Silloo Manekshaw (born Silloo Bode) was more than the spouse of the first Field Marshal of India (Sam Manekshaw). She was a wonderful artist and social worker and woman of great intelligence and graceness. Her life, full of creativeness, compassion and strength, was a great support of one of the biggest Indian military figures. You can call her an elegant and determined wife, mother and a social player. Know about Silloo in detail with this comprehensive article.
Who Was Silloo Manekshaw?
Silloo Manekshaw was an artist of India and a humanitarian. She is best remembered by the fact that she was the wife of a Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw and that she made a great contribution to the community welfare especially in Coonoor, Tamil Nadu. She loved painting, theatre and serving the underprivileged which is the reason she left a mark in both her personal and social lives.
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Silloo Bode |
| Also Known As | Silloo Manekshaw |
| Profession | Artist, Painter, Social Worker |
| Famous For | Wife of Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, India’s first Army Field Marshal |
| Date of Birth | 1911 |
| Place of Birth | Amritsar, Punjab, India |
| Date of Death | 13 February 2001 |
| Age at Death | 90 Years |
| Cause of Death | Lung Cancer |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Hometown | Amritsar, Punjab |
| Place of Death | Tamil Nadu, India |
| Education | – Graduation from Elphinstone College, Mumbai – Higher studies at Sir J.J. School of Art, Mumbai |
| Hobbies | Social work, Travelling, Reading, Painting, Listening to Western Classical Music |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Marriage Date | 22 April 1939 |
| Spouse | Sam Manekshaw (Field Marshal, Indian Army) |
| Children | – Maja Daruwala (Lawyer, Human Rights Advocate) – Sherry Batliwala (Retired Corporate Employee) |
| Grandchildren | – Jehan Sam (Theatre Artist) – Raoul Sam (Businessman, USA) – Brandy Batliwala (Hospitality, New York) |
| Siblings | One Sister (resided in Lahore, husband was a British Indian Army doctor) |
| Social Contributions | – Ran a charitable clinic in Coonoor – Directed plays at Defence Services Staff College – Sold paintings for community fundraising |
| Notable Residence | ‘Stavka’ Bungalow in Coonoor, Tamil Nadu (designed and decorated by her) |
| Burial Place | Parsi Cemetery, Ooty |
Silloo Bode Age and Personal Details
Born in 1911 in Amritsar in the state of Punjab, Silloo Manekshaw died on 13 February 2001 in Tamil Nadu at 90. She died due to lung cancer. She was a proud Indian and her love towards culture, art and service became her legacy.
Silloo Bode Physical Appearance
Known for her graceful presence, Silloo carried herself with sophistication. Here’s a quick glance at her physical attributes:
| Feature | Description |
| Height | 5’5″ (165 cm) |
| Hair Colour | Black |
| Eye Colour | Black |
Early Life and Education
Silloo grew up in Amritsar, and even studied higher in the city of Mumbai. She graduated from Elphinstone College and went to the famous Sir J.J. School of Art to train her artistic skills. This educational process made her a comfortable and cultured woman who liked creativity and studying very much.
Family Background
Silloo was brought up in an educated family. She also had a sister, who lived in Lahore, whose husband was a physician in the FB. Her own home later on became famous in Indian history due to her military success of her husband and her cultural roots were deep. She upbrought her kids with proper values and had her family grounded although she was in the limelight.
Marriage and Relationship with Sam Manekshaw
Silloo came across Sam Manekshaw during a social get together of 1937 in Lahore. They hit it off immediately and two years after courtship, they tied the knot on 22 April 1939. Their marriage was more than 60 years and was a very respectful one.
According to Sam, Silloo was the star of the family so the importance in the family still lies in the hands of Silloo, despite his fame and his military stature. She was regarded to be tough but tolerant. According to their daughter Sherry, Silloo would also remind Sam about the fact that he was a person of humble origins, and highest military positions would help him stay on the ground. She was his greatest fan, as well as, his most candid critic.
Silloo Bode Career and Social Contributions
Silloo never officially made a career in the recognized forms, but established a great legacy due to art and community work. She was an amateur director of the theatre, a director of the theatre and a social worker.
Silloo had a charitable clinic to treat the poor and elderly in Coonoor, Tamil Nadu where the couple later settled. Her art and performance in local theatre raised funds as well and she used the status of her husband to bring people to support causes that mattered to her. She was a successful philanthropist whose contributions have remained memorable by the local community.
Legacy and Personality
Silloo has been referred to as a smart talker and a hard homemaker, glamorous and strong, or in other words, an independent lady. She loved classical Western music and used to listen to it often, and she herself modeled their family residence in Coonoor (called the Stavka). Her style and good taste was portrayed in the design of her dwelling place and her colorful paintings.
Children and Grandchildren
They had two girls of Silloo and Sam:
- Maja Daruwala – A known lawyer and activist of human rights.
- Sherry Batliwala – a retired corporate professional.
They had three grandchildren:
- Jehan Sam – An actor in Mumbai.
- Raoul Sam – A businessman in the US.
- Brandy Batliwala – Works in the hospitality industry in New York.
Controversies
Silloo mostly avoided politics or any such controversy. But in the family circle she was esteemed as very severe and outspoken. Even when giving feedback to Sam Manekshaw she did not hold back hence making him stay grounded even with the life honors. She was also honest in her attitudes which at times made some people raise eyebrows but always with good reasons.
Silloo Bode Death
Silloo Bode died on 13 February 2001 due to a struggle with lung cancer. She was interred at Ooty Parsi cemetery. Her legacy lives on however not just through the lineage that her family has to her name nor through her contributions in the social worker front but it does live on through the everlasting love story that existed between her and the most recognized army officer in India.
Unknown Facts about Silloo Manekshaw
- She had designed and decorated their family bungalow Stavka, Coonoor.
- She used to listen to western classical music in the mornings.
- Silloo herself ran a charitable clinic in Tamil Nadu.
- She was also a busy theatre director as well as a seller of paintings in charity.
- Actress Sanya Malhotra starred in a biopic on her in 2023, SAMबहादुर.
FAQs about Silloo Bode
She was an Indian artist and a wife of Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw.
She was an artist, theatre lover and a social worker.
She died 13 February 2001.
Her daughters were called Maja and Sherry.
Yes, she is a proprietress of a charity clinic and a cultural activist in Tamil Nadu.
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