekshaw was bestowed with the Padma Vibhushan, the second-highest civilian award in the Republic of India, in 1972. He had previously received the Military Cross in 1942 for his gallantry. On January 1, 1973, the President of India conferred upon him the prestigious rank of Field Marshal. Additionally, he was honored with the 20 Years Long Service Medal in 1955.

Net Worth

Sam Manekshaw is believed to have had a net worth or net income ranging between $1 million and $4 million.

Dates of rank

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