Tikajit Pun was born in a village called Nangi, in the district of Tehsil, Nepal, he enlisted into the 1st Battalion of the 2nd Gurkha Rifles in November 1922, and saw his first active service on the North West Frontier in 1924, being awarded the Indian General Service Medal 1923-24. He served on the frontier again with the battalion in 1937 and was awarded his second IGSM for the 1937-39 campaign.  He was granted the Viceroy's Commission in 1937 and transferred to the 3rd Battalion when it was re-raised in 1940. In 1943 as a Subedar in the Chindits, he took part in the First Wingate Expedition, leading a group of very young and inexperienced Gurkha Riflemen behind enemy lines in Burma. Here he performed outstandingly well under very difficult and arduous conditions and ended up being awarded the Indian Distinguished Conduct Medal for his efforts that year. Here is the citation transcript for that award, as recommended by his commander Major R. Bromhead :

For a much more detailed account of the military life and career of Tikajit Pun, please click on the link below. Congratulations must go the gentlemen who produced the website pages, especially Mark Sellar who compiled the information on Tikajit Pun.Tikajit Pun went on to serve with the 2nd Gurkha Rifles after the war in places such as Malaya, he continued to excel and impress during this period. In the photograph opposite he can be seen in the centre of the back row. This photo was taken in the 1950's and is of the 1st battalion 2nd GR, at the Ulu Pandan barracks in Singapore. By this time Tikajit was a Lieutenant in the battalion, but went on to achieve the rank of Captain.

The family tradition of faithful service to the 2nd Gurkha Rifles was continued by his eldest son Lalbahadur, who became the first Gurkha Rifle recruit to attend Staff College, passing out from Sandhurst in 1959. Lalbahadur was awarded the Military Cross in 1965 during the 1st battalion's tour of duty in Indonesia. He led a successful ambush attack on a large group of insurgents just inside the Indonesian border and nullified their future effect on proceedings. Seen below is the full medal entitlement of Captain Tikajit Pun, a real Chindit hero in every sense of the word.

Balkrishna Samser Jang Bahadur Rana (1903-1981),who adopted the pen name 'Sama' which means equal in 1948, is one of the trimurti of early modern Nepali Literature that considered a dramatist or a poet and his reputation as a painter should also be mentioned but as the years passed and his contributions reasseased with the benefit of hindsight it seems likely that this poetry will stand the test of time rather than his plays.The latter,though still highly praised by critics are often assessed by younger writers as heavily dated and decreasing relevance to a society that has changed radically since they were composed.The majority of the poems after his plays represent a major advance in the simplification of poetic diction in Nepali .The relational angestic philosophy they promote with varying degrees of success strike a chord among readers.

Unlike his two equally illustrations contemporaries, Sama was a member of the ruling elite and his education and circumstances were therefore radically different.Despite the linguistic simplicity of his poems,is approach was mere electic and intellectual,and less rhapsodic,than Devkota's .Ma Garbha Garchu (1968) is a love poem in which love is expressed paradonically in terms of hatred for the cliched objects of romantic verse that separate man from woman.Manis Svayam Devata Huncha (1968) is perhaps the most succinct expression of Sama's humanism -the theme of a large number of his poems,including the celebrated but somewhat over extended.  He was awarded with the Tribhuwan Puraskar from Nepal Rajakiya Pragya Prathistan in 1972. The same year he received the Bishesh Upadhi from Tribhuvan University and in 1978, the Prithvi Pragya Puraskar from Pragya Pratisthan. He died in 1981.

Here, is the story of our very own Dr Sanjukta Parashar, a young and dynamic IPS officer, who followed the footsteps of Kiran Bedi in one of the most male-dominated profession in the world. She is the first and only Assamese lady IPS officer. Despite having secured 85th Position (All India Ranking) in the UPSC, she opted the call of the uniform by joining the Police service, when most other women cadres chose to join IAS, reported Assam’s daily The Sentinel. Born to Dulal Chandra Barua, an engineer with the irrigation state department and her mother Meena Devi, who worked with the Assam Health Services.  She passed out her Class X from Holy Child School in Guwahati and graduated at Indraprastha College for Women in New Delhi.  

Then she went to Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) for her Masters, M.phil and Ph D. In 2008, when she got her new job posting as Assistant Commandant of Makum. Maybe it was an interesting sign of fortunate or unfortunate experience,  within two hours of her joining the office, she was assigned to move to Udalguri, upon urgent intervention to prevent the situation in the area where ethnic clashes between the Bodo and illegal migrants from Bangladeshi had broken out. There she realized how one could lose everything in just a fraction of a second, simply on account of being born to a different community. Later the same year, she got married to Puru Gupta, who is currently the Deputy Commissioner of Chirang district of Assam and they are blessed with a two-year-old son. Dr Sanjukta Parashar, now holds the post of Superintendent of Police (SP) of Jorhat District of Assam.

Exclusive Pictures of IPS Dr Sanjukta Parashar

जन्म- 1913 ई., बलिदान- 25 अगस्त, 1944 ई. बलिदान दिवस (25 अगस्त) पर विशेष

शहीद दुर्गा मल्ल का जन्म उत्तर प्रदेश के देहरादून (अब उत्तरांचल) जिले में डोईवाला नामक गांव में सन् 1913 में हुआ था। उनके पिता का नाम श्री गंगाराम मल्ल और माता का नाम श्रीमती पार्वती देवी मल्ल था। दुर्गा मल्ल बाल्यकाल से ही गांव के अन्य लड़कों से भिन्न दिखाई देते थे। माता-पिता के आज्ञाकारी, पढ़ने और खेलकूद के शौकीन। उन्हें अपने गोरखा समाज की दुर्दशा देखकर दु:ख होता था। उन दिनों गोरखा समाज की स्थिति ठीक नहीं थी। दुर्गा मल्ल विद्यार्थी जीवन से ही पराधीन भारत के प्रति व्यथित रहते थे। अत: विद्यार्थी जीवन में ही स्वाधीनता संग्राम में शामिल हो गए थे। उनके आदर्श थे ठाकुर चन्दन सिंह, वीर खड्ग बहादुर सिंह बिष्ट, पंडित ईश्वरनन्द गोरखा, अमर सिंह थापा इत्यादि। उन पर गांधीवादी स्वतंत्रता संग्रामियों का भी प्रभाव था। गोरी सरकार का दमनचक्र स्वतंत्रता संग्रामियों पर तेजी से होने लगा था। अत: सभी आंदोलनकर्ता पुलिस की आंखों में धूल झोंककर देहरादून छोड़कर अन्य स्थानों पर चले गए।

