CULTURAL QA 03202415
Q1 What is the Indian thug life like?
KR Hope the compiler knew the meaning of Thug life of an Indian
means? If Vivekananda were to be connected, how will he fit a thug Indian
sir? He rose not from nothing; he had the surge so was seeking a Guru; and
when he saw Ramakrishna a rapport was created; so, Vivekananda came out of
his own interest to follow a Guru. He is therefore not a thug Indian. In
Punjab it means different. 1st part is that of Vivekananda; 2nd part was
uttered by Ramakrishna Parama hamsa, which I said when it appeared some
time ago also.
Q2 What are some of the unknown facts about Sam Manekshaw?
KR It is good to know about someone alive but what is the use of
now knowing, after his demise, in which train he boarded etc?; his actions
are complete and so the cause and effect of his actions are important as
guideline for the right people.
Below excerpts, I have picked up from the book which are my favourite
and thought of sharing with a larger audience.
Sam wanted to become a doctor but couldn't go to England to pursue
his medical degree. The medical profession's loss was the Indian Army's
gain. Sam often regaled his officer's wives with the circumstances that
destined him to join the army adding with a twinkle in the eye, that had he
been a gynaecologist instead of a general, their paths might still have
crossed, albeit under very different circumstances!
When Sam was the Major General of the 26 Infantry Division, he had his
first run-in with the then Defence Minister Krishna Menon. He was a
left-wing politician, ambitious and sardonic. He was on an official visit
to 26 Infantry Division and casually asked Sam what he thought of Gen.
Thimayya, the army chief, with whom Menon had differences. Thimayya was a
brilliant officer, professionally competent and morally upright, whom Sam
held in high regard. He replied, 'Mr. Minister, I am not allowed to think
about him. He is my Chief. Tomorrow you will be asking my brigadiers and
colonels what they think of me. It's the surest way to ruin the discipline
of the army. Don't do it in the future. Menon flew into a rage and told Sam
to abandon his British ways of thinking. I can get rid of Thimayya if I
want to! {KR: Discipline in Rank is avoiding the ill abuse unaware of the
persons as well as behind their backs, which will be repeated in ranks and
files; it includes anything other than the official CR}
It was not long before Sam and Menon locked horns again. To Sam, it was
unacceptable that because of a chronic shortage of accommodation, officers
returning from field assignments to peace stations should have to wait for
months before they were allotted government housing. This reduced time
spent with families before they were deployed again. On taking over 26
Infantry Division his first priority was to speed up the construction of
married accommodation. When the project got underway, the defense minister
passed orders that soldiers should be used as construction labour. Sam
refused, saying that in his division soldiers would train to fight the
enemy, and not be employed as cheap labour. The Military Engineering
Service had always been and should continue to be used for this purpose.
For a second time, Sam's resolve prevailed and Menon had to eat humble
pie.{KR: A leader is one who leads from front and speaks the reality when
asked to express; Swa dharma is far better than adopting others’ dharmas
even at the cost of losses}
BM Kaul (Commander of 4 Infantry Division) in a war game exercise with Sam
Manekshaw's 26 Infantry Division lost terribly. At a dinner that followed,
Kaul, smarting from defeat and seething with anger, pointed his baton at
the slight bulge in Sam's stomach and within earshot of junior officers
joked, "What have you got there?" "Guts said Sam, and the officers had a
good laugh. Kaul was left with a shattered ego. {KR: Not afraid the
Virginia wolves; defeatists are always up to a level; had to face if one
has to survive}
After the Chinese invasion, the border became a prime security issue. Prime
Minister Nehru accompanied by Defence Minister Y.B. Chavan, government
officials and his daughter, Indira Gandhi, who held no office at the time,
decided to visit 4 Corps (Then under Sam's Leadership). While leading the
visitors to the Ops Room, Sam refused entry to Indira Gandhi, saying,
Madam, I'm sorry you cannot enter the map room since you have not taken the
oath of secrecy. Indira was not too happy to be excluded, but luckily this
episode did not sour their relations.
