Interesting facts about India’s First Field Marshal 'Sam Manekshaw'
His real name is Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw.
Born to Parsi parents in Amritsar, Manekshaw was the first Indian Army officer to be promoted to the five-star rank of Field Marshal.
One of his famous quotes is: “If a man says he is not afraid of dying, he is either lying or he is a Gorkha”.
He was awarded the Military Cross in 1942, the Padma Bhushan in 1968 and the Padma Vibhushan in 1972.
Sam’s father, Hormusji Manekshaw had also served in the British Indian Army during the First World War.
Towards the end of his career, he was involved in various controversies and was also branded ‘anti-national’ by some.
Manekshaw died of complications from pneumonia at the Military Hospital in Wellington, Tamil Nadu.