दुर्गा मल्ल भी अपने रिश्तेदार के यहां धर्मशाला चले गए, इस कारण दुर्गा मल्ल की पढ़ाई छूट गई। कुछ समय पश्चात् वे सन् 1931 में स्थानीय पलटन 2/1 गोरखा राइफल्स में भर्ती हो गए। तब दुर्गा मल्ल केवल अठारह वर्ष के युवक थे। उन्हें संकेत प्रशिक्षण के लिए महाराष्ट्र भेज दिया ही गया। लगभग 10 वर्ष तक सेना में सेवारत रहने के पश्चात् जनवरी, 1941 में युद्ध के लिए विदेश जाने से पूर्व अपने घरवालों से विदा लेने धर्मशाला गए, और वहीं (धर्मशाला) ठाकुर परिवार की कन्या शारदा देवी के साथ उनका विवाह हो गया। अप्रैल 1941 में दुर्गा मल्ल की टुकड़ी सिकन्दराबाद पहुंची जहां से उसे आगे विदेश रवाना होना था। 2/1 गोरखा बटालियन के अतिरिक्त अन्य गोरखा बटालियनें भी सिंगापुर पहुंच चुकी थीं। दिसम्बर 1941 में जापानियों ने दक्षिण पूर्व एशियाई क्षेत्र में तैनात मित्र सेना पर हमला करके युद्ध की घोषणा कर दी।

इस बीच आजाद हिन्द फौज का गठन हुआ जिसमें तीन प्रमुख गोरखा बटालियनों की भूमिका रही थी। आजाद हिन्द फौज में पन्द्रह हजार अधिकारी और सिपाही थे। भारत को आजाद कराने के आह्वान पर दुर्गा मल्ल भी आजाद हिन्द फौज में शामिल हो गए। इनकी कार्य कुशलता देखकर नेताजी सुभाष चन्द्र बोस ने दुर्गा मल्ल को गुप्तचर विभाग का कार्य भार सौंपकर कप्तान बनाया। बाद में उन्हें विशेष अभियान के लिए भारत-बर्मा सीमा पर नियुक्त किया। मणिपुर के उखरूल नामक स्थान पर 27 मार्च, 1944 के दिन मेजर दुर्गा मल्ल शत्रु के घेरे में फंस गए। दुर्गा मल्ल को युद्धबन्दी के रूप में दिल्ली में लालकिले के बन्दीगृह में रखा गया। इनके विरुद्ध सैनिक अदालत में मुकदमा चलाया गया। 25अगस्त, 1944 को दुर्गा मल्ल को फांसी दी गई। और इस तरह उन्हें आजाद हिन्द फौज के प्रथम शहीद होने का गौरव प्राप्त हुआ।

Tulsi Ghimire is a Nepali film director, screenwriter, film editor, cameraman, actor and lyricist. He is one of the most well-known and successful directors of the Nepali film industry. Tulsi Ghimire was born in Sindeybong, Kalimpong, Darjeeling district, India to Dhojman Ghimire and Narbada Ghimire. He has two younger brothers and a sister. Tulsi studied at the Mani Memorial Primary School in Sindeybong up to second grade, and then from grade 3 to 11 at the Scottish University Mission Institute (SUMI), Kalimpong. He obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree from Kalimpong College. 

He is married to Bharati Ghimire (Gazmer), who has sung in many of his films. His brother Shrawan Ghimire is a successful film producer. Tulsi's children, Bhawana Ghimire and Panchami Ghimire, have also appeared in a Nepali children's film Swarg Ko Pari. In addition to being a film director, Tulsi Ghimire has also been a successful screenwriter, editor, cameraman, actor and lyricist.Tusli Ghimire initially moved to Mumbai from Kalimpong in 1974 to work in the Indian film industry, Bollywood. Tulsi’s mentor and Bollywood editor Kamlakar Karkhanis advised him to make Nepali movies at that time. Tusli debuted in the Nepali film industry with the Nepali movie Bansuri in 1981 as a director. 

He made his second movie Kusume Rumal in 1985, based on his own story, which became very successful. Among his movies, Kusume Rumal, Lahure, Deuta, Chino, Balidaan, Dakshina and Darpan Chhaya are considered hits. Darpan Chaya is considered to be one of the top grossing and the biggest blockbusters of Nepali cinema. Tulsi Ghimire is currently busy in an animated movie, the first in the Nepali movie industry. The movie made on the story of Buddha is expected to be release in 2013 and will be dubbed in seven different languages. The movie was reported to cost over 80 million rupees.

मेलवादेवीले श्री ३ चन्द्रशमशेरको दरबारमा गीत गाउन थालिन् । उनी दरबारको रङ्गमञ्च, सभासमारोहका अतिरिक्त चन्द्रशमशेरसँगै सिकारमा जङ्गल पुगेर समेत गीत गाउँथिन् । चन्द्रशमशेर पनि मेलवादेवीको स्वरका भक्त थिए । चन्द्रशमशेरले मात्र होइन उनकी रानी बालकुमारीदेवीबाट पनि सुरुसुरुमा मेलवादेवीले बक्सिस पाइरहिन् । मेलवादेवीको कोकिल स्वरलाई विराट् स्वरूप प्रदान गर्न चन्द्रशमशेर मग्न थिए । त्यसैले मेलवादेवीलाई ख्यातिप्राप्त उस्ताद बालाप्रसाद शर्मा, गणपत, खेमचन्द्रआदिबाट शास्त्रीय सङ्गीतको गायनमा पनि तालिम दिन थालियो । त्यसपछि उनी झन् उत्कृष्ट स्वरकी कोइलीमा दर्ता हुन थालिन् ।

मेलवादेवीको स्वरले प्रकृतिलाई पनि पगाल्ने गथ्र्यो । उनको स्वरको विषयमा उनकी छोरी विमला दीक्षतिले भनेकी थिइन् ”मेरी आमाको स्वरमा महाराज चन्द्रशमशेरका साइँला छोरा हिजहाइनेस केशरशमशेर पनि भुतुक्कै हुन्थे । त्यसैले एक दिन टन्टलापुर घाम लागेको बेला केशरशमशेरले आमालाई भने ‘अब यस्तो बेलामा गीत गाएर तिमी पानी पार्न सक्छयौ -’ त्यस बेला आमाको प्रत्युत्तर थियो ‘पानी कति मात्रामा पर्छ म त्यो भन्न सक्तिनँ । तर आकाशमा बादल आउँछ र पानी पर्छ म यति भन्न सक्छु ।’ अनि केशरशमशेरले आमासँग बाजी राख्तै भने ‘लौ तिमीले भनेको कुरा पुग्यो भने म तिमीलाई पाँच हजार रुपियाँ दिन्छु ।’ आमाले डेढ घण्टा गीत गाएपछि आकाशमा क्रमशः बादल लाग्यो र पानी पर्न थाल्यो । अनि केशरशमशेरले स्याबास भन्दै आमालाई पाँच हजार रुपियाँ बक्सिस दिए ।”