Towards the end of April 1971, after all attempts at diplomacy had failed,
the army chief was invited to a cabinet meeting. The prime minister (Indira
Gandhi) and her cabinet wanted the army to launch an immediate offensive
against Pakistan. Sam, to the face of the cabinet, denied launching the war,
He said it was a knee-jerk reaction of the government and the proposal
emanating from the cabinet was completely flawed. A very grim prime
minister dismissed the cabinet but asked Sam to stay back. Soldiers are
meant to obey orders, but as senior officers they have a moral
responsibility to stand up to politicians when they issue directives that
are ill-conceived and impractical to execute without jeopardizing the lives
of the men they command. Sensing her anger Sam asked, ... would you like me
to send in my resignation on grounds of health, mental or physical? 'Sit
down Sam, thundered Indira Gandhi. Is everything you told me true?" Yes, it
is my job to tell you the truth, replied Sam.
Finally in Dec'71, as per the planning of Sam the War with East Pakistan
started, Sam has this message for all his soldiers who were about to enter
the war. "A soldier's business is to fight and win battles not to rape and
loot. When you enter Pakistan, treat the women with respect like your
mothers and sisters. Anyone who disobeyed orders will be court-martialled.
I am commanding soldiers, not thieves." His words had a profound impact on
the men who were primed for battle.{KR: THIS IS I HAVE COME ADDRESS}
On Dec 16, the 90000 strong East Pakistani Army under the leadership of
Lt-Gen Niazi surrendered, Mrs Gandhi wanted Sam to take the surrender but
he refused to steal a march on the eastern Indian army commander, saying he
would have proudly done so if the entire Pakistan Army (East and West both)
had surrendered.
After the war, Sam visited Eastern Command in Calcutta to congratulate
officers on their performance. At the Calcutta airport, to ferry Sam, a
Mercedes Benz was standing looted from East Pakistan (Bangladesh), with
four stars and his flag. He walked right past it and got into an ordinary
Indian Ambassador car and, without his star plate or flag, told the driver
to take him to his destination. The message rang out loud and clear.
Sam stood up to anyone who trampled on the dignity of his officers. When
Defence Secretary Harish Sarin addressed a colonel as 'you there' and
ordered him to open a window, Sam told him off. Mr Secretary, don't you
ever address one of my officers in that tone of voice. You may politely
request me to open the window, and I will. But no officer of mine is "you
there". Sarin backed off and said he had meant no offense, but Sam was
adamant, insisting that he had not liked what he had heard, neither the
tone nor the expression.
Sam believed that the sine qua non of leadership was decisiveness. His
officers were advised not to procrastinate and over-analyse but to act
expeditiously, except that he articulated this doctrine with his own brand
of eloquence, *'If you must be a bloody fool, be one quickly!*
*K Rajaram IRS 15 3 24*
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: 'gopala krishnan' via iyer123 <[email protected]>
Date: Thu, 14 Mar 2024 at 23:09
Subject: [iyer123] CULTURAL QA 03-2024-15
To: Patty Thatha <[email protected]>, Kerala Iyer <
[email protected]>, Iyer <[email protected]>
CULTURAL QA 03-2024-15
All the below two QA are from Quora DIGEST to me on 15-03-2024.
Selected Quora answers by scholars generally interesting jokes are
included. Still they need not be 100% correct answers
I am only a compiler. Compiled and posted by R Gopalakrishnan,80, on
15-3-2024
Q1 What is the Indian thug life like?
A1 Amit Singh,9h
First Incident -
While Swami Vivekananda was travelling by train, in Rajasthan he was
resting in a second class compartment with closed eyes as if meditating.
Seeing Swamiji’s saffron dress and his relaxed composure, two Englishmen
started abusing him. They were under the impression that Swamiji did not
know English. When the train reached the station, Swamiji asked a train
official for a glass of water, in English.
The Englishmen were surprised; they asked Swamiji why he was silent, though
he could understand them. Swamiji snapped back,”This is not the first time
I have met fools.”
