27June:Field Marshal Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw, whose military victory in the 1971 Indo-Pak war led to the creation of Bangladesh, died in Military Hospital in Wellington, Tamil Nadu late on Thursday night.
The Padma Vibhushan and Military Cross awardee, who was admitted in the hospital for some time for "progressive lung disease", had slipped into a coma earlier in the day and the end came just after midnight at 00:30 am, the Defence Ministry said in a statement.
Funeral with full military honours
Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, who died early on Friday morning, would be accorded a funeral with full military honours, a defence spokesman said.Vice Chief of Army Staff, Lt General M L Naidu, and a Tamil Nadu Minister would be attending the funeral, he said.
The body was taken to the residence of Manekshaw from the Military Hospital at Wellington in the morning to perform religious rites as per Parsi customs.
The body will be brought to Madras Regiment Centre (MRC) and would be kept for two hours from 11 am for the public to pay their homage.
Full military honours would be provided during the period, he said.Later the cortege would leave the MRC for the Parsi funeral ground at Udhagamandalm.
The last rites would be a purely private affair during which only family members will be allowed, the spokesman said.
Manekshaw a truly inspiring leader: PM
Describing Sam Manekshaw as one of India’s greatest soldiers, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said military historians will forever record the strategic brilliance and the inspirational leadership of the Field Marshal, who died early on Friday.
The 94-year-old Manekshaw was "without doubt one of India’s greatest soldiers and a truly inspiring leader," he said in his condolence message.
Singh said Manekshaw, popularly called Sam Bahadur, had served the army with great distinction for over four decades beginning with the very first military engagement free India was dragged into in the mountains of Jammu and Kashmir.
"Sam Bahadur was the architect and the inspiring leader of the operation and the consequent military victory in what is now Bangladesh," he said.
The Prime Minister said "military historians will forever record the strategic brillaince and the inspirational leadership of Sam Bahadur".
Singh said the people and the government expressed their deepest admiration and their profound gratitude for Manekshaw’s leadership as Chief of Army Staff by conferring on him the prestigious title of Field Marshal.
He has "inspired several generations of Indian soldiers and officers over the past half-a-century. I am sure his legacy will continue to live with us for years to come," the Prime Minister said, expressing his "deepest and heartfelt" condolences.
President condoles Manekshaw’s death
President Pratibha Patil has condoled the death of Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw.Manekshaw, who crafted India’s greatest military victory in the 1971 Indo-Pak war, died in a military hospital in Wellington, Tamil Nadu late on Thursday night.
He was 94.
Manekshaw, a soldiers’ General and man behind birth of B’desh .A soldier’s General, Field Marshal Manekshaw crafted India’s greatest military victory in the 1971 Indo-Pak war that created just not history but also a new nation.
Affectionately called "Sam Bahadur", Manekshaw (94) was the architect of many a military triumph but his finest hour came when Pakistani forces were vanquished in 14 days flat. And Bangladesh was born.
Handsome, witty and sporting his trademark handlebar moustache, Manekshaw had the rare distinction of being honoured for his bravery – Military Cross – right on the battle front itself during the Second World War.
He was also the first Indian officer to command the Gorkhas after India got Independence.
Manekshaw, who got a second life after the young Captain survived near fatal wounds during the Second World War in Burma, is the first of only two Indian military officers to hold the highest rank of Field Marshal of the Indian Army (The other being Field Marshal K M Cariappa).
His distinguished military career spanned four decades from the British era and through five wars, including the Second World War.Flamboyant by nature, Manekshaw always had his way with people, including his seniors and even the country’s Head of Government.