चन्द्रशमशेरका पाहुनापासा आउँदा पनि सिंहदरबार बेलायती बैठकमा झकिझकाउका साथ मेलवादेवीलाई उपस्थित गराइन्थ्यो । त्यतिखेर मेलवादेवी अतिथिको रुचिअनुसार शास्त्रीय, आधुनिक, भजन, लोकगीत र नेवारी गीत समेत गाउने गर्थिन् । उनको स्वर सुनेर चन्द्रशमशेरले बराबर उनलाई धाप मार्थे । त्यसैले मेलवादेवीको ईर्ष्यागर्नेहरूको ताँतीले पनि सिंहदरबार बेरिएको थियो । त्यसपछि उनको स्वरलाई विगार्न चन्द्रशमशेरकी रानी बालकुमारीदेवीका इसारामा मेलावादेवीका शत्रुहरूद्वारा पानमा सिन्दूर राखेर उनलाई खुवाइएको थियो । त्यसपछि उनको स्वर एक्कासि खच्क्यो । त्यस बेहोराले चन्द्रशमशेर अति नै दुखित भए ।

चन्द्रशमशेरले मेलवादेवीको स्वरको उपचार गर्न बेलायतबाट चिकित्सक बोलाए । तर जति नै खर्च गरे तापनि उनको स्वर पहिलाजस्तै हुन सकेन । तर पनि चन्द्रशमशेरले उनको स्वरको तारिफ गर्न छाडेनन् । मेलवादेवीको स्वर सुक्न थालेपछि पनि चन्द्रशमशेर भन्ने गर्थे “गा न गा, मलाई तेरो यही सुकेको आवाज नै मन पर्छ ।” चन्द्रशमशेरकी मन पर्ने गायिका भएका कारण सिंहदरबारमा मेलवादेवीको औपचारिक सुरक्षाचाहिँ देखिन्थ्यो । त्यस बेला उनलाई खास गरेर पुरुषवर्गले प्रत्यक्ष सम्पर्क गर्नु, प्रेम गर्नु र स्नेह देखाउनु भनेको बाघसँग कुस्ती खेल्नुसरह मानिन्थ्यो । यति हुँदाहुँदै पनि चन्द्रशमशेरका छोरा बबरशमशेरचाहिँ मेलवादेवीप्रति प्रायः आक्रामक देखिन्थे । साथै तबलावादक भक्तकृष्ण मानन्धर पनि मेलवादेवीको कला, रूप, यौवन र धनसम्पत्रि्रति त्यति नै आसक्त थिए ।

मेलवादेवी र चन्द्रशमशेर एकअर्कामा समर्पित भएको दृश्य हेर्न चन्द्रशमशेरकी रानी बालकुमारीदेवीलाई अति नै सकस पर्न थालेको थियो । त्यही परिवेशमा दरबारबाट मेलवादेवीको टिकट काटिन गयो । त्यसै सर्न्दर्भमा चन्द्रशमशेरले उनलाई काठमाडौँको विजयेश्वरीमा एउटा घर किनिदिए । त्यसपछि चौबीस वर्षभुक्तान भएको उमेर बोकेर उनी सिंहदरबारबाट निस्केकी थिइन् । यस घटनाले भक्तकृष्ण मानन्धरलाई ढुङ्गा खोज्दा देउता मिलेझैँ भएको थियो । त्यसैले त्यतिखेर उनका पछिपछि उस्ताद मानन्धर लागेका थिए । मानन्धरले कैयौँ सपनाविपना देखाएर मेलवादेवीलाई दक्षिणकालीको मन्दिरमा लगेर सिन्दूरपोते र चुरा धागोले सजाएका थिए ।

भक्तकृष्णले पहिला पनि दुई जनासँग बिहे गरेर सन्तान जन्माएका थिए । साथै मेलवादेवीतर्फाट पनि दुईटी छोरी विमला र शान्ति जन्मेका थिए । मेलवादेवीसँगको बिहेपछि भक्तकृष्णलाई सिंहदरबार छिर्न बन्देज लगाइयो।साथै गुरुङसँगको बैबाहिक जीवन गाँसेको कसुरमा त्यस बेला उनी आफ्नो जातीय समाजबाट पनि बहिष्कृत भएका थिए । भक्तकृष्णसँग बिहे गरेको केही वर्षा मेलवादेवीको दाम्पत्य जीवन भङ्ग भयो । अनि उनले आफ्नो घरबार सस्तैमा बेचिन् र शुक्रराज शास्त्रीको सल्लाहमा कोलकाता जाने निर्णय गरिन् । सुत्केरी भएकै महिनादिनपछि उनी आफ्ना दुईनावालक छोरी विमला र शान्ति चेपेर रेलमार्गद्वारा कोलकाता लागिन् । कोलकाता पुगेपछि यात्राको अनुभव सँगालेर उनले ‘सवारी मेरो रेलैमा’ बोलको गीत गाइन् । त्यस बेलासम्म नेपालीभाषामा नेपाली नारीको स्वर रिकर्डिङ भएको थिएन ।

मेलवादेवीको कोलकातामा स्वच्छन्दतावादी यात्रा थियो । त्यतिखेर उनका खुट्टा रोक्ने न कुनै कल्ली थिए न उनका हात बाँध्ने नै कुनै बाईं थिए । त्यसैले उनी साङ्गीतिक कार्यक्रमहरूमा प्रवेश गरिरहन्थिन् । उनी घरी इलाहाबाद सङ्गीत सम्मेलनमा पुगिरहन्थिन् र घरी रामगढ सङ्गीत सम्मेलनमा भाग लिइरहन्थिन् । उनी जहाँजहाँ गएर आफ्नो गलाको कौशल देखाउँथिन् त्यहाँत्यहाँबाट उनले सुनका तक्मा पनि प्राप्त गर्थिन् । त्यति मात्र होइन इलाहाबाद सङ्गीत सम्मेलनले त उनलाई ‘ठुमरीकी रानी’को दर्जा पनि अर्पित गरेको थियो ।

