Field Marshal Kodandera Madappa Cariappa

The first Indian Chief of Staff, Field Marshal Kodandera Madappa Cariappa led the Indian forces on the Western Front during the Indo-Pakistan War of 1947. The term Chief of Staff can refer to: The White House Chief of Staff, the highest-ranking member of the Executive Office of the President of the United States. ... The Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 sometimes known as the First Kashmir War was a war fought between India and Pakistan over the region of Kashmir from 1947 to 1949. ...

He is among only two Indian military officers to hold the highest ceremonial rank of Field Marshal (the other being Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw. His distinguished military career spanned almost three decades, at the highest point of which, he was appointed as the Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Military in 1949. Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw Field Marshal Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw was the Indian Army Chief of Staff who led the Indian forces during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. ...

Early Life and Education

The first Indian Chief of Staff, Field Marshal Kodandera Madappa Cariappa was born on 28th January 1899 at Shanivarsanthe in erstwhile Coorg, which was at that time, centrally administered by the British. The term Chief of Staff can refer to: The White House Chief of Staff, the highest-ranking member of the Executive Office of the President of the United States. ... Note: This article is about the military usage of the word marshal. For other usages, see the end of this article. ... (Redirected from 28th January) January 28 is the 28th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1899 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... A coffee plantation in Coorg Kodagu (previously called Coorg) is a district of Karnataka state, India. ...

Cariappa, known as "Chimma" to his relatives, had his formal education in the Central High School at Madikeri, after which he pursued his college education at Presidency College, Chennai. Here Cariappa grew up equally attached to books and plays under the guidance of renowned academicians. He was an active sportsman who played such as hockey and tennis with vigour and brilliance. In addition to this, he loved music and had fondness for a sleight of hand tricks too. Madikeri is the principal town of the district of Kodagu, in Karnataka state, southern India. ... Presidency College is an undergraduate college in Chennai, India. ...

Military Career

After World War I concluded in 1918, Indian politicians at that time raised a demand to sanction Indians to the King's Commission. After strict screening, Cariappa was selected as one among the privileged few, who were selected for the first batch that underwent rigorous pre-commission. He joined the first batch of KCIOs King's Commissioned Indian Officers) at Daly Cadet College at Indore and was commissioned in Carnatic Infantry at Mumbai. World War I was primarily a European conflict with many facets: immense human sacrifice, stalemate trench warfare, and the use of new, devastating weapons - tanks, aircraft, machine guns, and poison gas. ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... A Kings Commissioned Indian Officer (KCIO) was an Indian officer of the British Indian Army who held a full Kings Commission, as opposed to the Viceroys Commissioned Officers (VCOs), who held positions analogous to British Army Warrant Officers. ... A Kings Commissioned Indian Officer (KCIO) was an Indian officer of the British Indian Army who held a full Kings Commission, as opposed to the Viceroys Commissioned Officers (VCOs), who held positions analogous to British Army Warrant Officers. ... Indore is the commercial capital of the Malwa region and the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh (MP). ... This article or section should be merged with Mumbai Mumbai (previously known as Bombay) is the worlds most populous conurbation, and is the sixth most populous agglomeration in the world. ...

Cariappa saw active service with the 37 (Prince of Wales) Dogra in Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq) and was later posted to the 2nd Rajput Light Infantry (Queen Victoria's Own) which became his permanent regimental home. He was the first Indian officer to undergo the course at Staff College, Quetta in 1933. In 1946, he was promoted as the Brigadier of the Frontier Brigade Group. It was during this time that Colonel Ayub Khan - later Field Marshal and President of Pakistan, 1962-1969 - served under him. The Prince of Wales Feathers. This Heraldic badge of the Heir Apparent is derived from the ostrich feathers borne by Edward, the Black Prince. ... Dogra is an Indian people. ... Sumerian list of gods in cuneiform script, ca. ... Traditionally light infantry (or skirmishers) were soldiers whose job was to provide a skirmishing screen ahead of the main body of infantry, harassing and delaying the enemy advance. ... Victoria Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Empress of India Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria) (24 May 1819–22 January 1901) was a Queen of the United Kingdom, reigning from 20 June 1837 until her death. ... Brigadier is a rank in the British Army, Royal Marines, Australian Army, New Zealand Army, and several other armies, ranking above Colonel and immediately below Major-General. ... Ayub Khan (May 14, 1907 – April 19, 1974) was a Field Marshal during the mid-1960s, and the political leader of Pakistan from 1958 to 1969. ... Note: This article is about the military usage of the word marshal. For other usages, see the end of this article. ... The President of Pakistan (Sadr-e-Mumliqat) is Pakistans Head of State. ...

