Page 171 - Leadership in the Indian Army

was named Maya, though she later changed it to Maja. According to her, ‘at
thirteen, I thought it was hellishly impressive to spell my name as Maja but
Sam insists on spelling it as Maya.’ Sherry Manekshaw later became Mrs

Batliwala and her daughter was named Brandy. Maja Manekshaw became a
stewardess with British Airways and married Dhun Daruwala, who was a
pilot. She later became a lawyer and joined the chambers of Salman
Khurshid in Delhi before setting up her own practice. She has two sons,
named Raoul Sam and Jehan Sam after their illustrious grandfather.
In 1942, Sam’s battalion was ordered to move to Burma. Soon after their
arrival in Burma, the Japanese attacked. Sam was given command of a Sikh

company. Having been born in Amritsar, he could speak Punjabi fluently,
and got along famously with the Sikhs. This was the first time he had been
in action, and he soon had the chance to prove his mettle. There were a
large number of casualties among non commissioned officers, and a
conference was held by the CO to select suitable men for promotion as
corporals and sergeants. There was a soldier called Surat Singh in Sam’s

company, who was considered a ‘bad hat’. When his name came up, and
Sam was asked for his recommendation, he said that it was no use
promoting him, since he would lose his stripes within a few days as had
happened many times in the past. Surat Singh was then passed over and
some others, who were junior, were cleared.
When Sam returned to his company in the evening, he found an eerie
silence, which was most unusual, since the Sikhs are noisy and boisterous

by nature. Soon, his senior JCO, Subedar Balwant Singh, came to his tent
and told him the reason. Surat Singh had come to know that he had been
overlooked for promotion and had declared that he would kill his company
commander for not recommending him. He had been disarmed and bound,
awaiting Sam’s return. On hearing the story, Sam immediately ordered that
the company should fall in and Surat Singh be marched up to him. Within a

few minutes, the company was formed up in a hollow square, facing a table
and a chair. After Sam had taken his seat, the offender was marched up
before him. During war, mutiny and cowardice are punishable by death and
the men knew this. After the charge had been read out, Sam took out a
pistol and walked up to Surat Singh. Handing over the pistol to the burly
Sikh, he told him to do what he had threatened to do. Surat Singh
immediately broke down and started begging for mercy. Sam gave him a

sound slap and told him that if he lacked the guts to kill, he should not make