मेलवादेवीले जीवनको उत्तर्रार्धमा आफ्नो नाउँ सुलभा राखिन् । खासमा त्यतिखेर आर्थिक रूपमा उनी निम्नस्तरमा नै बामे र्सर्दै थिइन् । आफ्नो जीविकोपार्जनका साथै छोरीहरूको पालनपोषणका निम्ति कोलकाताकै मारवाडी बालिका विद्यालयमा उनी सङ्गीतकी गुरुमा बनिन् । साथै त्यहीं स्कुलमा उनका छोरीहरु पनि भर्ना गरिए । त्यस घडी त्यहाँको मात्र आयस्ताले उपलब्धि हुन नसक्ता उनले आफ्ना कोठामा सङ्गीतको कक्षा पनि सञ्चालन गरिन् । आफ्ना शिष्यहरूलाई अध्यापन गराउन नेपाली, हिन्दी र बङ्गाली भाषामा उनी बराबरी नै गीत गाइरहन्थिन् । दुक्खसुक्ख जीवन भुक्तान गर्दै उनले दुवै छोरीहरूको विवाह पनि गरिदिइन् ।

छोरीहरुको बिहे गरेपछि मेलवादेवी डेरामा एक्लै बसिन् । उनले पहिलेझै एउटै कोठामा खाने र सुत्ने गरिन् । त्यतिखेर उनी विक्षिप्त मानसिक अवस्थामा नै घस्रँदै जीवन चलाउने गर्थिन् । २०१२ साल मङ्सिर महिनाको कुरा हो- खाना पकाइरहेका बेला स्टोभ पड्केर उनको शरीरमा आगो लाग्यो । त्यसको भोलिपल्ट छिमेकीले कोठाभित्रै उनको डढेको शरीर फेला पारे । अनि कोलकाता मेडिकल कलेजमा उनको लासको पोस्टमार्टम भयो । त्यसको केही दिनपछि उनका धर्मपुत्र रामचन्द्र गुप्ताले त्यो लास बुझे । यो दुःखद घटनाको विवरण उनका छोरीहरू विमला दीक्षित र शान्तिरानी आर्यले पनि पछि मात्र थाहा पाए ।

सवारी मेरो रेलैमा.....

सानु र सानु लैलै कुसुमे रुमाल बरिलै

ज्यान तिमीले पायौ कि बरिलै

झन् पर जान्छु लैलै झन् माया लाग्छ बरिलै

मोहनी लायौ कि बरिलै

सवारी मेरो रेलैमा !..

(स्वर, सङ्गीत र शब्द : मेलवादेवी)

(  जानकारी : कुनैपनि व्यक्तिको बारेमा जिबनी लेख्नु भनेको चानचुने कुरा हैन । एउटा जिबनी तयार पार्नको निमित्त प्रयाप्त अध्ययनको आबश्यक पर्दछ । नेपाली संगीतका स्थापनाकाल देखिका कलाकारको जिबनी लेख्ने एक मात्र जिबनीकार  हुन् - नरेन्द्रराज प्रसाई । हाल सम्म उहाँले १०० भन्दा बढी कलाकर्मीको जिबनी लेख्नु भएको छ । ) 

Kiran Carrie Chetry (born August 26, 1974) is a Nepali-born American TV broadcast journalist anchor who, until 2011, was a cable news anchor for CNN's early morning program. From 2001 to 2007 she reported – and then anchored – cable news at Fox News. She is currently not working as a journalist. Kiran (Sanskrit: किरण, kiraņ) means "ray of light". Chetry (Nepali: छेत्री, Chhetrĩ) refers to the large traditional caste of rulers and soldiers among Hindus in the Middle Hills of Nepal. Kiran's father Hom Chetry belongs to this caste and uses it as his surname. Kiran's mother Nancy is of Ukrainian, Dutch and German ancestry. The couple met while Nancy was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Nepal.

Kiran was born in Patan Hospital (Shanta Bhawan), Kathmandu, Nepal. Seven months later her parents moved their new family to the United States. Kiran grew up in Gaithersburg, Maryland and attended Montgomery Blair High School in Silver Spring, Maryland, where she served in student government, danced on the pom squad,and competed on the swim team.Upon graduation she enrolled at the University of Maryland, College Park's College of Journalism, where she joined the Alpha Pi chapter of Delta Delta Delta sorority and received her bachelor of arts in broadcast journalism.

Family
Chetry is married to Chris Knowles, a former Fox News Channel and erstwhile New York City WPIX-TV weekend weatherman.On February 8, 2006, Chetry gave birth to their 6 lb. 10oz. daughter, Maya Rose. (Chetry has included her in special segments on Fox & Friends and American Morning.) On October 24, 2007, Chetry announced that she and Knowles were expecting their second child in an exclusive interview published by People magazine: Kiran gave birth to their first son, Christopher Chetry Knowles, on April 17, 2008 at 10:45pm weighing 7 pounds.

Career
Chetry began her career in 1995 at News 21 in Rockville, Maryland. The next year she moved to WICU-TV in Erie, Pennsylvania, where she was the main anchor and health reporter. (She met her future husband Chris Knowles there who was the prime time news anchor.) She received the Best Enterprise Reporting award from the Pennsylvania Associated Press Broadcasters Association in 1997 for her series "Young and Hooked," which looked at teen smoking. In 1999 Chetry went from WICU-TV to KXTV in Sacramento, California to work as a morning anchor and reporter until joining Fox News Channel.

In 2001 Chetry joined the cable news network Fox News Channel as a general reporter, first appearing on March 8, 2001, in a story about eating ice cream. The next year Chetry was honored with the Making our Mark (MOM) Award from the Association of Nepalis in the Americas.During her time at Fox News, she worked as a rotating anchor for Fox News Live and the early morning news program Fox & Friends First. In late 2005, she became a regular co-host on the network's weekend morning news program, Fox & Friends Weekend.

In early 2007, as Chetry's contract with Fox News neared the end of its term, the network negotiated with Chetry's agent to renew her contract. Her contract was expected to be renewed with her continuing to co-host Fox & Friends Weekend. However, talks ended when Fox News claimed in a February 15, 2007, letter to Chetry's agent, that Chetry had demanded "that Fox News include a clause in her new agreement that would have been detrimental to other Fox News Talent." The cable news network added that it would not renew her contract and that she was free to leave before the expiration of her contract: Chetry exercised that option. Allegedly, Chetry wanted a clause in her contract that would have had Gretchen Carlson, a co-anchor of Fox & Friends, fired.Chetry's agent countered that the allegation of Chetry's wanting Carlson fired was "absolutely false". Another source said that the clause in question merely requested a written clarification of whether Chetry would become a "Fox & Friends" co-host and, if so, when. If that were not to happen by a certain date, then Chetry would have a window to exit her new contract.