Cariappa served in Iraq, Syria and Iran from 1941-1942 and then in Myanmar in 1943-1944. He spent many of his soldiering years in Wagiristan. He earned his 'Mentioned in Despatches' as DAA and QMG of General (later Field Marshal) Slim's 10th Division. He was the first Indian Officer to be given command of a unit in 1942. After command he volunteered to serve in 26 Division engaged in clearing the Japanese from Burma, where he was awarded the Order of the British Empire. Mentioned in Dispatches (MID) is a military award for gallantry or otherwise commendable service. ... A Quartermaster general is the staff officer in charge of supplies for a whole army. ... Field Marshal Sir William Slim Field Marshal The Right Honourable William Joseph Slim, 1st Viscount Slim, KG, GCB, GCMG, GCVO, GBE, DSO, MC (6 August 1897 – 14 December 1970), British military commander and 13th Governor-General of Australia, was born near Bristol, Gloucestershire. ... This article is about the year. ... Commanders Badge of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V. The Order includes five classes in civil and military divisions, in decreasing order of seniority: Knight or Dame Grand...

In 1947, Cariappa was the first Indian who was selected to undergo a training course at Imperial Defence College, Camberly, UK on the higher directions of war. During the traumatic period of partition, he handled the division of the Indian Army and sharing of its assets between Pakistan and India, in a most amicable, just and orderly manner. He was then the Indian officer in-charge to oversee the transition. 1947 (MCMXLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Britains holdings on the Indian subcontinent were granted independence in 1947 and 1948, becoming four new independent states: India, Burma (now Myanmar), Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), and Pakistan (including East Pakistan, modern-day Bangladesh). ... The Indian Army (भारतीय सेना Hindi: Bhartiya Sena) is the land force of the Military of India and has the prime responsibility of conducting land-based warfare. ...

Post-Independence, Cariappa was appointed as the Deputy Chief of the General Staff with the rank of Major General. On promotion to Lieutenant General he became the Eastern Army Commander. On outbreak of war with Pakistan in 1947, he was moved as General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command and directed operations for the recapture of Zojila, Dras and Kargil and re-established a linkup with Leh. In all this, he showed tremendous energy in moving troops, against heavy odds and finally ensuring success. Deputy may mean: A member of a Chamber of Deputies, National Assembly, etc. ... In the military systems of many countries, the Chief of the General Staff is the professional head of that countrys General Staff. ... Insignia of a United States Air Force Major General German Generalmajor Insignia Major General is a military rank used in many countries. ... Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. ... The Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 sometimes known as the First Kashmir War was a war fought between India and Pakistan over the region of Kashmir from 1947 to 1949. ... General Officer Commanding (GOC) is the usual title given in the armies of Commonwealth (and some other) nations to a general officer who holds a command appointment. ... Kargil was a part of Gilgit-Baltistan before 1947, but now is a town in the Indian-controlled Kashmir. ... View of Leh from Namgyal hill Leh Bazaar prior to 1871 Leh is the capital of the former Himalayan kingdom of Ladakh, which is now a district in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, India. ...

On being appointed as the first Commander-in-Chief of an independent Indian Army on 15 January 1949, he was instrumental in the integration of troops and turning an imperial army into a national army. Commander-in-Chief (in NATO-lingo often C-in-C or CINC pronounced sink) is the commander of all the military forces within a particular region or of all the military forces of a state. ... The Indian Army (भारतीय सेना Hindi: Bhartiya Sena) is the land force of the Military of India and has the prime responsibility of conducting land-based warfare. ... January 15 is the 15th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1949 (MCMXLIX) is a common year starting on Saturday. ...

Other facets

He was affectionately known as Kipper and as the story goes, a British officer's wife found it difficult to pronounce Cariappa and shortened it to a convenient Kipper. In the years that followed, his colleagues, and others who knew him well, continued to call him Kipper.

Cariappa held no truck on commission in the Indian Army and in picturesque, forthright language remarked after the partition, "I don't care a damn if a man is a Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Parsi or Christian as long as he plays the game to serve our country well. This is all that matters to me." The Indian Army (भारतीय सेना Hindi: Bhartiya Sena) is the land force of the Military of India and has the prime responsibility of conducting land-based warfare. ... A Hindu (also spelt Hindoo) is an adherent of philosophies and scriptures of Hindu religion. ... A Muslim (Arabic: مسلم) (sometimes also spelled Moslem) is an adherent of Islam. ... A Sikh man wearing a turban A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism, a religious faith originating in the Punjab. ... A Parsi is: A person from Pars (the middle-Persian word for Fars), a region now within the geographical boundaries of Iran, and is roughly the original homeland of the Persian people. ... As a noun, Christian is an appellation and moniker deriving from the appellation Christ, which many people associate exclusively with Jesus of Nazareth. ...

