Indian military hero Sam Manekshaw dies at 94
2008-10-03 02:08:53

وكالة الأنباء السعودية - واس

New Delhi, June 27, SPA -- One of India's greatest war heroes, field
marshal Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw, died Friday, the
Defence Ministry said. He was 94, according to Deutsche Presse Agentur dpa.
Manekshaw died from a progressive lung disease at the military
hospital in the southern Indian town of Wellington, the ministry said
in a statement.

"He had developed acute bronchopneumonia with associated
complications, and his condition had been serious for the past four
days," the statement said.
Born on April 3, 1914, Manekshaw was commissioned into the Indian
army in 1934 when the country was under British rule.
Manekshaw became chief of Indian Army in 1969 and crafted what is
considered India's greatest military victory in the 1971
India-Pakistan war, which led to the creation of Bangladesh, reported the DPA.
Manekshaw, whose military career spanned four decades and five
wars, was conferred the rank of field marshal in 1973, one of only
two Indian generals to have risen to that position, the ministry said.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh mourned the death of Manekshaw,
popularly known as Sam Bahadur, which means brave in Hindi.
Singh described him as "one of India's greatest soldiers and a
truly inspiring leader of the country."

"Military historians will forever record the strategic brilliance
and the inspirational leadership of Sam Bahadur," Singh said in his
condolence message.
--SPA

المصدر http://www.spa.gov.sa/details.php?id=568853