Reportedly, CNN signed Chetry within an hour of her release from the Fox News Channel. After the deal had been inked, Chetry stated, "CNN is the gold standard when it comes to journalism, and I am thrilled to be part of the team." On February 16, 2007, Chetry began work as a CNN anchor and correspondent. That very day she served as a co-host on American Morning in the morning, and anchored Anderson Cooper 360 that evening. She went on to substitute as an anchor for Paula Zahn Now and CNN Newsroom.

On April 4, 2007, CNN's President Jonathan Klein officially announced Chetry as the new co-anchor. Her first American Morning broadcast was on April 16, 2007, the same day as the Virginia Tech Massacre. Initially, Chetry co-hosted from New York whereas John Roberts did so from Washington: eventually both generally co-anchored from CNN's New York bureau. John Roberts later left CNN to become an Atlanta-based correspondent for FOX News Channel. In addition to her American Morning duties, Chetry co-hosted with Roberts two CNN prime-time previews of the 2007 YouTube Democratic debate and the 01/07/08 CNN Election Center analysis of the post Michigan-primary presidential race. Moreover, she served as the iParty correspondent on CNN's 2008 New Year's Eve Live with Anderson Cooper.

Kiran's last day on American Morning and at CNN was July 29, 2011.

( Source - Wikipedia and Google)

In a small locality, Nong-Sohphh, Naspati-ghari in upper Mawprem, Shillong, an 86-year old man recovering from a heart operation is nostalgically recalling his experiences on the football field. This ailing patient is none other than the legendary Lt. Col. (Retd.) Puran Bahadur Thapa, whose delectable body swerves and thunderous left-footed shots entertained fans from Kashmir to Kanyakumari in the 1950s.  He had large and powerful thighs, a low centre of gravity, could turn quickly and unleash powerful but accurate shots from any angle. Throughout his career, he played as either an inside left or outside left. Despite several offers from Kolkata clubs, he never left the security of his army job. Born in 1928, he joined the Indian Army in 1947. After his football career was over, he excelled as a soldier and retired as Lt. Colonel. He played for the 8^th Gorkha Rifles and Gorkha Brigade, represented Services in the Santosh trophy and played on several occasions for India.

This now forgotten man of Indian football became a household name 49 years ago, when he scored a hat-trick in an international match, at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata in the Quadrangular football tournament against Pakistan. It was the first hat-trick by an Indian in international football. Puran Bahadur’s hat-trick enabled India win the tie 3-1 and win the Quadrangular trophy for the third successive year. Overall, this tournament was held for four years, 1952-55) and Indian won each time, never losing a match to any of their opponents, Burma (now Myanmar), Pakistan and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). In 1954, the only year this event was staged in India, the great S.A. Rahim was India’s coach and the late Sailen Manna was India’s captain. Puran Bahadur was the star of that tournament. In the opening match against tenacious Ceylon, he created the only goal with a measured cross for overlapping left-half Noor Mohammed. In the next match, he and J. Anthony scored in the 2-1 win over Burma. Then came the icing on the cake, as his hat-trick against Pakistan helped India win the tournament. In those days, Pakistan was quite a formidable team and included the skilful outside left Masud Fakhri, who later played 2^nd division league football in England.

In 1955, he again excelled for India when they won the Quadrangular tournament for the fourth time, beating Ceylon 4-3, Burma 5-2 and Pakistan 2-1. The tournament was staged in Dhaka and S.K. Azizuddin was India’s captain. That same year, Puran Bahadur lined up for India against the USSR Services team in an international match at the National Stadium, in Delhi. This USSR Services team contained legendary names like goalkeeper Lev Yashin, midfielders Igor Netto and Boris Tatushin. This trio and some others in that team were members of the USSR team, which a year later won the gold medal in the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. Yet, on that sunny winter’s day in Delhi, they struggled to contain the mesmeric dribbling skills of Puran Bahadur. Oozing with confidence, he repeatedly evaded his marker with body swerves and sharp dribbles. The Soviet players were amazed at his ball skills, game sense and fitness. After the match, the manager of the Soviet team went to the press box and asked some of the local media about the background of Puran Bahadur. His left-footed shots were so accurate and powerful that famous Indian goalkeeper Peter Thangaraj always said that he would always be left stranded whenever Puran Bahadur took a penalty kick against him in practice or in matches.

Yet, for all his skills and popularity, Puran Bahadur did not play for India in any major international tournament like the Asian Games or the Olympics. He represented India in two Quadrangular tournaments on foreign tours to Afghanistan in 1949, the Far East tour in 1951 and in friendly internationals on home soil. Injuries or work commitment deprived him of higher glories. However, this stockily built 5’4″ forward has no grudges and regrets about missing some famous tournaments, as the Army was his career. A certainty for the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, he was not given permission to attend the trials as he was commissioned as an officer in the Indian Army that year, and joined the Indian Military Academy in Dehra Dun. He was really unlucky not to be chosen for the 1954 Asian Games in Manila. Ahmed Khan, Puran Bahadur and J. Kittu were automatic choices on the left flank. But he got injured, compelling chief coach Balai Das Chatterjee to choose M. Jayaram (Services) in his place.

Again, knee trouble forced him to opt out from the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. Precocious teenagers Tulsidas Balaram and Zulfikar got selected on the left flank along with J. Kittu. During that period there was a lot of depth in Indian football, and competition was intense for each position, with three or four well-known names vying for one position. Also, Puran Bahadur remained with the Services and Gorkha Brigade, which did not have much of a say in the selection of the national team. It was felt that if he had played for a Bengal club, he would have played more for India. A combination of all these factors resulted in India’s first hat-trick man not getting his due recognition with regard to international appearances. But Puran Bahadur will always be remembered as a supreme entertainer. The Ambedkar Stadium in Delhi (known as the Delhi Gate Stadium in the 1950s) was his happy hunting ground, and he was always a crowd favourite. A charismatic player, he had numerous fans from all communities and walks of life in the capital. In the now defunct DCM football tournament he guided the 8^th Gorkhas, Dehradun to three consecutive finals, from 1950—52. In 1950, they lost to East Bengal 2-2, 0-2 and in 1951 to Rajasthan Club, Calcutta 0-1 and again in 1952 to the all-conquering East Bengal 0-4 in the final. In 1952, East Bengal also beat Hyderabad City Police 1-0 in the Durand final and became the first team to win the “Delhi double” the DCM and Durand tournament in the same year.

