Leader, Commander, Benevolent Father to his children and a guiding beacon that led an entire nation and her armed forces — Field Marshal Kodandera Madappa Cariappa was the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of the Army. He was to his men the epitome of gentlemanly conduct and selflessness. His ideals still hold sway in the Indian Military Establishment. His greatest gift to the Indian People, probably was a fighting force that was no less compared to any other in the world and yet had the commendable restraint that prevented the Army from ever meddling directly in the political machinations of the country. This delineation lent a sense of integrity and unique purpose to the Military Establishment that has held it in good stead all these years. The credit for this must go to K.M. Cariappa. May 15, 2019 was his 26th Death Anniversary and it would indeed be a good time for a look back on his life and events…

By Dr. S.N. Bhagirath

On the 28th of January, 1899 the residents of Shanivarasanthe in Coorg heard a shot fired from the revenue quarters heralding the birth of a baby boy. The boy’s parents were Kodandera Madappa and Ammayya. He was the second among six children and was fondly called ‘Chimma.’ Madappa was a Sub-divisional Magistrate in Shanivarasanthe at that time. Chimma would one day command the Indian Army in Independent India and play definitive roles in WW-II and wars with Pakistan soon after Independence. He nurtured an Army that has stood the test of time. Till the very end of his life, he dedicated to the Army, a spirit of camaraderie and patriotism which remains legendary to this day.

Field Marshal K. M. Cariappa stuck to one particular daily habit — he would get up every morning, finish his ablutions and before his breakfast, walk up to the fire place by his bed side to render his salute to three things lined up there — the two photographs of his mother and father and a small silver statue of the unknown Indian Soldier! Like a true gentleman he sat for breakfast wearing a full suit, often alone.

K.M. Cariappa had his schooling at Madikeri. His English teachers C. Rensford and W.H. Whiteworth made quite an impression on the young Cariappa and imbibed British values in him. He was fond of playing Cricket and Hockey. In 1918, he went to Presidency College at Madras for his graduate studies. On his return to Coorg, there was an ongoing recruitment for the post of “Commissioned Officers” for the Army. Chief Commissioner Cobb was impressed by K.M. Cariappa and selected him over others.

Cariappa joined ‘Daley Cadet College’ on June 1, 1918. His first posting was in the 88th Carnatic Infantry (2nd Battalion) wherefrom he was transferred to 125 Napier Rifles. This regiment was stationed at Mesopotamia (Iraq) for two years. At the end of two years, he was transferred to ‘Prince of Wales’ 37th Dogra Regiment, which was at that time stationed in Afghanistan. During these postings, Cariappa learnt and incorporated into his men the tricks of guerrilla warfare — a move that caught the attention of his British superiors which eventually resulted in his promotion to the post of Quartermaster. He is believed to have got the nick-name ‘Kipper’ around this time. This nickname was later adopted by Nehru and Indira Gandhi as well!

As a representative of the British Indian Army, K.M. Cariappa had the opportunity to visit and observe many other armies. While in Japan, he sadly lost his mother in India. Upon his return, his reputation as an able officer had begun to make rounds in the higher echelons of the British administration. He was entrusted with the onerous task of escorting Viceroy Lord Irwin to Madikeri on an official visit. Cariappa was just 24 years old ! By 1927, Cariappa was a Captain in the Army. Cariappa’s coaching at Royal United Services Institute in 1932 and his time at Small Arms School (SAS) and Royal School of Artillery (RSA) prepared him well enough to clear the Quetta Staff College Entrance Examination. In 1936, he was appointed as Staff Captain and in 1938 he was promoted to the rank of Major.

Personal Life

On his 37th birthday, he was sent back to India and was stationed at Hyderabad. In the same year, he got married to Muthu in a traditional Coorgi style wedding. He had his first child, a boy (Nanda Cariappa) in January of 1938. His daughter Nalini Cariappa was born in February of 1943. His tedious and hectic schedule and the constant transfers across the continent eventually took a toll on their marital life. The couple separated in 1946. After the separation, Cariappa took both his children (aged eight and three years) under his wings. He was ably assisted in this effort by his sister. A sudden transfer for Cariappa’s sister’s husband to Andaman & Nicobar Islands meant that he could no longer take care of both children by himself. He decided to send his daughter with his sister and retained his son with himself. In 1954, Cariappa learnt of the sad demise of his former wife Muthu in a car accident.

