On a rather warm day the Defence Secretary, Harish Sarin, a powerful civil servant, on entering the Ministry's conference room is said to have told a Colonel sitting near a window,
"You there, open that window!"
Before the Colonel could get up came a sharp "Sit down" from Sam Manekshaw, who had just entered the conference room from another door.
Turning to the Defence Secretary, he said, "Mr.Secretary, don't you ever address my Officers in that tone of voice. You may however say,"Sam, would you please open that window, and I will open the window for you. That Officer you called out to is a Colonel, and not
'You there'."
Harish Sarin mumbled something to the effect that he didn't mean it that way, to which Sam replied,
"I don't care how you meant it. I heard it & didn't like it."