Higher Commands and Offices

His association with the Indian Army is spread over an unbroken period of more than 29 years, during which he had wide experience of staff and command work. After his retirement from Indian Army in 1953, he served as the High Commissioner to Australia and New Zealand till 1956. The Indian Army (भारतीय सेना Hindi: Bhartiya Sena) is the land force of the Military of India and has the prime responsibility of conducting land-based warfare. ... The Indian Army (भारतीय सेना Hindi: Bhartiya Sena) is the land force of the Military of India and has the prime responsibility of conducting land-based warfare. ... 1953 (MCMLIII) is a common year starting on Thursday. ... A High Commissioner is a person serving in a special executive capacity. ... 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Cariappa took active part in the reorganisation of armed forces in many foreign countries. He was a much traveled man and visited parts of China, Japan, United States, Great Britain, Canada and most of the European countries. He was conferred with 'Order of the Chief Commander of the Legion of Merit' by US President, Harry S. Truman. As a token of gratitude of the nation for the exemplary service rendered by him, the Government of India conferred the rank of Field Marshal on Cariappa in 1983. The aim of this page is to act as a comparison between European countries in many different aspects, such as population, GDP, life expectancy, etc. ... The Legion of Merit is an awesome award which only the bravest of Americans will ever win. ... For the pop band, see Presidents of the United States of America. ... Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884 – December 26, 1972) was the thirty-fourth Vice President (1945) and the thirty-third President of the United States (1945–53), succeeding to the office upon the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Note: This article is about the military usage of the word marshal. For other usages, see the end of this article. ... 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Personality

During the 1962, 1965 and 1971 wars, he visited the front lines to talk to the troops and keep their morale up. Every Jawan of the Indian Army is inspired by his words. He always said, "An officer is nothing without the soldiers." He gave the following credo to the Indian officers, which remains even now the guiding spirit. Since both nations achieved independence in August 1947, there have been three major wars and one minor war between India and Pakistan. ... Combatants India Pakistan Commanders Lt Gen Harbakhsh Singh Casualties 3,000 killed 3,800 killed The 1965 war between India and Pakistan, also known as the Second Kashmir War, was the culmination of a series of skirmishes that occurred between April 1965 and September 1965. ... The Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 was a military conflict between India and Pakistan. ... The Indian Army (भारतीय सेना Hindi: Bhartiya Sena) is the land force of the Military of India and has the prime responsibility of conducting land-based warfare. ...

Apart from being a military man, Cariappa had insight about the status of the country. He is quoted as saying, "In modern warfare, a large army is not sufficient, it needs industrial potential behind it. If the army is the first line of defence, the industry is the second." Cariappa had even said that "soldiers know the facility of wars to solve the internal problems. We ought to be ashamed that today they had more peace in war than peace in peace." Such insight has placed him above many in this field. "Army is there to serve the Government of the day, and we should make sure that it does not get mixed up with party politics. A soldier is above politics and should not believe in caste or creed," was another insight of this soldier.

He lived and remained, as he said, "an Indian and to the last breath would remain an Indian. To me there is only two Sthans - Hindusthan (India) and Foujisthan (the Army)." Hindustan (Hindi: हिन्दुस्तान [Hindustān], Urdu: [Hindostān], from the Persian Hindū + -stān, archaic Hindoostan) and the adjective Hindustani may relate to various aspects of four geographic areas: Hindustan: Land of the Hindus. ... Army (from French armée) can, in some countries, refer to any armed force. ...

Cariappa had great concern for the nation and saw himself as an Indian first and only then as an officer of high rank, which is one of the reasons why he is still held in high esteem by his fellow men in his native Coorg and the rest of the country. If there is one man whom the Kodavas can identify with reverence and respect it is undoubtedly Cariappa. A coffee plantation in Coorg Kodagu (previously called Coorg) is a district of Karnataka state, India. ... The Kodava are a people of southern India. ...

Post Retirement

Cariappa settled down amidst greenery and nature, in his own Roshanara at Madikeri after his retirement from public service. He loved the environment and the flora and fauna around him. He lived a life of simplicity and dignity, which was the hallmark of a man. He spent a lot of his leisure time educating people about cleanliness, pollution control and other essential issues. Madikeri is the principal town of the district of Kodagu, in Karnataka state, southern India. ...

On 15th May 1993, Field Marshal Cariappa breathed his last in Bangalore at an age of 94.

External Links

• Profile on Bharat Rakshak.com