His finest hour was in the 1953 Durand tournament when he played for the National Defence Academy and the team, consisting mostly of young cadets, unexpectedly reached the final. In the quarterfinals they upset mighty East Bengal 2-0.  East Bengal had renowned international forwards in outside right P. Venkatesh, inside left J. Kittu and outside left Ahmed Khan. However, they were all eclipsed by the all-round skills of Puran Bahadur. In the semifinals, they played Mohammedan Sporting thrice before beating their renowned opponents. There were no penalty shootouts in those days and replays were common place. In the final, they were exhausted after playing so many matches within a week, and lost 0-4 to Mohun Bagan, for whom internationals S. Raman(1948 London Olympics) and Samar “Badru” Banerjee, India’s captain in the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, each scored a brace. During the 1953 Durand tournament, Puran Bahadur forged a telepathic combination with centre forward Moloy “Mike” Lahiri, which continued till they both retired from the game in 1960. Both also excelled in the 1958 Durand tournament. Inside left Puran Bahadur, with his crisp through passes and accurate crosses, created havoc. Gorkha Brigade upset the 1957 Durand champions Hyderabad City Police 3-1 in the quarterfinals and later in the semifinals ousted Indian Air Force 3-0. In the first all-regimental Durand final since Independence, Madras Regimental Centre (MRC) Wellington beat Gorkha Brigade 2-0 in the final.

A prolific goal-scorer, Lahiri scored many goals from Puran Bahadur’s probing passes. They belonged to an age gone by in their reactions during the game. After scoring a goal, Lahiri would raise his arm towards Puran Bahadur and acknowledge the pass with a smile. There was no excessive emotion and celebrations, or scenes of hugging and smothering the goalscorer and gesticulating towards the crowds. Both Lahiri and Puran Bahadur never thought of leaving the Indian Army and playing club football in Calcutta or Bombay. Both played for India but not as much as they should have. Lahiri was controversially dropped from the squad announced for the 1960 Rome Olympics and named as the first reserve though he was a regular in the national team since 1958. The non-selection devastated him and he quit the game months later, devoting himself to his Army career. Lahiri had a distinguished career as he went on to Fort Bragg, North Carolina to become India’s first Green Beret Ranger and then raised the Commando wing of the Infantry school, Mhow. He retired as a much-acclaimed Lt. General but sadly died of cancer some years ago. Puran Bahadur, now in the twilight of his life, is still a keen follower of Indian football, and laments that there is not as much depth in talent as was present in his playing days. He has two sons Ajay and Vijay Thapa. Ajay Thapa was captain of the St. Anthony’s Shillong school team which won the 1978 Subroto Mukherjee Cup beating Madhyamgram HS, Bengal 1-0 in the final, but then started his own business.

When Pabin Rai called her parents in Dharan with the news that she had been drafted into the British Army, her parents refused to believe her. Her sister even gave her a bit of a telling-off for lying. "I had to cross my heart and promise I wasn't making it up," she says. "They only believed me when I sent them the certificate saying I had joined." Now a Lance Corporal in the First Battalion Grenadier Guards, Pabin Rai had sent her application to join the army in 2004 without the knowledge of her family; at the time, she was the only Nepali girl to have applied. When they found that she had been recruited into the 2 PARA Regiment of the British Army, her father felt proud and sent her his congratulations. Disbelief is the common reaction she receives. When friends and neighbour hear her say, "I am in the British Armed Forces" they automatically assume she is an army spouse. This is because women are not allowed in the British Gurkha Regiment – for which selection is done here in Nepal. 

The UK's Ministry of Defence had at one point floated a proposal to recruit female soldiers, but later abandoned the idea saying it was impractical. So Pabin, daughter of an ex-British Gurkha soldier, used her British Overseas National Passport privileges to sign up to the British Armed Forces, which recruits British nationals. "When I saw my father in the army uniform, I wanted to be like him," she says. But when she found out she wouldn't be able to sign up as a Gurkha like he did, she thought she would be a police superintendent instead. "I thought it would be cool." "I just thought I wasn't any different than the boys," Pabin says. Growing up in Dharan, she was known in her school as the kick-ass karate and football player. Her energy and determination to set herself apart from her peers led her to the army. When in the UK to pursue further studies, she found out that she could apply to the army like anyone else. Of course, she didn't hesitate. The first pang of regret came when she broke her left leg during the initial army training. The injury made her bed-ridden for a month and she felt foolish for having made the decision to join. However, before long she began to see it as a challenge and became even more determined to do well.

In fact, the training proved to be only a gentle preview for the experiences that lay ahead when she was posted to Afghanistan. As part of the unit that is widely regarded as the toughest unit in the British armed forces, because of its strict selection criteria and rigorous training process, she conducted two tours of duty in the country in 2008 and 2010. During her first tour of duty, she lost three friends on the frontline. At one point, she had been manning a sentry when a bomb exploded just 200 metres away from her. On her second tour of duty, she lost two more friends when they were attacked by the Taliban in the operating base of Keenan. "You never know what will happen in the life of a soldier," she said recently while on holiday in Hong Kong. 

Despite the risks, a career in the British army is a coveted one, as is evident by the number of queries she receives from Nepali girls wanting to join. A few more young Nepali females have been recruited since Pabin: Chitra Shrestha (Gurung) and Rajani Gurung are two of them. "I think we are trying to prove that we are as capable as the men," she says. "I am proud to be working alongside men here." Though they train and work together, the female soldiers have separate residential quarters. In fact, in many ways the women have more benefits than the male Gurkha soldiers she had envied so much. At £2,500 salary per month, she earns more than Gurkha soldiers, a matter that has become the subject of court battles and political hearings. 

Pabin's parents, Indra Bahadur and Pramila, had never imagined that their daughter would join the army. They had wanted their son Diwash to follow in his father's footsteps, and to please his father, he tried twice to enlist in the Gurkha battalion, but was unsuccessful. His sister's recruitment when she was in the UK surprised everyone. Pramila had never heard of female soldiers and found it hard to believe that her daughter was now one of them. "She's had this habit of being playful and joking around since she was a child, so I didn't imagine she was being serious," she tells us. At which point Pabin jumps in: "If your son had made it this far, you probably would have been delirious with joy. But you refused to believe me." After the eventual euphoria, parental instincts took over. In his 16-year-long career in the army, Indra Bahadur was never called to the frontline. He was on stand-by reserve during the Falklands war, but was spared from frontline war experience. 

He went to Afghanistan for a visit, but not during the war. When they found out that Pabin was going to be sent to Afghanistan, Indra Bahadur and Pramila became sick with worry. Her mother, who had never paid much attention to the news, suddenly found herself transfixed to the television. "There was news of Afghanistan all the time, bombs going off, and attacks. My eyes were glued on the screen all the time, and my heart was heavy with concern for my daughter," she shares. Since joining the army, Pabin has been back to visit her parents only a couple of times. During Dashain and other festivals, her parents wish she was in Dharan with them. As with all their children, Indra Bahadur and Pramila hope Pabin will spend life after retirement in Nepal. It so happens that there are no differences of opinion on this. "I am a Nepali no matter where I am and what I do," says Pabin. "I will definitely come back to Nepal." 

