Latest news with #Manekshaw
Hindustan Times
21-05-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
Meet the two Indian Army generals who were promoted as field marshal
Pakistan's Army chief General Asim Munir has been promoted to the rank of field marshal for his apparent role in the recent India-Pakistan conflict. This move made him the second senior military officer in Pakistan to be promoted to the position. In India, the rank of field marshal has been conferred to only two officers until now: Sam Manekshaw in 1973 and Kodandera M Cariappa in 1986. Field marshal Sam Maneskshaw was conferred this rank in recognition of his service and leadership in the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War. Born, 1914 in Amritsar to a Parsi family, Manekshaw was also known as 'Sam Bahadur'. After he completed his higher command course at the Imperial Defence College, Manekshaw was appointed the general officer commanding of the 26th Infantry Division. He was the first Indian field marshal, which is the highest rank in the Indian Army. His extraordinary leadership in the Indo-Pak war led to the creation of Bangladesh, in which his strategic brilliance proved instrumental for India's victory. In 1968, Manekshaw was awarded Padma Bhushan, the third highest civillian honour for his response to the Nagalan and Mizoram insurgencies. In 2008 he died due to a progressive lung disease. The first Indian commander-in-chief of the Indian Army was field marshal Kodandera Madappa Cariappa was the first Indian commander-in-chief and assumed position in 1949. While he is credited with many firsts, he had an instrumental role in the transition of the Indian military from colonial to independent India. Born into a family of farmers in Coorg province, his family called him 'Chimma'. After independence, Cariappa took the role of deputy chief of general staff and organised three successive attacks. The attacks were aimed at reclaiming the strategic areas of Naushera, Jhangar, Poonch, Zoji La, Dras, and Kargil. Cariappa was the first Indian officer to attend the Staff College, Quetta, and was later commanded the 1/7 Rajputs, making him the first Indian to lead a battalion. His career of three decades came to an end when he passed away on May 15, 1993.
Mint
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Mint
What is field marshal rank? How many generals have been promoted to this top position in India and Pakistan?
Pakistan government on Tuesday decided to promote Army Chief General Asim Munir to the rank of Field Marshal for his 'role' in the recent conflict with India. The decision makes General Munir the second top military officer in Pakistan's history to be elevated to the position. The decision to promote Gen Munir was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, according to an official statement. "The Government of Pakistan has approved the promotion of Gen Asim Munir (Nishan-e-Imtiaz Military) to the rank of Field Marshal for ensuring the security of the country and defeating the enemy based on the high strategy and courageous leadership," the prime minister's office said. But what is Field Marshal? How many generals in India and Pakistan have been promoted to this rank? Field marshal or FM is a five–star officer rank and the highest attainable rank in the Indian Army. The rank is immediately above general, but not in use in the army's current structure. The field marshal is a rank bestowed on generals for ceremonial purposes or during times of war. The rank has been awarded only twice in India. First conferred to Sam Manekshaw in 1973, in recognition of his service and leadership in the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War. The then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi decided to promote Manekshaw to Field Marshal and subsequently to appoint him as the Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) immediately after the war. On 3 January 1973, after his term as the Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) Manekshaw was promoted to field marshal at a ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan. The second individual to be conferred the Field Marshal rank in India was Kodandera M Cariappa, the first Indian to serve as the Commander–in–Chief of the Indian Army – the office that later became the Chief of the Army Staff. Unlike Manekshaw, who was promoted to field marshal a few days before leaving office as Chief of the Army Staff, Cariappa had retired for close to 33 years at the time of his promotion. Cariappa was rewarded for his exemplary service and conferred the rank of field marshal on 15 January 1986 at a special investiture ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan. In recognition of his 'outstanding' military leadership, the cabinet approved the prime minister's proposal to promote Gen Munir to the rank of Field Marshal, a statement from the government of Pakistan informed. Gen Munir's promotion to the largely ceremonial rank came over a week-and-half after the Indian and Pakistani militaries reached an understanding on cessation of military actions after four days of intense hostilities. India has been maintaining that Pakistan pleaded for stopping the military actions after India hit nine military installations in Pakistan during Operation Sindoor on May 7. The operation was launched two weeks after terrorists struck and killed 26 people in Pahalgam valley of Jammu and Kashmir Earlier, the state-run PTV reported that the cabinet took the important decision to 'promote General Asim Munir as Field Marshal' of the country. "This is not a personal achievement, but a tribute to the armed forces and the people of Pakistan,' Munir said in a statement released by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). General Munir, who headed both spy agencies - the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the Military Intelligence (MI) - assumed charge as the Army chief in November 2022. He succeeded General Qamar Javed Bajwa, who retired after two consecutive three-year terms. Before Munir, General Ayub Khan was elevated to the highest military rank in Pakistan. Ayub Khan was conferred the rank of Field Marshal in 1959. Ayub Khan, who ruled the country from 1958 to 1969, also led the country in the 1965 war with India. This is not a personal achievement, but a tribute to the armed forces and the people of Pakistan. However, what makes the promotion of General Munir different is that Khan was ruling the country after imposing martial law and in a way himself responsible for his elevation. Pakistan's tryst with dictators like Ayub Khan has been written about in the country and beyond. One of the most vocal Pakistani poets during General Ayub Khan's tenure between 1958 and 1977 was Habib Jalib. Jalib is known for his powerful satire 'Mein ne us se yeh kaha' (I said this to him), which became one of his most referred-to verses from the dictatorship era.
