FIELD MARSHAL SAM MANECKSHAW'

FIELD MARSHAL SAM MANECKSHAW'S WAR JAGIR(JANGI INAAM)

Ashok Ahlawat@ My Stories of Olive Green.Dec 2023.

This true story should put to rest every contention that Field Marshal Maneckshaw was head and shoulders above all other general's of the pantheon of the Indian Army.The Meghna Gulzar movie is a timely tribute to the great and fascinating General.He was all that,that is shown in the movie and much more beyond as a human being and an officer.

There is this story about Field Marshal Sam Maneckshaw's driver when he was army chief.

As we all know,these drivers are Army Service Corps soldiers of the Army Headquarters Transport Company at Dhaula Kuan.Well I suppose the army chief must have had more than one dedicated driver for his official duties.Military drivers too are also authorised leave of absence.This man was from Haryana and  his name was Havildar Shyam Singh.

One day General Maneckshaw came out laughing from a conference in the north block.The driver who was standing at rigid attention opened the door for him.It was the month of April and it was a fine mellow day with a balmy sun.

"Tumhe pata hai Shyam Singh,you know Shyam Singh  the defence minister today changed my name.He called me Shyam.He said "Shyam Maan bhi jao."

Sam Maneckshaw was referring to the plea by Babu Jag Jivan Ram to invade East Pakistan in April on Mrs Gandhi's insistence and Sam had prophesied 100% defeat if we went inside East Pakistan in April 71.

"Waise there is not much difference in Shyam and Sam.Just the letter H and Y." chuckled the future field marshall.

After the war was over and just when General Maneckshaw was about to retire,he noticed Shyam Singh had become tense and his uneasiness was smeared on his face which the General easily read.

"What's the matter Shyam Singh,your face these days looks like your family's buffalo  has stopped giving milk?"

"Nahi sahab wo baat nahi hai-No sir that's not the matter and the dour man would clamp shut."

The days passed and Sam Maneckshaw's date of retirement came closer and closer.One day the driver said,

"Sahab,I have one favour to ask of you and only you can help me."

"Yes,shoot Shyam Singh."

"Sahab I want to go on retirement.Please help me obtain release from army service."

"But what's the matter,do you have some,Zameen kaa muqqadma or some family problems.You should try to serve your full length of service.I will make you Naib Subedar but you continue serving."said the chief.

"Nahi sahab.Thats not the matter.Its something else that I cannot disclose before I get my release from service."

Maneckshaw appreciated the man's candour and izzat and did what he has to do.So the drivers release date and papers came. And then he again asked his driver again,

"Ab to khush ho.Tell me now why have you left service early."

The driver stood at attention and said,

"Sahab aap ki gaadi chalane ke baad me kissi aur ki gaadi nahi chala sakta.Sir after being your driver I cannot drive anyone else in my life time.This has been the high point of my life and I want to go home,issi  izzat se."

The field Marshall laughed and said,

"Tum bahut bada bewakoof hai,you Haryanvi chaps,You are a big fool."

But now that his driver's papers had come through nothing could be done.The driver was an obstinate Haryanvi.A breed of men who never retracted once they made up their mind.The issue kept roaming in the mind of the chief.One day he asked his driver,

"What will you do after retirement.?"

"Sir I will do something or the other.I will find a job." replied the driver.

"How much agricultural land do you have."

"None sir,I am from a  poor family."

The future field Marshall was quite taken aback.This penniless poor man had just kicked his job because he couldn't drive another man after he had been driver to him.The day his driver was leaving Sam gave him an envelope.

"Shyam Singh open it only once you reach your home."

"Ji sahab." The driver saluted and left.

When he reached his home he forgot all about the envelope and got busy with life and finding some job.He got a job of driving some freight truck.Then one day his wife said to him.

"I was putting away your army uniform in the sandook and this envelope was in your shirt pocket."

"Oh this,I had forgotten all about it.I did not open it because I can't read or write much.Sahib must have written a DO letter of appreciation for me as is the practise with senior officers."

"Fir bhi,please open it and have it read by the school masterji and tell me what it says." said the wife.

So the soldier and his wife went to the village school and requested the headmaster to translate the contents of the letter.

The headmaster put on his glasses and tore open the envelope and his eyes stayed transfixed on the sheet of paper.

"Why are you staring at the page like this masterji?" asked Shyam Singh.

"You have any idea what this letter is?"

"No sir I haven't."

"This is a transfer deed.The Haryana Government had given a war jagir of 25 acres of land to General Sam Maneckshaw in Haryana after the 1971 war victory.He has gifted his war jagir to you.You are the owner of 25 acres of agricultural land now."

Then the wife whacked her husband angrily.

"Tu to nira bewakuf manas hai-You damn fool I was about to burn this envelope to light the choolha.Thank God I asked you what was in it first.You are the biggest idiot I have seen."

Anyhow,that's the story about the great General Sam Maneckshaw,MC.He gifted his war jagir near Sonepat to his driver and his Field Marshal's pay arrears to the Army Widows Welfare Fund.Now can anyone even come close to such a great man.