(Source - www.wavemag.com.np/issue/article3608.html )

Iman Sing Chemjong was born on January 1st 1904 A.D. in Renkebung village of West Bengal, Darjeeling District. He is very popular scholar of culture, language, literature, script and history of Kirat community. He has written a lot of books in the  field. Kirat Itihas (Kirat history) 1948, Kirat Sahitya ko Itihas (History of Kirat literature) 1952, Kirati Dantya Katha (Kirat folklore) 1961, Kirat Mundhum (Kirat scripture) 1961, Limboo-Nepali-English Dictionary 1961, Kirat Mundhum Khahun (Kirat religion) 1965, Kirat History and Culture 1967, Kirat Darshan ko Saransh (about kirat philosophy) 1969, Lepcha-Nepali-English Dictionary 1969, Kiratkalin Bijayapur ko Itihas (about kirat bijaypur history) 1974 are the mainly published books of his contribution. He had worked as Kiratologist in CENAS of Trivuwan University. Some of his important manuscripts are still left to be published. Nepal Government, Postal Services Department, Nepal Philatelic Bureau, Kathmandu has issued his Postal ticket as in Personalities Series in 1998. 

Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw MC (3 April 1914 – 27 June 2008), also known as Sam Bahadur ("Sam the Brave"), was an Indian military leader who was the first Indian Army officer to be promoted to the rank of Field Marshal. His distinguished military career spanned four decades and five wars, beginning with service in the British Indian Army in World War II. Manekshaw rose to be the 8th chief of staff of the Indian Army in 1969 and under his command, Indian forces conducted victorious campaigns against Pakistan in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 and the liberation of Bangladesh in December 1971.

Manekshaw was born in Amritsar to Parsi parents, Hormusji Manekshaw, a doctor, and his wife Heerabai, who moved to the Punjab from the small town of Valsad on the Gujarat coast. After completing his schooling in Punjab and Sherwood College (Nainital), with distinction in the School Certificate examination of the Cambridge Board, he asked his father to send him to London to study medicine. When his father refused to send him till he was older, in an act of rebellion Manekshaw appeared for and qualified in the entrance examination for enrolment into the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun and as a result became part of the first intake of 40 cadets on 1 October 1932. He graduated from the IMA on 4 February 1934 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the IMA. Manekshaw recalled at a function on 8 June 1969 on the centenary of Sherwood College after taking over as COAS, that his years at the College had prepared him for war in World War II as he had learnt here to live alone and independently, to fight without relent, tolerate hunger for long periods and to hate his enemy.

 Military Career

Manekshaw's military career spanned four decades, from the British era and World War II, to the three wars against China and Pakistan after India's independence in 1947. He held several regimental, staff and command assignments. Manekshaw went on to become the eighth Chief of the Army Staff, led the Indian Army successfully in a war with Pakistan and become India's First Field Marshal.[2][3] On commissioning Manekshaw was first attached to the 2nd Bn The Royal Scots, a British battalion as per the practices of that time, and later to the 4th Battalion, 12th Frontier Force Regiment.

During World War II, Manekshaw saw action in Burma in the 1942 campaign on the Sittang River as a captain with the 4/12 Frontier Force Regiment,and had the rare distinction of being honoured for his bravery on the battle front itself. He was commanding his battalion's 'A' Company in a counter-attack against the invading Japanese Army and despite suffering 50% casualties the company achieved its objective, Pagoda Hill, which was a key position on the left of the Sittang bridgehead. After capturing the hill, he was hit by a burst of LMG bullets and was severely wounded in the stomach. Major General D.T. Cowan spotted Manekshaw holding on to life and was aware of his valour in face of stiff resistance from the Japanese. Fearing the worst, Major General Cowan quickly pinned his own Military Cross ribbon to Manekshaw saying, "A dead person cannot be awarded a Military Cross." The official recommendation for the MC states that the success of the attack "was largely due to the excellent leadership and bearing of Captain Manekshaw". 

The award was made official with the publication of the notification in a supplement to the London Gazette of 21 April 1942 (dated 23 April 1942). Manekshaw was almost pronounced dead when brought to Rangoon hospital with nine bullets in the lung, liver and kidneys. The military surgeon was reluctant to operate, seeing his hopeless condition, though Manekshaw was conscious. When the surgeon asked what had happened to him, he replied that he was "kicked by a donkey". Having recovered from those near-fatal wounds in Burma, Manekshaw attended the 8th Staff Course at Staff College, Quetta from 23 August to 22 December 1943, and was posted as Brigade Major of the Razmak brigade till 22 October 1944 before being sent to join the 9th Battalion, 12 Frontier Force Regiment in Burma under General (later Field Marshal) Slim's 14th Army. Towards the end of World War II, Manekshaw was sent as staff officer to General Daisy in Indo-China where, after the Japanese surrender, he helped rehabilitate over 10,000 POWs. 

He then went on a six-month lecture tour to Australia in 1946, and after his return was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-colonel and served as a first grade staff officer in the Military Operations Directorate. Upon partition, his parent unit 4/12 FFR became part of the Pakistan Army, so Manekshaw was first empanelled with the 16th Punjab Regiment and later to the 3rd Battalion 5th Gorkha Rifles which he was detailed to command. The tumultous events of partition required Manekshaw's retention in Army Headquarters as a Lt Colonel in the Military Operations directorate because of which he missed his chance to command an infantry battalion, subsequently being promoted to Brigadier and becoming the first Indian Director of

Post-independence Manekshaw showed acumen for planning and administration while handling the issues relating to Partition of British India in 1947, and later put his battle skills to use during the 1947–48 Jammu & Kashmir Operations. After command of an Infantry Brigade, he was posted as the commandant of the Infantry School Mhow and also became the colonel of 8 Gurkha Rifles (which became his new regimental home, since his original parent regiment the 12th Frontier Force Regiment went on to join the new Pakistan Army at partition) and 61 Cavalry. He commanded a division in Jammu & Kashmir and a corps in the North East, with a tenure as commandant of Defence Services Staff College (DSSC) in between. As GOC-in-C Eastern Command, he handled the tricky problem of insurgency in Nagaland and the grateful nation honoured him with a Padma Bhushan in 1968. Army Chief: Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 Manekshaw became the 8th chief of army staff when he succeeded General Kumaramangalam on 7 June 1969. His years of military experience were soon put to the test as India decided to take advantage of internal disturbance in East Pakistan, by helping the Mukti Bahini rebels against West Pakistani forces.