Mint
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Mint
What is field marshal rank? How many generals have been promoted to this top rank in India and Pakistan?
Pakistan government on Tuesday decided to promote Army Chief General Asim Munir to the rank of Field Marshal for his 'role' in the recent conflict with India. The decision makes General Munir the second top military officer in Pakistan's history to be elevated to the position. The decision to promote Gen Munir was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, according to an official statement. "The Government of Pakistan has approved the promotion of Gen Asim Munir (Nishan-e-Imtiaz Military) to the rank of Field Marshal for ensuring the security of the country and defeating the enemy based on the high strategy and courageous leadership," the prime minister's office said. But what is Field Marshal. How many generals in India and Pakistan have been promoted to this rank? Field marshal or FM is a five–star officer rank and the highest attainable rank in the Indian Army. The rank is immediately above general, but not in use in the army's current structure. The field marshal is a rank bestowed on generals for ceremonial purposes or during times of war. The rank has been awarded only twice in India. First conferred to Sam Manekshaw in 1973, in recognition of his service and leadership in the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War. The then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi decided to promote Manekshaw to Field Marshal and subsequently to appoint him as the Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) immediately after the war. On 3 January 1973, after his term as the Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) Manekshaw was promoted to field marshal at a ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan. The second individual to be conferred the Field Marshal rank in India was Kodandera the first Indian to serve as the Commander–in–Chief of the Indian Army – the office that later became the Chief of the Army Staff. Unlike Manekshaw, who was promoted to field marshal a few days before leaving office as Chief of the Army Staff, Cariappa had retired for close to 33 years at the time of his promotion. Cariappa was rewarded for his exemplary service and conferred the rank of field marshal on 15 January 1986 at a special investiture ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan. In recognition of his 'outstanding' military leadership, the cabinet approved the prime minister's proposal to promote Gen Munir to the rank of Field Marshal, the statement form government of Pakistan said. Gen Munir's promotion to the largely ceremonial rank came over a week-and-half after the Indian and Pakistani militaries reached an understanding on cessation of military actions after four days of intense hostilities. India has been maintaining that Pakistan pleaded for stopping the military actions after India hit ninet military installations in Pakistan during Operation Sindoor on May 7. The operation was launched two weeks after terrorists struck and killed 29 people in Pahalgam valley of Jammu and Kashmir Earlier, the state-run PTV reported that the cabinet took the important decision to 'promote General Asim Munir as Field Marshal' of the country. "This is not a personal achievement, but a tribute to the armed forces and the people of Pakistan,' Munir said in a statement released by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). General Munir, who headed both powerful spy agencies - the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the Military Intelligence (MI) - assumed charge as the Army chief in November 2022. He succeeded General Qamar Javed Bajwa, who retired after two consecutive three-year terms. Munir was commissioned into the Frontier Force Regiment. Before Munir, General Ayub Khan to be elevated to the highest military rank in Pakistan. General Khan was conferred the rank of Field Marshal in 1959. Ayub Khan, who ruled the country from 1958 to 1969 also led the country in the 1965 war with India. This is not a personal achievement, but a tribute to the armed forces and the people of Pakistan. However, what makes the promotion of General Munir different is that Khan was ruling the country after imposing martial law and in a way himself responsible for his elevation.
