Bravehearts

Remembering Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw on his 104 Birth anniversary. Remembering a Great and Charismatic Indian Soldier 1. Full Name – Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw 2. Nickname – Sam Bahadur 3. Parents. Father – Dr. Hormusji Manekshaw and Mother – Smt Heerabai 4. Date and Place of Birth – 3 April 1914 – Amritsar, Punjab 5. Date and Place of death 27 Jun 2008 – Wellington, Tamil Nadu 6. Education – Schooling. Amritsar and Sherwood College (Nainital) 7. Commission into Army – Dec 1934 from Indian Military Academy in the first batch for Officers. 8. Commissioned in 8th Gurkha Rifles and served from December 1934 to June 1973 9. Ranks and Promotions in the Army ( a ) Second Lieutenant, British Indian Army-1934 ( b ) Lieutenant-1935 ( c ) Captain-1940 ( d ) Major-1943 ( e ) Lieutenant-Colonel-1945 ( f ) Colonel-1946 ( g ) Brigadier-1947 ( f ) Brigadier, Indian Army-1950 ( g ) Major-General, Indian Army-December 1957 ( h ) Lieutenant-Gen...

REAL HEROES Gurmail Singh fulfilled his dream when he joined the Indian Army as paratrooper in 1983. Qualifying the requisite courses he was the radio operator for 9 PARA (SF) when it landed in Sri Lanka. Hell had broken out over after the failure of a botched Peace Keeping accord. The army was sent in haste to clear what was a political mess created by short sighted politicians. The troops went in without preparation. Units in peace postings in India were airlifted on a few hours notice and were provided tourist maps when they landed in Jaffna. So much so for political leadership! Undaunted the army did what it always does best, follow orders without question and deliver to the best of their ability! And in LTTE they had a formidable opposition. In a bloody operation in the jungles which will go down in history as yet another monumental political double cross, 9 PARA (SF) fought with exemplary bravery against a lethal LTTE which knew the jungles like the back of their hands and w...