Second Incident -
Swamiji was wandering near the Himalayas some time. In the course of his
journey, he came across a river. The boat had already left the shore and he
sat near the shore waiting for the boat to come back. As he was waiting he
saw another Sadhu, a Siddh Yogi approaching.
The Sadhu saw Swamiji sitting and asked why he was siting.
To this, he replied he was waiting for a boat.
Curiously Sadhu asked, “What’s your name?”
Swamiji replied,”I am Vivekananda.”
The Sadhu said in a mocking tone,”Oh! You are the famous Vivekananda who
just thinks by speaking in foreign he has become a great sage.”
“Could you cross this river? See I can cross the water by walking on it”
and he demonstrates his power by walking few meters on the river.
Swamiji showing his respect humbly asked,”Indeed its a great power…how much
time did you take to get this power?”
The Sadhu feeling proud replied”It’s not easy, I had to bear the tough
Himalayas for 20 years, devoted myself to penance and after regular 20
years of extreme Sadhna I got this power.”
To this Swamiji said,”You wasted 20 years to learn something that a boat
would help me do in 5 minutes. You could have used these 20 years serving
the destitute, the poor. You wasted 20 years, to save 5 min. It’s not
wisdom.”
Q2 What are some of the unknown facts about Sam Manekshaw?
A2 Major Adiyagya Singh, Veteran,Defence Analyst (2017–present)Updated
4y
****Thirty Five Unknown Facts About Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw****
Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw was People’s General. Such officers are rare in
armed forces of any army. Normally, I write on Quora when I am catching
flights or traveling in car, using my travel time for blogging hobby. But
when I read this question then I chose to deliberately write it as you
can’t get a single thing wrong about a Legend.
Let us see some unknown or unheard facts about Field Marshal Manekshaw
which you don’t know because the Government of India never wished you to
know because it may increase his face value and Government feared in 70s
that after retirement he may enter politics. You can understand his
charisma which even created fear in minds of ruling politicians of that
era. Let’s begin:
1 He was born in Amritsar on 3rd April 1914 in a Parsi Family. His father
was a doctor and got married to a Parsi Girl of Mumbai. His father
belonged to Lahore.
4 They accidentally shifted to Amritsar. As the journey from Mumbai to
Lahore was difficult and his mother who after marriage was travelling from
Mumbai to Lahore couldn’t take the stress of traveling and started crying.
Dr. Manekshaw step down of the train in Amritsar with his wife and since
then they always stayed in Amritsar. This is the reason that India’s first
Field Marshal and the General of Indian Army who divided Pakistan into two
belonged to India because of his mother.
5 Field Marshal Manekshaw had 5 more siblings in blood relation. They were
four brothers and he had two more sisters. Field Marshal was fifth child.
8 He is alumni of Nainital’s reputed Sherwood College from where he did his
schooling. He was a brilliant student. After schooling his father
was sending
him to England to pursue higher studies. But his father felt that Manekshaw
is too young to stay alone in a foreign country.
9 Manekshaw wanted to become a Gynaecologist.He joined Hindu Sabha College,
Amritsar for graduation.
11 In 1932, Britishers decided to give commission to Indians in Royal
British Army and Royal British Air Force. They opened Indian Military
Academy to impart military training along with graduation to Indians.
Manekshaw was bored studying in Hindu Sabha College and decided to join Indian
Military Academy to live a life an extraordinary.
Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw’s first posting was with 2nd Battalion the
Royal Scots in 1934. His second posting was with 4th Battalion of 12
Frontier Force Regiment which was later on called as 54th Battalion of
Sikhs.
12. His commanding officer in his annual report mentioned that ‘’This
officer, I beg his pardon, this man, one day become an officer”.
13. You can refer any picture of his, and you will find the Field Marshal
never wore sunglasses. The story behind this; as a young officer he was
wearing expensive Crookes lenses and was walking down the road sporting his
new branded sunglasses. His commanding officer who was riding a horse and a
British officer saw him wearing those glasses. He took his glasses and
grinned it below his boots. The commanding officer said “I am in your
country since 30 years, and never wore sunglasses; they are the surest way
to ruin your eyes”. Since that day till his death, the Field Marshal of
Indian Army never wore sunglasses even in the brightest of the bright days.