Professional Life

At the start of Second World War (1939), K.M. Cariappa was stationed in Iraq under General Slim in the Tenth Indian Division. By the end of 1939, Slim recommended Cariappa for the prestigious ‘Mentioned in Dispatches’ distinction. The next year (1940) saw Cariappa taking command of the Indian Divisions in Iran & Syria. In the succeeding decade, Cariappa became the first in Indian history to be offered the post of a ‘Commander.’ He took command of the ‘Rajput Machine Gun Battalion’ as acting Lieutenant Colonel in 1942. In 1943, the Japanese army occupied Burma and Andaman & Nicobar Islands. K.M. Cariappa was transferred to Calcutta (Eastern Command) to take back territories of Burma and Andaman & Nicobar Islands. His valour and able leadership at the height of Second World War earned him the ‘Order of the British Empire’ in 1944. Soon after World War II, he was promoted to the post of Brigadier.

[To be continued tomorrow]

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source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / May 29th, 2019

Field Marshal Kodandera Madappa Cariappa breathe his last 26 years ago on May 15, 1993. He was the first Indian Commander in Chief of the Indian Army. Cariappa took command of the Army from its British Commander in Chief, General Sir Roy Bucher. He was also nicknamed “Kipper”. Cariappa was born on January 28, 1899, in Madikeri, Kodagu which is today part of Karnataka.

Field Marshal Criappa had his formal education in Madikeri and pursued his college education from the prestigious Presidency College in Chennai. Cariappa joined the British Indian Army in 1919 and was commissioned in the 88th Carnatic Infantry at Bombay (now Mumbai) as Temporary Second Lieutenant. He was granted permanent commission on September 9, 1922. In 1927, he was promoted to the rank of Captain.

During the World War–II, Field Marshal Cariappa actively served in Iraq, Iran and Syria in 1941–1942 and then in Burma in 1943–1944. Back in India in March 1942, he was posted as second-in-command of the newly raised 7th Rajput Machine Gun Battalion at Fatehgarh. Cariappa was posted as AQMG of the 26th Indian Division stationed at Buthidaung in Burma. The division played an important role in pushing the Japanese back from Arakan. For his services in the operation, Cariappa was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in June 1945.

In the same year, Cariappa was made the commander of the Bannu Frontier Brigade in Waziristan. During this period, Colonel Ayub Khan – later Field Marshal and President of Pakistan from 1962–1969 – served under him. In 1947, Cariappa was the first of two Indians selected to undergo training at the Imperial Defence College, at Camberly, in the UK, to attend the higher command courses.

After Independence, He was promoted to the rank of Major General and was appointed as deputy chief of the general staff. In November 1947, Cariappa was appointed as the Eastern Army commander after being promoted to a rank of Lieutenant General. As the situation worsened in Kashmir in 1947, Cariappa was moved as General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command. He directed operations for the recapture of territories seized by Afghan tribals backed by the Pakistani Army.

On January 15, 1949, Cariappa, took over the reins of the Indian Army. The day is now celebrated in India as the Army Day. He served in the Indian Army for over 30 years. After his retirement in 1953, he served as the Indian high commissioner to Australia and New Zealand until 1956. On April 28, 1986, the Government of India conferred the rank of field marshal on Cariappa. He was the second Field Marshal of the Indian Army after Sam Manekshaw. Cariappa’s health began to deteriorate in 1991. He suffered from arthritis and heart problems. He died in his sleep on May 15, 1993, at the Bangalore Command Hospital.

Cariappa was married in March 1937, in Secunderabad, to Muthu Machia. The couple had a son and a daughter. Their son, K.C. Cariappa also known as “Nanda”, joined the Indian Air Force and rose to the rank of air marshal. During the 1965 war, Nanda was shot down over Pakistan. He was captured and held as a prisoner of war (POW). After realising the identity of the captured IAF officer, General Ayub Khan, the then president of Pakistan himself contacted Cariappa to inform about his son. When Ayyub offered to release Nanda, Carriapa asked him to give his son no better treatment than any other POW. Field Marshal Carriappa was a recipient of Indian Independence medal, Burma Star and General Service Medal.

source: http://www.latestly.com / LatestLY / Home> Lifestyle> Festivals Events / by Team LatestLY / May 15th, 2019