Modesty is a quality of being unassuming in the estimation of one’s abilities. This quality associates well with great leaders. Modesty is also in harmony with empathy, creativity, accountability, compassion, humility and grit.

A General who was loved and admired for these qualities was Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, the liberator of Bangladesh, lovingly called Sam Bahadur.

A courageous man, Sam led by example. A decisive leader, an able listener, he was famous for his jokes which made his team comfortable, relaxed and efficient.

A courageous man, Sam led by example. His distinguished career spanned four decades and five wars – World War II to the 1971 Indo-Pak war when he was Chief of the Army Staff.

In 1941, in Burma, he was hit by a machine gun burst, leaving him critically wounded. Major General DT Cowan, commanding the 17 Infantry Division was so impressed by Manekshaw’s valour and knowing about his serious injuries, pinned his own Military Cross ribbon on Manekshaw’lapel, saying, “A dead person cannot be awarded a Military Cross.”

Manekshaw was moved to hospital and the surgeon there was ready to give up on his bullet-riddled body until he asked Manekshaw what had happened. Sam’s reply was, “Nothing happened, I was kicked by a donkey.”

A man who could joke even when grievously injured had a chance, the surgeon thought. And he did. Going on to become the Army Chief, he never lost his courage and his sense of humour.

Manekshaw was an avowed admirer of Gorkha soldiers. He was so impressed by their fighting skills and valour that he once said, “If a soldier says he is not afraid of death, he is either lying or he is a Gorkha.”

Once, a Gorkha soldier named Harka Bahadur Gurung, standing guard as a ceremonial sentry was asked by Sam in Gorkhali, “Mero naam ke ho? (What’s my name?)”. Without batting an eyelid, the soldier replied, “Sam Bahadur, saab.” Sam loved the quick response and the nick name stuck.

As a senior officer, Manekshaw was a decisive leader and an able listener. He was famous for his jokes which kept those around him amused and stress free. He would simply walk up to his subordinates if he had a point to discuss. This made his team comfortable relaxed and efficient. His humility was specifically highlighted when he was asked to go to Dhaka to accept the surrender of Pakistani forces at the end of the 1971 wa. Manekshaw declined the honour, saying that it belonged to the Eastern Army Commander, Lieutenant General Jagjit Singh Aurora who had commanded the forces in that theatre.

Such acts of Modesty won him great respect. He was equally strong in displaying Moral Courage.As recounted by then Defence Minister’s Secretary, RB Pradhan, in his book, when Sam was the GOC of a Corps, he denied Indira Gandhi’s entry into the Operations Room during a briefing for Prime Minsiter Nehru, saying she had not taken the oath to secrecy of a minister. Six years later as the Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi accepted him as the Chief of the Indian Army.