The Army and family relive memories
of the winsome warrior
"His images and speeches still inspire both men and women in uniform and civilians to do their best for the country,” noted a write-up from the Press Trust of India reporting on the tributes paid to Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw on his 17th death anniversary on June 27, 2025 when senior Army officers offered wreaths at his grave in Coonoor.
"It takes a special personality to be fully engaged at home as well as be involved in the kind of professional life that he had,” his daughter Maja Daruwala had commented when the film Sam Bahadur was released in 2023. Following his 111th birth anniversary in April 2025, she shared with Parsiana a few photos of Sam (alongside 2-5) with his family in his younger days.
Born to Hillamai and Dr Hormusji Manekshaw in Amritsar in 1914, Sam was the fifth of their six children, the older four being Fali and Jan who were engineers, and Silla and Sehroo who were teachers. The youngest Jemi who retired from the Indian Air Force as Air Vice Marshal is regarded as the pioneer of aviation medicine in India.
Whilst being an egalitarian and democrat, Sam was known for his Parsi sense of humor and delighted in the love and admiration of his wife Silloo and daughters Sherry Batliwala and Maja.
1. Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw’s grave in Coonoor;
2. Bottom from l: Dr Hormusji, Jemi (sitting),
unidentified man carrying Maja, (standing)
Silla, Sehroo, Silloo, Jan (uncertain), circa 1940
3. Hillamai with her six children, circa 1920
4. From l: Fali, Jemi, Hillamai, Jan, Silla, Sam, Jal Tata,
Sehroo, Savaksha Shroff, Hormusji in Amritsar, circa 1930
5. Sam as a 2nd Lt in the Frontier Force Regt,
Northwest Frontier Province, circa 1932