Behind many cases, the great men of history, we have had a pillar of strength, grace, and unyielding support behind the scenes. Silloo Bode, who the nation later came to know as Silloo Manekshaw, was that kind of extraordinary woman. While she is best known to the public as the wife of Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, India’s first Field Marshal, Silloo was a very exceptional person in her own right. An artist, humanitarian and devoted mother, she lived a very full life that was at once creative, dedicated to service in the community, and elegant.
Early Life, Background, and Education
Silloo Bode was born in 1911 in Amritsar, Punjab, to a very educated and progressive Parsi (Zoroastrian) family. In an atmosphere which fostered intellectual and artistic growth, she developed a great love for reading, painting and the theatre.
To that end, Silloo went to Mumbai for her higher education, which is where she enrolled at Elphinstone College. Her great interest in the arts brought her to the preeminent Sir J.J. School of Art in Mumbai, at which she got formal training as an artist. This rich educational base, which in turn shaped her into a very disciplined, empathetic and culturally refined woman, traits which would define her interaction with everyone she met throughout her very long life.
Marriage to Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw
In 1937, Silloo’s life changed forever. In a visit to her sister in Lahore, she met a very charming and confident young man in the Indian Army, Captain Sam Manekshaw. They hit it off right away, which led to a two-year courtship. The pair married on April 22, 1939, in Mumbai, which marked the start of a great partnership that lasted over six decades.
As the clouds of WWII gathered, Captain Manekshaw’s military career saw him in constant transfer, in dangerous field posts, out for long stretches. Through it all at home, Silloo held the fort with great strength. She was the rock that supported him emotionally, which kept him grounded with her wit, practical wisdom and calm in the face of it all as he climbed the military’s highest ranks.
Children: Jehan, Raoul, Brandy.
Career, Artistry, and Humanitarian Work
Silloo Bode did much more than what the traditional military spouse does; she was active in many artistic and philanthropic pursuits.
- Art and Design: Her interest in the J.J. School of Art, which she attended formally, remained a lifelong passion. She put her creative talent to use in painting, which in turn she used to decorate her homes, and also at times would donate pieces to charity auctions. Her sharp eye for beauty was key in the design of “Stavka”, the lovely family home in Coonoor, Tamil Nadu.
- Social and Cultural Service: Throughout the years she spent in different military cantonments, Silloo put forward the cause of soldiers’ families. At the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington, she ran and organised theatrical plays, which in turn raised money for local social welfare programs.
- Community Welfare: Upon the Field Marshall’s retirement in 1973, the pair took up permanent residence in the quiet hills of Coonoor. In Coonoor, Silloo threw herself into community service, which included running a medical clinic for the underprivileged and also working with area charities.
Final Years and Demise
Silloo spent her old age in simple pleasures, which included gardening, reading, painting and having friends over to her warm home. After a very full life, she did battle with lung cancer. Silloo Bode died on February 13, 2001, at the age of 90 in Tamil Nadu. She was buried at the Parsi cemetery in Ooty. Her husband, Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, outlived her by seven years and died in 2008.
Silloo continues to live on through her dignified existence and quiet yet powerful legacy. In 2023, she came to the fore again when actress Sanya Malhotra took to the screen to tell the story of Sam Bahadur in a biopic, which also introduces us to the very important role that Silloo played in the life of India’s greatest military hero.
About the Author
