I heard the news that Field Marshall Sam Maneckshaw passed away on Firday. I did not feel sad or overly emotional or anything, just a wee bit of remorse at the back of my head (if it can be felt there).

I had never known Maneckshaw, I only saw a glimpse of him as he was being whisked away with sirens blaring in an old Plymouth, complete with his own flag and  5 star plates on the bumpers. The grandeur and pomp of the ceremony surrounding his renk was enough to give me goosepimples. His presence and influence was all pervaiding during my childhood and adoloscence spent in Army Cantonements. During my teenage days when it was time to choose a career for myself, I was all fixated on wearing the uniform. We were living in Mhow those days, which is most military of all military cantonements. Nearby was an awe inspiring institution of The Infantry School, the mecca for all Infantry officers and soldiers who need to be trained in finer arts of destroying the enemy. My friends were young officers, doing what they call as Young Officer’s course. Our converstions after hours of football or squash used to be around wisdom and acecdotes related to Sam Manekshaw and Military leadership in general. Thats how I learnt about Maneckshaw.

Maneckshaw was what most of the YO’s wanted to be, though a cynical few, who could not be moulded by the years of indoctrination in the IMA and a few years of fighting in Kashmir, did not share the same viewpoint as most of us did.

As an officer of Indian Army a person holds almost Godlike power over the lives and destiny of men under command, especially in combat situations. It takes a great amount of power and self control  not to misuse the power and enjoy it too much that it gets into your head.

Maneckshaw stood for integrity, bravery under fire, chivalry (now a dead virtue even in the Army), love for his men, and plain old sence of humor. I was influenced by the force of his personality  through folklore transmitted through generations of officers. Bieng there I obeserved how a person had achieved God like status in the minds of men, who had not even met him, while still being alive. I spent hours daydreaming of bieng like him some day.

Of course reality is different and I never got to wear the uniform in the end, and my friends in the Army who wanted to emulate Maneckshaw are a disillusioned and a frustrated lot.  The values that he held dear and stood for are long out of style, though while he was alive we could still remember them and sigh out aloud while remembering good old days. Now that he is gone I dont know how long we can hold on to the vestiges of the decency, humanity, class and dignity that he brought to the uniform.

Maneckshaw Rest in Peace.