Born on April 3rd, 1914, Sam, as he was popularly known, is a soldier of many battles, including a corporate one. A quick short thread on him, based on my Quizzing Memory.

During the World War 2, he was sent to Rangoon to defend Burma, against a Japanese attack. As a 28Y old Captain, got six bullets pierced his stomach, and was left for dead. He would later made an amazing recovery and was awarded the Military Cross for his gallantry.

Then he was to be sacked by the defence minister Krishna Menon. What saved him from the guillotine was the 1962 war (the Chinese came to my rescue, he says). Since, on reaching the demoralised 4 Corps HQ, he said "Gentlemen, I have arrived. Now no more withdrawal in 4 Corps".

S.H.F.J. Manekshaw used to say that his full name will cover an entire page. His assignments with the Gurkha Regiment endeared him to those legendary warriors, who fondly called him ‘Sam Bahadur’.

By the late 1990s, he was among the busiest people in Corporate India, business and was on the board (& Chairman for some) of Bombay Burmah Trading, Britannia Industries, Eastern India Hotels and Nagarjuna Fertilisers, among others.

He was part of the Britannia, when Sunil Alagh (famous for Tiger glucose biscuit) was sacked by Nusil Wadia.