Two field marshals who held Indian army’s highest rank

Earlier this week, the Pakistani federal cabinet promoted Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir to the rank of field marshal, the highest military designation in the Pakistan Army.

The rank of field marshal, the highest possible military designation, is reserved for exceptional service and wartime leadership.

He was awarded with this honour for his decisive leadership during recent national security challenges.

This was the second instance when the rank of field marshal has been conferred in Pakistan. The country’s first field marshal was General Ayub Khan, who promoted himself to this rank in 1959. General Khan Khan, a graduate of the British Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, took over power through a coup in October 1958, and in 1965, he was elected as Pakistan President.

India, too, has had two field marshals - Sam Manekshaw (1973) and K.M. Cariappa (1986).

Manekshaw was the first Indian military officer to be promoted to the rank of field marshal, the highest rank that can be attained in the Indian Army. Manekshaw joined the British Indian Army in 1934 and served in several notable conflicts including World War II, the 1947 India-Pakistan War, and the 1965 India-Pakistan War. He served as chief of the Army Staff from 1969 to 1973.

Manekshaw was key to India’s victory in the 1971 India-Pakistan War, which lasted 13 days and ended with the surrender of Pakistan’s forces, resulting in the creation of an independent Bangladesh. Manekshaw was awarded two of India’s highest civilian honors, the Padma Bhushan in 1968 and the Padma Vibhushan in 1972.

K.M. Cariappa was an Indian military officer and the first chief of staff of the Indian army after India became independent of Great Britain. In January 1949, Cariappa was named the first Indian commander in chief of the Indian army, replacing the British commanding general, Sir Roy Bucher.

Cariappa retired from active military service in 1953, after which he served until 1956 as India’s high commissioner to Australia and New Zealand. He continued to be involved in the affairs of the Indian military, making visits to forces to boost morale.

Arjan Singh (2002) was the first and the only officer of the Indian Air Force to be conferred with the title Marshal of the Indian Air Force, a rank that’s equal to that of the Indian Army’s field marshal.