14. After Independence of India, his battalion the 54 Sikh became part of
Pakistan Army and Manekshaw sir chose to stay in India. During 1971 war, he
kept a close eye on 54 Sikh had felt proud when he used to come to know
that 54 Sikh has done something well during the war. Now, 54 Sikh in
Pakistan Army is known as 4/12 Frontier Forces.
15. He met his future wife in Lahore in 1937.
16. He fought 2nd world War against Japanese in Burma.
17. On 22nd February 1942, Sam got 7 bullets in his body which was fired by
Japanese Machine Gun. He was awarded with Military Cross for his courage
fighting against the Japanese in 2nd world war.
18. As Army chief of Indian Army, General had given strict orders in his
headquarters that any veteran of 54 Sikh (jawan, JCO or OFFICER or their
families) coming to headquarters should be directly brought to his office.
He used to address their problems personally, note it down in a diary and
used to ensure that their problems civil or military, should be solved. He
did not care how small the problems were because 54 Sikh was his family.
19. Major Sam Manekshaw as General Staff Officer in Director Military
operation in 1947–48 supervised the strategical planning of Indo-Pak war in
Kashmir. Also, he played a crucial role in drawing ceasefire line when UN
intervened and cease fire was declared in winters of 1948. Today, that
ceasefire line is known as Line of control.
20. When Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto visited India along with delegation to discuss
various issue, Major General Sam Manekshaw was part of Indian Delegation as
Military Advisor and played major role to dominate the discussion due to
which Zulifiqar Ali Bhutto had to agree upon various terms and conditions
of India.
21. Brigadier Sam Manekshaw held appointment of Director Military
Operations. Today, this appointment is held by a Lieutenant General and now
the appointment is called as Director General of Military Operations. Due
to this specific promotion as Director Military Operations, Manekshaw
missed to physically command an infantry battalion which is considered as
the sine-qua-non of Infantry soldiering.
22. He was appointed as the father of 8th Gorkha rifles regiment (known as
colonel of the regiment) in 1953.
23. He has never served in a Gurkha unit/sub-unit.
24. Sam Manekshaw held appointment of Commandant of Defence Services Staff
College.
25. Defence Minister VK Krishna Menon did not like Sam’s out spoken
behaviour and influenced Lieutenant General BM Kaul to initiate a court of
Inquiry against Manekshaw blaming him for being more Britisher and less
Indian and questioning his loyalty for India. Lieutenant General Daulet
Singh who was India’s Western Army commander was the presiding officer of
the court of inquiry. India in 1962 due to an arrogant and egoistic Defence
Minister was on the verge of losing its first Field Marshal. Fate prevailed
and 1962 Indo-China War broke out which also came as reality check for
Indian Government and arrogant politicians.
26. During 1962 war, India had lost considerable territory in Arunachal
Pradesh. The area of responsibility was with 4 Corps of Indian Army.
Lieutenant General BM Kual was sacked by the Army chief from appointment of
Corps Commander and Lieutenant General Sam Manekshaw on 28th November was
promoted and given command of 4 corps.
27. The famous line “Gentleman, I have arrived! There will be no more
withdrawals in 4 Corps, Thank you” was said by the General when he was 4
Corps Commander in 1962 and rest is history. The 4 Corps in month of
December started pushing Chinese back from Arunachal and Assam region.
28. Very few know this; After 1962, Krishna Menon was invited as the guest
speakers at prestigious Defence Services Staff College. During his lecture,
he quoted “I am sorry, that my friend Sam Manekshaw was not in his
customary place in the audience because he would have liked him to hear
this. Anyone can be great in success; only a truly great man can retain the
aura of greatness in adversity. This was the lesson I had learn from Sam
Manekshaw, and I would be happy if this was the lesson students at this
eminent institution carried with them when they left Wellington rather than
trying to imbibe knowledge from pedantic talks such as his”. Sam Manekshaw
made his haters to love him. This was the aura and charisma of Field
Marshal Sam Manekshaw who defined the commitment of Indian Army towards
India. (Today’s generation doubt that probably Indian Army will coup and
disrupt democracy. They don’t understand the history of Indian Army and
about people who made Indian Army)
29. In December 1963, Lieutenant General Sam Manekshaw took over the
appointment of India’s Western Army commander which was also the 2nd
appointment from the top.
