Field Marshal SH F J Manekshaw selected his staff with great care and after having chosen them reposed his full trust in them and fully backed them up, says General Depinder Singh, who served as his military assistant (MA) throughout his tenure as Army Chief. Depinder Singh found Manekshaw easy to get along with, large-hearted and polite to his staff. Professionally, he delegated a lot of responsibility to them. Personally and socially, Sam Bahadur was the tops. Maintaining his subordinates’ prestige in front of their juniors was an essential part of his working style.

FILE, COURTESY WRITERManekshaw’s professional and personal rapport with the then PM Indira Gandhi was tremendous, and they had a successful partnership.

Manekshaw’s professional and personal rapport with Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was tremendous; they had a successful partnership. His reputation and personality got obdurate bureaucrats to deliver on procurement. On visits to formations and units the Chief focused on welfare (accommodation, works and personnel matters) rather than stereotypical training. This was particularly so in first half of his term. The result was a hugely satisfied army backing him when the hard work of planning, training, preparing for the liberation of Bangladesh began in April 1971.

In his approach to work, Sam Manekshaw dealt directly with directors personally selected by him rather than with Principal Staff Officers (PSOs) thrown up by the system. He negotiated the ‘minefields of South Block’ with consummate ease born out of a mighty resolve, supreme selfconfidence and full preparedness. In the words of Depinder Singh, ‘Manekshaw operated like a surgeon with all the necessary instruments at his disposal.’ The military assistant learned all the vital lessons from his master, rising to become Southern Army Commander and overall commander of the IPKF before retiring in 1988. Bravo to Sam and men who fought under him to bring India its first strategic victory in a millennium.

ANOTHER SLI CHIEF IN THE OFFING?

Sometime during General Bikram Singh’s tenure (2012-2014) officers of the Sikh Light Infantry (SLI) were heard singing a ditty to the effect that ‘We had a Chief, we have a Chief, we will have a Chief!’

What they meant was that a regimental officer, General VP Malik, had been Army Chief during 1997-2000, the present Chief was also from the SLI and in the future Devraj Anbu (then a Brigadier and commandant of the SLI Regimental Centre) was likely to be appointed chief. Not another manifestation of the infamous line of succession but an astute analysis of the Army List (containing relative seniorities of all officers above the rank of Lieutenant Colonel with their birth dates). Around 2019, Brigadier Anbu would’ve been the senior-most general

INS BETWA

and therefore most likely to succeed General Dalbir Singh’s successor to become the twenty-seventh Chief. The Brigadier was likely to pick up the next three ranks given his service profile. On December 1, General Anbu came a step closer to realising his regiment’s dream when he took over Northern Command. Not bad going I’d say. General PS Bhagat, the father figure of the regiment who selected the best officers for the SLI and promoted the best training for them within their battalions would’ve been pleased. The Brahmaputra-class guided missile frigate which slipped off its blocks on December 5 while being undocked, a very tricky manoeuvre, will take at least two years to salvage and refurbish, according to authoritative naval sources.