A Few Good Men

In Wellington , for us Fauji kids having just learnt to ride the bicycle , words like 'Manekshaw Marg' , meant another lane, another 'little world' to be explored on our little bicycles(I say little because I have a 'not-so-little' set of wheels now ;)). Vaguely, but nevertheless fondly remember the pentagon shaped, white washed landmark reading in red the 'Manekshaw Marg'.We would merrily ride down down the undulating slope and then puff uphill till we could go no further. That was sometime back.

With the news of passing of Field Marshall Sam Manekshaw trickling in, couldnt help feeling a little somber. If at all you didnt know, a quick glance at the Times paper would tell you that he was the chief architect of our glorious '71 victory over Pakistan. For a man who was the first ever Field Marshall, you would have thought this should have been the frontline news in the television media. Instead, just a mention was made . More' important' was ofcourse the match between India and Bangladesh, or what did a certain actress wear at a certain function. Even though a state funeral was arranged, our Defence Minster found reasons to not attend the great man's funeral. We are talking about a man here who orchestrated the nation's finest hour-1971 war. Why, he took 18 bullets from an LMG in the stomach and told the doctor -' i was kicked by a mule'. That was in the Second world war. His unparalleled skill in strategm in synergizing the army, the airforce and the navy was the decisive factor in our routing the Pakistanis inside two weeks. Just before retiring in '73, he was given the rank of Field Marshall. Post retirement he settled down in Wellington.
The general was truly the nation's soldier. This is saluting him and all the martyrs of this nation.