Sam Manekshaw is no more!

If any Indian victory was sweeter than the World cup of 1983 in cricket it is the victory of the Bangladesh war in 1971. The nation celebrated the victory more euphorically with the newspapers almost everyday coming out with acts of valour of our soldiers in various border areas. It was the time when India was not a force to reckon with perhaps in any field of science and technology nor in any sports. Victory in sports was few and far between and that too used to be in a match and not in a tournament. But, when it came to the win in the war against Pakistan both in 1965 and 1971 the nation celebrated with true patriotic fervour.

Sam Manekshaw the soldier as General of the armed forces was behind the victory of 1971 which is known till date as war for liberation of Bangladesh. He actually crafted the victory for us as Rahul Dravid so often does in cricket. It was planning, marshalling, directing and controlling with finesse and achieving the ultimate goal, the liberation of Bangladesh. Though Bangladesh was part of Pakistan till the liberation, the Sam Bahadur advised the troops “when you enter Bangladesh don’t go as conquerors but go as liberators.

Joining the army was not a lucrative career even in the seventies, yet youngsters were brought to the mood of joining the armed forces as a career, since they saw Manekshaw as the man under whom they would be working and the spirit of patriotism and discipline that radiated in everything that the Sam did was the reason behind such path breaking thought process of the youth. While political leaders always could be in the limelight and also manage a mass following both by charisma and power of the polity, the Sam without the political base was equally charismatic, respectable, popular and was a role model as many youngsters in the NCC walked in the parades and ‘march past’ imagining themselves to be Manekshaw.

It was really a feeling of fulfilment to see ‘The Hindu’ giving wide coverage to the news of the death of Manekshaw and also on his life and career with almost every page having a news item that paid tribute to the ‘Man’. ‘Man’ he was in the true sense of the word as he had the courage of conviction to say ‘No’ to no less a personality than Indira Gandhi the then Prime Minister. A teenager who saw the newspapers and TVs full of news on the Field Marshall asked why is he so great and what Field Marshall is.

As people today more so the youngsters understand the languages of cricket and IT better, I drew analogy from them. He was charismatic like Sachin Tendulkar, valorous like Dhoni and can be steadfast like Rahul Dravid and above all did things for the nation as high perhaps higher than what Narayanamurthy has done through his ‘Infosys’ for the nation. As an icing I brought in the incomparable Dr. Abdul Kalam for the non controversial nature of his stature and respectful persona.

To sum up I also said he gave us so much thrill that you would get if Sachin were to get us the next world cup. As the boy smiled with gleam as if the cup has already arrived, I felt satisfied that I have made a youngster understand Indian history that may as well become a very small piece as the nation progresses and start the gallop in the developmental path in the coming decades. Yet the victory that was fetched by Manekshaw is etched in memory for all those who participated in it as proud patriotic citizens.

Thank you Sam, you are so great and rare and as rare as a Field Marshall. I convey my solemn respects to you, the way any soldier would do to convey respect, I Salute you. 

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