Memoirs of Late Lt Col (Rtd) Maneck P. Soparivala (Ex-Chairman of the Managing Committee of BVS Parsi High School)
The only son of Pestonjee Jamshedji Soparivala, he was born at Rajpipla on 7th October 1918. He was grandson to Seth Shapurji Soparivala and brother to Najoo Nanavati, Deena Mistri, Bachi Patel and Avan Dubash. He got his education at BVS Parsi High School and was a good player in different fields of sports. He was fond of swimming and cricket and played as a left-arm leg spinner in the Parsi cricket team. He joined the British Indian Army and trained as a cadet from 1941 to 1942. He was then posted to the 3rd Battalion, (Queen Mary's Own) 10th Baluch Regiment. Later, he joined the unit in North Africa and served with the battalion in the North African campaign under General Auchinlack
and Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery and fought at El - Alemain. Subsequently, he served with the battalion in Sicily, Italy and Greece and fought in the famous campaigns of the Second World War, during which he was wounded twice. On partition, the battalion became a part of the Pakistan Army and he served at various stations including Sialkot, Quetta, East Pakistan, Malakand, Malir, Lahore, and Abbotabad. During the 1965 war, he fought in the Bhawalnagar Sector and was awarded the Imtiaz - e - Sanad for his meritorious service. He is the only Pakistani officer who has commanded his battalion twice for a period of four years each, i.e., eight years in total. He retired from the army as Lt Col on 2nd May 1968. In November 1992, he became the Chairman of BVS Parsi High School and continued till March 2004, after which he stepped down due to old age and ill health. We pray for the reposed soul and may God grant peace and comfort to his family.