An incident which changed future of India
In 1910s, two Parsis, Hormizd and his wife Hilla were traveling in train from Valsad to Lahore.
Lahore was where Hormizd's parents had settled after moving away from Mumbai.
Hormizd was practicing medicine and wanted to do the same in Lahore.
However, Hormizd's wife, Hilla, was in advanced stages of pregnancy with her 5th child.
When they reached Amritsar, her complications increased. She had to show a doctor.
That doctor advised Hormizd that due to Hilla's pregnancy, it's not advisable for her to travel any further.
So Hormizd and his wife Hilla decided to stay in Amritsar, India. Not travel to Lahore in Pakistan.
By the time that 5th child was born, Hormizd had thriving medicine clinic in Amritsar and hence decided to settle there.
You know the name of that child for which Hormizd and his wife Hilla decided to stay in Amritsar, India?
That child's name was Sam Manekshaw.
At young age. Sam Manekshaw wanted to follow his father's footsteps and wanted to become a doctor himself by going to London.
As his father refused to fund his study for medicine in London, Sam Manekshaw studied science from Cambridge board here in India.
Then as an act of rebellion for him not allowed to go to London for medicine, Sam Manekshaw decided to join military academy. The later as we know it, is history.
Before around the partition. Sam Manekshaw was posted along with Yahya Khan in Delhi. The same Yahya Khan who later went onto become the military president of Pakistan.
Yahya Khan told him that he (Yahya Khan) being a Muslim, would go to Pakistan. But where would Sam Manekshaw go. As India was for Hindus and Sam Manekshaw was a Parsi.
Sam Manekshaw replied one simple thing. He said that he was born in Amritsar, married to a person from Mumbai and did his duty in Dehradun. So he's as Indian as any.
Sam Manekshaw not only decided to stay in India, but also helped shape India as it is.
Sam Manekshaw, his military abilities, his tactical skills and greatness is one of the reason why India had won many wars.
It was under him and his abilities that we won the Bangladesh Liberation War.
He is India's most decorated military officer. No one can reach his rank.
But just think about it. That journey when his parents were traveling to Lahore.
Had they traveled to Lahore in Pakistan and had Sam Manekshaw born and brought up there, would he be part of Indian army after independence? Possibly not.
That one incident changed the future of India.
Recently, a movie on Sam Manekshaw has released. It's a very good movie and everyone should watch it.
However, that movie doesn't cover a lot of aspects of Sam Manekshaw. Especially his pre-military academy days. So it's important that people know about this 🇮🇳.