This resulted in break up of Pakistan and birth of Bangladesh. Towards the end of April 1971, Indira Gandhi, Prime Minister of India at that time, asked Gen. Manekshaw if he was ready to go to war with Pakistan. Manekshaw refused saying his armoured division and two infantry divisions were deployed elsewhere, of whose 189 tanks, only 11 were fit to fight, and that they would be vying for rail carriage with grain harvest at that point of time. Besides, the Himalayan passes would soon open up, with the forthcoming monsoon in East Pakistan turning rivers into oceans. When she asked the cabinet to leave the room and the chief to stay, he offered to resign. She declined to accept it, but sought his advice. He then said he could guarantee victory if she would allow him to prepare for the conflict on his terms, and set a date for it. These were acceded to by the Prime Minister. Manekshaw masterminded the rout of the Pakistan Army in one of the easiest and quickest surrenders in recent military history. The war, lasting under a fortnight, saw more than 45,000 Pakistani soldiers and 45,000 civilian personnel being taken as POWs. It ended with Pakistan's unconditional surrender of its eastern half, resulting in the birth of Bangladesh, as a new nation.

Manekshaw showed acumen for planning and administration while handling the issues relating to Partition of British India in 1947, and later put his battle skills to use during the 1947–48 Jammu & Kashmir Operations. After command of an Infantry Brigade, he was posted as the commandant of the Infantry School Mhow and also became the colonel of 8 Gurkha Rifles (which became his new regimental home, since his original parent regiment the 12th Frontier Force Regiment went on to join the new Pakistan Army at partition) and 61 Cavalry. He commanded a division in Jammu & Kashmir and a corps in the North East, with a tenure as commandant of Defence Services Staff College (DSSC) in between. As GOC-in-C Eastern Command, he handled the tricky problem of insurgency in Nagaland and the grateful nation honoured him with a Padma Bhushan in 1968. Army Chief: Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 Manekshaw became the 8th chief of army staff when he succeeded General Kumaramangalam on 7 June 1969. His years of military experience were soon put to the test as India decided to take advantage of internal disturbance in East Pakistan, by helping the Mukti Bahini rebels against West Pakistani forces. 

This resulted in break up of Pakistan and birth of Bangladesh. Towards the end of April 1971, Indira Gandhi, Prime Minister of India at that time, asked Gen. Manekshaw if he was ready to go to war with Pakistan. Manekshaw refused saying his armoured division and two infantry divisions were deployed elsewhere, of whose 189 tanks, only 11 were fit to fight, and that they would be vying for rail carriage with grain harvest at that point of time. Besides, the Himalayan passes would soon open up, with the forthcoming monsoon in East Pakistan turning rivers into oceans. When she asked the cabinet to leave the room and the chief to stay, he offered to resign. She declined to accept it, but sought his advice. He then said he could guarantee victory if she would allow him to prepare for the conflict on his terms, and set a date for it. These were acceded to by the Prime Minister. Manekshaw masterminded the rout of the Pakistan Army in one of the easiest and quickest surrenders in recent military history. The war, lasting under a fortnight, saw more than 45,000 Pakistani soldiers and 45,000 civilian personnel being taken as POWs. It ended with Pakistan's unconditional surrender of its eastern half, resulting in the birth of Bangladesh, as a new nation. 

    Second Lieutenant, British Indian Army-1934
    Lieutenant-1935
    Captain-1940
    Major-1943
    Lieutenant-Colonel-1945
    Colonel-1946
    Brigadier-1947
    Brigadier, Indian Army-1950
    Major-General-December 1957
    Lieutenant-General-November 1962
    General (COAS)-8 June 1969
    Field Marshal-3 January 1973 to death

For his distinguished service to the country, the President of India awarded him a Padma Vibhushan in 1972 and conferred upon him the rank of Field Marshal on 1 January 1973. Manekshaw became one of the only two Indian Army Generals to be awarded this prestigious rank; the other being Kodandera Madappa Cariappa. Manekshaw moved out of active service a fortnight later on 15 January 1973 after completing nearly four decades of military service, and settled down with his wife Silloo in Coonoor, the civilian town next to Wellington Military Cantonment where he had served as Commandant of the Defence Services Staff College, at an earlier time in his career. A beloved of Gorkha soldiers, Nepal feted him as an Honorary General of their army in 1972. 

In May 2007, Gohar Ayub, son of Pakistani Field Marshal Ayub Khan]], claimed that Manekshaw had sold Indian Army secrets to Pakistan during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 for 20,000 rupees, but his accusations were dismissed by the Indian defence establishment. Following his time in active service in the Indian Army, Manekshaw successfully served as an independent director on the board of several companies, and the Chairman as well, of a few of them. Outspoken that he was, and hardly politically correct, once the government retorted by changing the entire board of a company, a Mr Naik replacing him. "This is the first time in history when a Naik(corporal) has replaced a Field Marshal," he quipped.

He died of complications from pneumonia at the Military Hospital in Wellington, Tamil Nadu on 0030 hours, 27 June 2008 at the age of 94. He kept asking for one Ranchordas Pagi, a civilian hero of 1965 war in kutch sector. He was laid to rest in Ootacamund, Tamil Nadu, with military honours, adjacent to his wife's grave. He is survived by two daughters and three grandchildren. Reportedly, his last words were "I'm okay!" That year on 16 December, celebrated each year as "Vijay Diwas" in memory of the victory achieved under Manekshaw's leadership in 1971, a postage stamp depicting Manekshaw in his field marshal's uniform was released by President Pratibha Patil. However, she, the PM or other leaders from the political class did not turn up at his funeral, nor was a national mourning declared

Famous Quotations

• On the military knowledge of politicians: "I wonder whether those of our political masters who have been put in charge of the defence of the country can distinguish a mortar from a motor; a gun from a howitzer; a guerrilla from a gorilla, although a great many resemble the latter."

• On being asked by Indira Gandhi if he was ready to fight on the eve of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971: “I am always ready, sweetie."

• On being asked, had he opted for Pakistan at the time of the Partition in 1947, he quipped, “then I guess Pakistan would have won (the 1971 war)"

• On being placed in command of the retreating 4 Corps during the Sino-Indian War of 1962: “There will be no withdrawal without written orders and these orders shall never be issued.”

• About the Gurkha: "If a man says he is not afraid of dying, he is either lying or is a Gurkha."

• To a surgeon who was going to give up on his bullet-riddled body who asked him what had happened and got the reply, “I was kicked by a donkey.” A joke at such a time, the surgeon reckoned, had a chance.

• After helping an young Indian Army Officer, with his luggage, the grateful officer asked Sam "What do you do here?". Sam replied "I everyday help officers like you with their luggage, but i do in my past time command this Infantry Division"