Economic Times
07-05-2025
- General
- Economic Times
VAPs, shoving peace down your throats
VAPs, shoving peace down your throats There's not many of them out in TV studios, or on social media. But somewhere in the tangled philosophies of non-violence and righteous indignation exists a rare but formidable breed: the violent, aggressive pacifist, or VAP. This person will lecture you on the virtue of peace, while jabbing a finger in your face for interrupting their soliloquy on 'An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind'. Fluent in the language of tranquillity, they wield it like a weapon, demanding that you embrace serenity or else.... VAPs don't simply oppose war - they wage battle against anyone who doesn't. Their pacifism is enforced with the intensity of a social media Manekshaw screaming orders at 'Like'- or '♥'-pressing troops. They insist on dialogue, but only if it consists of you nodding in agreement. Disagreement is considered an act of aggression. Should you foolishly express doubt, or an alternative perspective, be prepared to get pummelled for fuelling bloodlust. The hardcore VAP will threaten you - quite like the regular warmonger, from behind a screen, unless they're at loggerheads in front of a talking heads camera. They want a gentler world, for which they are willing to intimidate the pragmatic supporter of any military conflict resolution. If you ever meet one, just nod, smile and surrender. Resistance is futile, and deeply bellicose of you.
Mint
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Mint
Military action is to be taken with greatest caution
About 6am last Tuesday, I got a notification on my mobile phone—a message from a friend's son distraught by the Pahalgam attack. The message berated the government for not taking speedy retaliatory action and wanted me to build media pressure on the government into taking immediate action. I was shocked. I have known this person since childhood. He was schooled at the best of institutions in India and holds an engineering degree. He landed a plum job with an MNC even before he completed his education, and today is part of the top corporate echelons. Also Read | Zero-day terror in Kashmir: National security needs an AI upgrade I advised him to keep his cool and trust the government, and reminded him of 1971, when a similar war hysteria had built up in India. However, when Indira Gandhi, the then prime minister, summoned General Sam Manekshaw, the then army chief, and wanted the army to attack and liberate East Pakistan, the general flatly refused any immediate action. The reason? Manekshaw, a brilliant strategist, knew that the monsoon was due in a few months and that during the rains, the fields in Bangladesh would turn into swamps, hindering movement of men and materiel. Attack at such a time would be suicidal. Manekshaw was ensuring the survival of his men. After nine months of careful planning, coordination, and strategizing, Indian forces attacked East Pakistan and liberated Bangladesh. More than 90,000 troops surrendered, in the largest such exercise ever. On 16 December 1971, Bangladesh was liberated. Also Read | Kashmir simmers but Pakistan's game has no winners Coming back to the present, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has authorized the Indian armed forces to take 'appropriate action". Strategic meetings have been held at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg, North Block, and South Block. Military actions have economic and diplomatic consequences. Ensuring quick victory with minimum casualties requires commitments from powerful allies for support to our cause or at least neutrality during any kinetic engagement. This is the reason defence minister Rajnath Singh and foreign affairs minister S. Jaishankar are conducting hectic parleys with their counterparts in various countries, including the US. The actions are reminiscent of 1971. While Manekshaw and chiefs of navy and air force were preparing for war, Indira Gandhi was scouting for dependable diplomatic partners. Also Read | Beyond cartel claims: Fixing the broken media model India struck a landmark deal with the USSR in the nick of time as an insurance against possible Western interference. During the war, when the US sixth fleet appeared in the Bay of Bengal, so did the USSR's submarines appearance validating India's diplomatic masterstroke. The situation is equally treacherous today, if not more complicated amid Trump 2.0. Bereft of any ideology, geopolitics is far more transactional, with nations switching sides at the slightest hint of economic discomfort. Unlike in 1971, both India and Pakistan are now nuclear powers. There's no USSR to support us. Russia is fighting Ukraine, limiting its ability to extend any help. China is ambiguous. Foreign minister Wang Yi's comments reveal Beijing's cautious posture: 'Conflict is not in the fundamental interests of either India or Pakistan." Also, the US is sending mixed signals. Consider J. D. Vance's statement, 'Our hope here is that India responds to this terrorist attack [in Pahalgam] in a way that doesn't lead to a broader regional conflict." Unaware of the complexities limiting the government's options, people are babbling on social media ignoring Modi's track record of keeping his word, be it on surgical strikes or the Balakot airstrike. It's time to quietly stand with the government and not indulge in unnecessary rants. Some are using the situation to sow seeds of communalism. A few days ago, in Vrindavan, a group of people protested in front of the Banke Bihari temple, demanding boycott of Muslims involved in the service of the temple. The temple trust asserted unequivocally that they have been making lord Krishna's clothes for centuries. On 29 April, the Jammu & Kashmir assembly unanimously condemned the terror attack and expressed their solidarity with the country. Their legislators think the end of terror in the Valley has begun. Ignoring such a show of solidarity, the hate mongers forget the nationwide condemnation of the terror attack from mosques around the country. This is the time to stand with the government and work towards social unity and not fan hatred. Shashi Shekhar is editor-in-chief, Hindustan. Views are personal.
