Field Marshal Manekshaw

I am feeling too tired to put the scanned images of the front page of our newspapers. But if you want you can view it here, Field Marshal Manekshaw Vs. Sehwag

Today when I picked up the newspapers and ran a cursory glance over headiness I was simply amazed. No doubt journalists and newspaper editors have stopped commanding the respect they used to few decades ago. But I still believe that an average Indian is (not ultra intelligent like journalists and newspaper editors) still able to differentiate who should have grabbed the headline, Virendra Sehwag or Field Marshal Manekshaw. Both have defeated Pakistan but with a difference. I wish that Field Marshal Manekshaw’s soul is resting in peace and he still has faith in the goodwill of an aam average Hindustani.

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7 comments

  1. Hi,Alka-this is so true…forget Sehwag,the media would have focused more on the Aarushi murder case or the hit-and-run victim of a bus in Jhumritalaiya or something they consider equally sensational. The Field Marshall’s death would not bring in the ad revenue,you see.

  2. So true Alka… Infact there was an email that was circulated that proved the apathy of the entire political class to his death. Imagine, the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, President Pratibha Patil did not attend the funeral of the Field Marshal. Shame….

  3. I had the pleasure meeting field marshal Manekshaw several times, respected and admired this great man. The most fun (embarrassment) however I had when I met him the very first time.
    By the way, I was born and grew up in Switzerland and working as liaison officer at LMW in Coimbatore at that time, spending a little over 3 years in India (1974-1977).
    I was invited to a party in Coonoore and was sitting on a sofa. Here comes this vibrant gentlemen and sits right next to me and naturally we started talking. I introduced myself; he didn’t which I though at that time was a bit strange. After a while I asked him if he was in tea business which was a possibility since so much tea is grown in the Nilgiri Mountain. His answer was –No-. Nothing else which again I thought was a bit strange.
    After about 20 minutes he excused himself and went to the bathroom. Immediately the hostess rushed to me and kind of scolded me, saying “How could you ask him if he was in tea business, don’t you know you are sitting next to field marshal Manekshaw? “No, of course I did not know otherwise I would not have asked my stupid question” was my reply. What to do?
    Well, he came back and set down next to me again and I decided to take care of my kind of insult immediately. I’m sorry thinking you were a tea planter and please accept my apology, I said.
    See, young men. You coming from Switzerland and Switzerland suppose being a neutral country I thought you did not know the difference between a tea planter and a field marshal so don’t worry, you are excused. Using “excused” not in a military way but in an extreme nice and friendly way. As a result of this the entire room exploded in laughter and every time I ran in to field marshal Manekshaw (about 6-7 times) he called me by my first name and we always had good discussions solving the problems of the world.
    What a men – rest in peace-
    Martin Just
    Inman SC. USA

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