30. In 1964, in a social evening, Defence Minister Yashwant Chavan asked
Army Commander General Sam about his opinion about the critical region of
India. Sam replied “Eastern Theatre of India, as you see Chinese at one
end, then you have eastern Pakistan then you have insurgent prone Nagaland
to destabilise internal security”. Defence Minister requested Sam to take
over as the Eastern Army commander and Sam willingly took over the
appointment. On December 1964, Lieutenant General Sam Manekshaw became
India’s Eastern Army Commander.
31. In 1967, when India had clash with Chinese on Nathu La, Sikkim,
Lieutenant General Sam Manekshaw was officiating Chief of Army Staff. The
Chinese army realised that the Indian Army of 1967 is not the same army
which they faced in 1962.
32. One day, Sam in his Staff Car was traveling to Dum Dum Airport to catch
a flight. There was a protest going which had blocked the road. His driver
started turning the car to take a detour, Sam asked him not to do so. Sam
got out of the car, and started walking towards the leader of the protest. Sam
put his hand on his shoulder and announced ‘’I am Sam Manekshaw. After
listening to this, the protest leader got a shock, and instantly asked his
followers to clear the road for the Army Commander.
33. When India-Pakistan War broke out then at that point of time President
of Pakistan was General Yaha Khan who was junior during army service to
that time India’s Army chief General Sam Manekshaw. Both of them had also
served together in Military Operations branch before the partition.
Major Yaha Khan had purchased a bike in 2nd hand from Major Sam Manekshaw
and did not pay the money. Once in a social evening Field Marshal Sam
Manekshaw jokingly said that “Yaha never paid me the thousand rupees for my
motorbike, but now he has paid with half of his country”. Sam Manekshaw was
famous for its wittiness.
Field Marshal Yahya Khan said “Oops!”
34. On April 1971, Indira Gandhi called a cabinet meeting where the Army
chief was also present. She announced that India should declare war over
Pakistan and liberate East Pakistan. All the cabinet ministers nodded in
affirmative but The army chief General Sam Manekshaw did not say
anything. Indira
Gandhi looked at him and asked Sam you don’t agree with me.
General Said that he doesn’t agree with her and should consider various
factors before going on war and highlighted that he need time to prepare
infrastructure and plans to launch the offensive. Indira Gandhi felt
offended and said she is the Prime Minister and she wants the offensive to
happen in matter of few days. General Manekshaw said “sweetheart, you can
declare war but before that I will like to submit my resignation”. Indira
Gandhi got angry and dismissed the cabinet meeting. The army chief was the
last one to leave the office, Indira Gandhi asked General to stay back. She
was angry but this time kept calm and asked his submissions. General
explained that in matter of months monsoon is going to hit East Pakistan
and Brahmaputra river will become sea for them making his armoured disable
to cross the river. Also, the terrain will become marshy.
He explained that to launch successful offensive, he needs to create roads
till borders, concentrate resources and also strengthen defences against
china on eastern front and Pakistan on western front. Indira Gandhi agreed
to the Army chief and rest is history. The General became the Chankya of
liberating East Pakistan.
35. After retirement Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw was on board of directors
of various multi-national company and he continued to be on the board of
various companies till his last breath. Comapnies such as Bombay Burmah
Trading, Britannia Industries, AV Thomas Industrial Products, Goetze India
and Nagarjuna Fertilisers, among others, while Jhunjhunwala is on Praj
Industries, Geojit Financial, Aptech Ltd, Provogue, Viceroy Hotels, Mid-Day
Multimedia and a few others, where he held significant stake.
References:
Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw: Soldiering with Dignity written By Lieutenant
General Depinder Singh, PVSM, VSM
If you are really proud of this man then let us spread this knowledge in
the whole world. Our present generation needs to know the glorious
personalties of India.
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