SAM BAHADUR IS ALIVE AMONG INDIAN SOLDIERS
6 min read
WILL THERE EVER BE ANOTHER LIKE HIM?
__ Pyar Singh Thakur
These days, the people of India are watching with pleasure the ideal ‘Officer and Gentleman’ in Sam Bahadur, a film based on the life of Field Marshal Sam HFJ Manekshaw MC, full of vivacity and enthusiasm. Are. At this time, the question is also being raised whether he was the last person among the strong warriors who lived up to all the ideals or is it possible for someone else to be Sam Bahadur?
People in the military world can remember Cariappa, Thimayya, Harbaksh, Arjan, Dawson, Sagat or Hanut in the glorious tradition of heroes who sacrificed everything for their institutions, above all else. But in the last three-four decades, he did not find anyone who was a general of his stature (or equal to him).
Why so?
A TRUE GREAT WARRIOR WITH TRUE EMPATHY
We live in a time where we enthusiastically degrade history’s revered heroes by cherry-picking their grotesque human failings and re-imagining/re-discussing (imaginatively, and often falsely) history and so on. We are creating heroes who fit in today’s era – Sam Bahadur, who lives life to the fullest, with his strange characteristics and the arrogance of English, is an inexplicable enigma with his unique mannerisms, harsh temper and stories related to him. Will remain a hero!
Perhaps the ‘eviction camp’ understands that questioning Sam Manekshaw would be like questioning the soul and DNA of the Indian Armed Forces and it would be better for them to dismantle its foundation gradually and in a more sensible manner through normalized ‘methods’. , be targeted with collusion and silence. The fact that no other Sam was brave again is unfortunately a reflection of the evil of the oppressive ‘system’ and the success of the evil forces. Sam Bahadur was fundamentally a product of the past and the environment and hence he was an embodiment of all those sensitivities and the scope for speaking and listening, which could still be continued in the circumstances of that time and he was an alpha-warrior in the true sense. He had immense sympathy for his soldiers. These things made him truly great. Also, like the other stalwarts remembered here, each one of them stood up to ‘the system’ with dignity, keeping the dignity of the ‘uniform’ in mind, but never resorting to petty partisanship or chest-thumping chauvinism. Did not resort to. In those days, heroes used to fight openly and many times returned wrapped in the tricolor ‘making the supreme sacrifice’.
These were not people who, at their convenience, wrapped themselves in the Tricolor just to eliminate one of our own, that too from a safe distance, or for some partisan or ‘those’ purpose. .
The heroes wearing the uniform of the Indian Army always had an inclusive and limited agenda, as stipulated by the Constitution of India. He was a staunch constitutionalist and was not guided by any likes or dislikes regarding society, party, region or ancestors.
OPPONENTS WERE AFRAID OF SAM’S MORAL STRENGTH AND UPRIGHT NATURE
Soldiers of Sam Bahadur’s generation gave birth, nurtured and shaped the ‘idea of India’, because for them India was first and foremost a bold ‘idea’ that focused on privileging no tribe or majority. It was not, but was focused on giving privileges to everyone.
People like Sam Bahadur never considered anyone inferior or superior on the basis of religion, region, ethnicity or any other belief, but took decisions on the basis of their character and behaviour, but they openly welcomed diversity and respected identity. For example, Parsi Sam Bahadur, born and brought up in Punjab and died in Tamil Nadu, looked like a gladiator in his ‘Gorkha’ attire and felt like one inside.
He respected differences. They debated each other’s professional decisions but never questioned their motives. He had political understanding of the corridors of power, but he had even more wisdom that he never bowed his head before partisan decisions. He was not unaware of ‘Delhi’ or bureaucracy or nationalism. He knew that the sacred fight for the great idea of India is not reserved for a few but, on the contrary, is for everyone to do as they wish without any fear or favour. Today, there is more emphasis on selective fighting rather than everyone’s participation.
The film features scenes of Sam Bahadur being extremely protective and vocal about institutional concerns and defending them from politicians and bureaucrats who may/may have (always have) ulterior agendas. Importantly, he reassures them of his limited agenda that does not seek to eliminate civilian control over the military or go beyond its pay.
Sam’s moral strength and honesty inspired fear among his adversaries (both on and across the Line of Control) and he remained brutally honest, no matter who it hurt. He always behaved correctly and respectfully, but no one could ever force him. This powerful combination of dignity, courage and decency was displayed on many occasions, which was similar to the idea of India and the image of a sovereign nation. He knew that succumbing to partisanship or conservatism would harm the institution. Can such a free, vocal and slightly playful voice of the independent spirit continue to exist even today?
A secure leader like Sam Bahadur condemned the abuse of power and treated the ‘enemy’ as a human being like himself and recognized him as a patriot of his national flag, but this was in line with India’s ancient civilisation-constitutional decency. Such an attitude does not make him weaker or less courageous in a real battle, because this warrior once took seven bullets in his chest. The source of today’s fear-mongering era is manufactured anger, which pretends to be bravery, but is quite the opposite. But Sam Bahadur could not pretend to be what he was not.
He was by no means defensive about his ‘methods’ as he did not need anyone’s lectures on patriotism, whether his professional inspiration came from a foreign source (without any display of birth) or from his own cultured social background. Could have. Can such a person escape criticism for his lack of connection with the West or his native purism?
SAM’S LEGACY LIVES ON IN INDIAN SOLDIERS
Above everything else, Sam Bahadur stood with conviction and commitment for those unsung and often forgotten soldiers of the Indian Army, who with spectacular diversity included Bhulla (Kumaoni/Garhwali), Gorkha, Thambi (Madrasi soldier), Naga A Dogra could have been anyone who was an Indian soldier, and therefore an Indian.
He looked beyond all the inherent differences to find the common ground that the Constitution has given us in the idea of India that binds us together, and not some ridiculous ‘improvement’ or sanctimoniousness that is contrary to the very definition of what the Constitution stands for. Was decided by the manufacturers. In his way of protecting the diversity of the Indian soldiers, he was protecting the ‘idea of India’ through his tireless passion for justice, equity and fairness.
Therefore, Indian soldiers at any front or post recognized Sam Bahadur as their leader, not by his epaulettes on his uniform denoting his rank, but by his very design as their ‘voice’ in a ‘voiceless’ organisation. .
Sam’s nobility of heart (although westernized in appearance and sound) touched the hearts of all Indian soldiers in remote areas and it did not require any showmanship, dramatic swinging of swords or insulting anyone.
He was a general of soldiers, who did not need to speak any specific language, wear any specific clothes, emphasize on his patriotism, eat or drink as per anyone’s wish. He was just Sam Bahadur, more English than any Englishman, but at the same time as honest and brilliant an Indian as any Indian could be. The great story of his life reflected the greatness, pride and big heart of India. Many people forget that all this was during the time of Nehru, Shastri and during the time of autocratic Indira Gandhi, that as the Army Chief, he did not accept any intellectual, political or personal pressure on himself.
Imagine…if anyone today could imitate and follow those steps without condemnation, punishment or vile accusations and rejection, it would be turning away from the truth.
Sam Bahadur lived as a towering personality and his legacy lives on in the Indian soldiers. This respect is to maintain the existing leadership (both military and political) but the environment is based on weakness rather than strength. Another Sam Bahadur is not going to be found soon. Till then, let’s look at Sam Bahadur’s life as the life of ‘India’ which is grand, generous, certainly caring but when it comes to protecting the sovereignty and dignity of all and not just a few, Then havoc is created.
