Page 196 - Leadership in the Indian Army

no Indian had held the rank earlier, neither the insignia nor the baton were
available. The Encyclopedia Britannica was consulted and the insignia
fabricated overnight in the Army workshop in Delhi. For the baton, a stick

orderly’s cane was used after suitable modification. An interesting sidelight
of the investiture concerns the baton, which is traditionally used by a Field
Marshal for paying or accepting compliments. After the ceremony, some
politicians were heard remarking that Sam had become swollen headed and
did not salute the President properly, as Army officers normally do. There
was much amusement among the Service officers present, who had to
explain that a Field Marshal traditionally uses his baton to salute, instead of

his hand.
After the 1971 war, Sam commanded immense prestige not only in India
but also abroad. He was literally mobbed wherever he went, and everyone
wanted to shake his hand or touch his feet. Soon after the war, he was
invited to Bombay as the Chief Guest at the Filmfare awards function. As
usual, there was a huge crowd of onlookers at the entrance. But this time,

the throng wanted to see Sam and not the film stars. When Sam arrived,
they surrounded his car and cheered lustily. In stark contrast, the film stars
were virtually ignored, which was a novel experience for most of them.
Everyone wanted to shake hands with the Chief and take his autograph,
including several well-known celebrities.
Sam’s popularity was not confined to India. During one of his visits to
Lahore after the war, the Governor of Punjab invited him for lunch. When

the lunch was over, the Governor told him that some members of his staff
wanted to shake hands with the Indian Chief. When Sam went outside, he
found the entire staff lined up. As he went down the line shaking their
hands, one of them took off his pagree (turban) and kept it at his feet. When
Sam asked him why he was doing this he replied: ‘Sir, it is because of you
that we were saved. I have five sons who are your prisoners. They write

letters to me. You have given them the Koran. They are living in barracks
while your men are in tents. They sleep on cots while your men sleep on the
ground. Now I will never believe anyone who tells me that Hindus are bad.’
Sam’s popularity came at a price. Many people, especially in politics and
the bureaucracy, began to perceive him as a threat. Indira Gandhi also found
it difficult to allay her fears on this score, and soon found a chance to cut
him to size. A young lady reporter asked him for an interview and he

agreed. She came to his house and during their conversation, Sam