‘At home Manekshaw was far away from an Army chief’

At home, he said, Manekshaw was the “farthest thing from being the highest ranking officer in one of the world’s largest standing armies. To Raoul, Brandy and me, he was always Sam. Our most amazing, wonderful and loving grandfather”.

The fiery war hero also never interfered in his career decisions. “Sam never once in my entire life suggested it (that I should join Army). The army was his ‘profession’, we were expected to decide for ourselves, find our own professions and excel in them. He used to say, ‘son you must always work hard and play hard’,” Jehan said.

Manekshaw would tell incredible stories to the grandchildren — not about his heroism but about his growing up in Amritsar and his early days.

He also used to crack jokes and tease the kids as his capacity for fun was “limitless”, Jehan said. Apart from the fun, he was a serious grammar teacher who used to check the sentence construction and pronunciation of children at home.

“He brought lessons from his own childhood. He passed it to his daughters, my aunt and my mother. If there was one thing I remember that Sam wanted to share with me in a serious manner, it was this — the importance of family and loving everyone in your family,” Jehan said.

“I am proud to consider myself the most fortunate grandchild in the world, because I had Sam for a grandfather,” he said.