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Remembering Sam

I salute The Hindu for the dignity it accorded to Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw on his passing away. I would like to very briefly highlight an aspect of his conduct and legacy of the 1971 war. Just before the war, I had the privilege of attending an extempore pep talk delivered by him near Gurdaspur. By then, the reports of the atrocities committed by the Pakistani troops in East Pakistan were out. Sam goaded us for offensive action, at the same time giving us broad guidelines on how to conduct ourselves with civilians and Prisoners of War. He laid emphasis on chivalry and gallantry.

The talk did have its impact. When we captured the Shakargarh bulge, we came across many civilians who were stranded. We looked after them till the time we handed back the bulge in late 1972. Based on Sam’s directions, the Army Headquarters prepared and issued a handy pocket-sized booklet An Aide Memoire on Character Commandments. Every officer received a copy. I think it is the finest booklet that any officer in any army of the world could have.

Maj. Gen. Jatinder Singh (retd.),

Chandigarh

It was some time in the early 1970s — I do not remember the exact day. General Manekshaw visited a DRDO unit in Chennai. A convoy of tanks was displayed for inspection with standby ladders to help people climb on to them.

While some of his aides used the ladders, the baton-wielding General, who was 55-plus, did not use them. He jumped in and out of them till he reached the last, 18th, tank in the convoy. The act was highly inspiring.

P. Gopinath,

Chennai

I was a high school student at the Kendriya Vidyalaya, Delhi, during the 1971 war. When I heard that Gen. Manekshaw was visiting wounded troops at the Army Base Hospital, I rushed along with a few friends to have a glimpse of the great man. He came towards us and asked us about our school. I was too overawed to say anything but did manage to say that our principal looked just like him as he too sported a handlebar moustache. The General broke into a guffaw and patted my shoulder.

R. Suresh Kumar,

Tripunithura

“Bash on Regardless” (Letters, June 30) was the motivating cry coined by Maj. Gen. WAG Pinto, commanding the 54 Infantry Division in the Sambha Sector. This division was the youngest and highest decorated unit of the Indian Army during the 1971 war. It bagged two Param Vir Chakras for the Battle of Basantar.

Maj. Gen. (later Lt. Gen.) WAG Pinto retired as Army Commander, Central Command. The 54 Infantry Division was later awarded the Battle Honour ‘Basantar.’ I was with Gen. Pinto in the Battle of Basantar.

Col. Ram Gulrajani (retd.),

Chennai

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