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Silloo Manekshaw Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 14, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth1911

Age90 Years (at time of death)

BirthplaceAmritsar, Punjab

ProfessionArtist

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried (at time of death)

SpouseSam Manekshaw

FamilyTwo daughters: Maja Daruwala and Sherry Batliwala; grandchildren

Silloo Manekshaw Biography

Silloo Manekshaw (born Silloo Bode, 1911–2001) was an Indian artist and community worker from Amritsar who married Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw in 1939. Tr—

Early life and background

Silloo Bode was born in Amritsar, Punjab, in 1911. She completed her graduation at Elphinstone College in Mumbai and pursued further studies at Sir J. J. School of Art, also in Mumbai. From an early age she developed a lasting interest in painting and the arts.

Career

Silloo worked as an artist and painter. Her training at Sir J. J. School of Art informed both her creative work and her later activities supporting community causes. She sold paintings to raise funds for local initiatives and directed theatre productions at the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington.

Public profile

Silloo came to wider public attention through her marriage to Sam Manekshaw, who would go on to become India's first Field Marshal. The couple met at a social event in Lahore in 1937 and married on 22 April 1939. During the 1950s they were frequently seen at social and Bollywood gatherings.

Those who knew her described Silloo as an avid reader, a skilled painter and an intelligent conversationalist. Her daughters recalled that she combined encouragement with candid critique, and that she kept a practical perspective on public acclaim.

Family and personal life

Silloo and Sam Manekshaw had two daughters. Their elder daughter, Sherry Batliwala, worked as a corporate employee, and their younger daughter, Maja Daruwala, pursued a career in law and human rights. The family includes grandchildren who work in theatre, business and hospitality.

As an army wife, Silloo settled with her husband in Coonoor, Tamil Nadu, where she focused on local welfare. She established and ran a charitable clinic serving the poor and elderly and used her connections and fundraising through art and events to support the community. She also took an active role in the design and decoration of the family bungalow in Coonoor, known as Stavka, and contributed artwork to the house.

Personal interests

Silloo enjoyed Western classical music and was known to listen to it each morning. She maintained a strong involvement in social work and travelling, and her home life reflected her artistic sensibilities—her dressing room and personal spaces in Stavka were remembered by family for their thoughtful decoration.

Death and legacy

Silloo Manekshaw died on 13 February 2001 in Tamil Nadu from lung cancer at the age of 90. She was buried at the Parsi cemetery in Ooty. Her life as an artist, community worker and partner to one of India’s most prominent military figures left an imprint on the Coonoor community, where her charitable clinic and cultural contributions were particularly notable.

Latest updates

In December 2023 a Hindi-language biographical film about Sam Manekshaw, titled SAMबहादुर, was released. In that film Silloo Manekshaw is portrayed by actress Sanya Malhotra.
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Recent Work

Portrayed in SAMबहादुर (film)

Silloo Manekshaw is depicted as a character in the 2023 Hindi biographical film about her husband; actress Sanya Malhotra played the role.

2023
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Career Highlights

  1. Artist and painter educated at Sir J. J. School of Art
  2. Established and ran a charitable clinic in Coonoor for the poor and elderly
  3. Directed theatre productions at the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington
  4. Married Sam Manekshaw, India’s first Field Marshal, in 1939
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Silloo Manekshaw born?

1911

What is Silloo Manekshaw known for?

Artist

What is Silloo Manekshaw’s marital status?

Married (at time of death)

Who is Silloo Manekshaw married to?

Sam Manekshaw