Recalling Sam Bahadur's Amritsar connection

Tribune News Service

Neha Saini

Amritsar, December 4

As the audience experiences the story of Sam Manekshaw, brought alive on screen by Vicky Kaushal’s stellar performance in Meghna Gulzar’s ‘Sam Bahadur’, locals recall Amritsar connection with the first Field Marshal of the Indian Army and a man, whose wit and grit are still remembered in city circles through shared stories and accounts.

Born in Holy City

• Field Marshal Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw, also known as Sam Bahadur, was born in Amritsar in 1914 to Dr Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw
• Dr HFJ Manekshaw, a distinguished member of the Parsi community in Amritsar, used to run a small clinic and pharmacy at Katra Ahluwalia and had a house on Mall Road
• The shop, now called Sur and Co., is being run as a pharmacy by Naveen Marwaha, whose grandfather Devraj Marwaha, received it from Dr Manekshaw

Field Marshal Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw, also known as Sam Bahadur, was born in Amritsar in 1914 to Dr Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw. Dr HFJ Manekshaw, a distinguished member of the Parsi community in Amritsar, used to run a small clinic and pharmacy at Katra Ahluwalia and had a home on Mall Road. The shop, now called Sur and Co., is being run as a pharmacy by Naveen Marwaha, whose grandfather Devraj Marwaha, received it from Dr Manekshaw.

“My grandfather received the shop as he used to assist Dr Manekshaw in running the clinic and they shared a warm relationship. He had kept letters written to him by Dr Manekshaw and photographs with Manekshaw family as fond memories,” shared Naveen.

The Marwaha family has, over the years, held the memories of the Manekshaw family and Sam close to their hearts through photographs and a chair that was once Dr Manekshaw’s. Naveen said Sam had visited the shop when he was in city in 1973. Sam pursued his early education from PBN School and then went to Sherwood College, Nainital. He later enrolled in the famous Hindu College to pursue FA (second year).

As per the official records, he joined the college on March 3, 1934, and left the institution in January 1935 to join the IMA. The college has displayed his picture along with other distinguished alumni at a special corridor on the premises of the college.

Ashok Sethi, from the family of late senior journalist GR Sethi, who was a close acquaintance of Dr Maneskshaw, said the city hosted a memorable reception when the Field Marshal visited the historic Ram Bagh after scripting a historic win in the 1971 war. Sam’s ancestral home located on the Mall Road was sold off by his father when the family moved to Delhi. The location now has turned into commercial lane after passing down several hands.

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