Vijay Diwas: When Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw told Indira Gandhi, Indian Army was not ready

New Delhi, Dec 16: Today, December 16 is Vijay Diwas and it is a day to remember the great Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw who led India to victory in the 1971 war.

A fearless patriot and one of the very few soldiers who could stand up to the establishment and call a spade a spade. Sam Manekshaw had a distinguished career which spanned over four decade in which he participated in five wars, including the India-Pakistan war of 1971. Born as Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw (1914-2008), he was fondly called as Sam Bahadur.

Manekshaw is one of the chief architects of the 1971 war in which Pakistan was defeated and Bangladesh was liberated. He is also fondly remembered for telling then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi bluntly that the Indian Army was not ready for the war in April 1971.

When asked why he was not ready for the war, he told Indira Gandhi that his job was to fight and win. The Field Marshal kept up his word and when the war broke out in December 1971, he delivered India one of its fastest and more remarkable victories.

One of his most famous quotes was , ' a yes man is a dangerous man. He is a menace. He will go very far. He can become a minister, a secretary or a Field Marshal, but he can never become a leader nor, ever be respected. He will be used by his superior, disliked by his colleagues and despised by his subordinates. So discard the 'yes man.'

General V K Singh recounts in his book, 'Leadership in the Indian Army,' a very memorable interaction with Sam Manekshaw. When Behram Panthaki who once served as Manekshaw's aide-de-camp, threw a party at his home in Coonoor, the General on hearing the loud music walked in and said, 'you chaps are having a party and did not invite me. After finding out that it was a pound party where everyone brought their own food and drinks, he sent one of his men to bring his bottle of scotch.

Manekshaw had once said, ' one thing remains the same, your task and duty. You are required to ensure the security this country against any offence. What is that means for you? That means, you should have to fight, a fight to win. There is no roof for losers. If you lose don't come back.

Manekshaw remained a Braveheart till the very end. Two days before he passed away on June 27 2008, his last words were, "I am okay."