“In Wellington, where the Field Marshal’s last rites were performed, the official ceremony was grossly inadequate. Sam was after all India’s First Soldier, the epitome of generalship, who gave India’s its first unambiguous military victory in 1,000 years. The President, the supreme commander of the armed forces, was missing. So were the prime minister and defence minister. Worse, the chairman chiefs of staff committee was also absent. Nor was the air force chief present. Queen Elizabeth of England sends roses to all her field marshals on their birthdays and also attends their funerals. Here, flags were not even lowered and the affront of an explanation for this ignominy was that the field marshal is not in the warrant of precedence. This is a lie. The babus of this country had ranked Sam on a par with the cabinet secretary. …
The high point in Sam’s career was the unblemished victory in East Pakistan. There was no looking back after luck and Maj Gen J.F.R. (Jakes) Jacob’s brilliant psy-war converted what would have been a UN-supervised ceasefire into complete capitulation and surrender.”
The complete story here.
July 11, 2008 at 9:32 pm
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July 12, 2008 at 10:33 am
Thanks for the post.
We have an odd way of commemorating the best among us when they or their legacies are no longer useful to us.
July 12, 2008 at 11:17 am
Yes, I agree with you, we certainly do.
That’s why it’s a relief that our actions live on after us, speaking loudly and undeniably.