Over 400 volunteers to plant 50,000 seed balls, 10,000 saplings near Anechowkur on July 27
Mysuru:
Year-by-year weakening of regular rainfall in Kodagu and depleting green cover along the Cauvery River basin and the resultant shortage of water has made environmentally conscious groups to come together to organise a massive tree-plantation drive in Kodagu, the principal catchment of Cauvery.
An initiative taken up by Kodavaame, Team Roots of Kodagu, Kodagu Jawa Yezdi Motorcycle Club and Forest Department of Karnataka, TATA Coffee, Madikeri Akashavani, Kodava Samaja Bengaluru and over 72 organisations and voluntary groups from Kodagu, Mysuru, Bengaluru and Chennai are coming together for the tree-plantation drive on July 27 from 9 am onwards near Anechowkur Gate, Thithimathi Forest Range in Kodagu under the Nagarahole Tiger Reserve.
This plantation drive is kick-started by individual volunteers to help rejuvenate and rebuild green cover in Kodagu. Volunteers have sourced more than 50,000 seed balls to be planted during the drive and the Forest Department will provide 10,000 saplings of various wild species that are native to Kodagu and the Nagarahole forests.
Kodavaame initiated this annual tree-planting drive three years back and last year, saplings were planted at Aanekaadu forest near Kushalnagar.
Speaking to Star of Mysore yesterday, Shammi Belliappa of Team Roots of Kodagu said that the Forest Department will identify the places where saplings are to be planted and all the necessary permissions and approvals have been taken.
“Different groups and individuals are coming together in Kodagu to work towards the common goal of protecting the flora and fauna. This event can be an ideal start to a great new direction in Kodagu and further can spread to other districts,” he said and added that as it is an annual event, the next plantation initiative is likely to be taken up at Chennangi in Kodagu.
All volunteers have been directed to wear water-proof jackets, rain coats and gum boots or rain shoes. While many volunteers will be grouped to plant saplings and seed balls, the rest will look into the supply of logistics and will ensure smooth traffic flow.
Organisers are expecting over 400 volunteers and as it is a Tiger Reserve, the volunteers will strictly follow the instructions from the Forest Department, he said.
While Lions Club-Gonikoppal and Rotary Club Kushalnagar will provide food and beverages for the volunteers, Kodava Samaja, Bengaluru, will sponsor the free bus ride to and fro for volunteers who are travelling for this greening event.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star Of Mysore / Home> News / July 24th, 2019
The 13th Annual General Body Meeting (AGM) of Gokulam Kodava Sangha will be held on Aug. 15 at 9.30 am at Kodava Samaja (ground floor), Vijayanagar 1st Stage.
Sangha President Nayakanda U. Appaya will preside.
Get-together: The AGM will be followed by a get-together function at 11.30 am.
On the occasion, meritorious students will be felicitated.
Sangha members’ children who have excelled in the field of education (7th Std., SSLC, II PUC, Graduation, Post Graduation and Technical Courses) may submit their marks card or certificate copy before 5 pm on Aug. 10 to the Sangha Secretary.
For details contact Myndapanda A. Thimmanna, Secretary, on Mob: 90361- 47871, according to a press release.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Uncategorized / July 26th, 2019
Tributes were paid to the martyrs of Kargil war, during Kargil Vijay Diwas, observed at war memorial in Madikeri.
Vishwa Hindu Parishat and Bajrang Dal observed Kargil Vijay Diwas on Friday. Floral tributes were offered at the war memorial in Madikeri Main Road.
Subedar Major (retd) B N Anand, Soldier’s Welfare and Rehabilitation Department officer Geetha M Shetty and ex-servicemen association president O S Chingappa also participated in the event.
Geetha M Shetty said that 527 soldiers of India were martyred in the Kargil war. “We should not forget the sacrifices of our brave martyrs, and it is our duty to honour our soldiers,” she added.
Leader Chi Na Somesh said that there were more than 14 soldiers from Karnataka, who laid down during the Kargil war. Pemmanda D Kaverappa of Virajpet and S K Medappa of Somwarpet were among the martyrs.
O S Chingappa said that Indian Army is a hallmark of bravery. Vishwa Hindu Parishat district committee General Secretary D Narasimha was present.
Volunteers paid tributes to the brave soldiers by donating blood in Ashwini Hospital. Pediatrician Dr B C Navin Kumar said that more number of youth should come forward to donate blood.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State> Mangaluru / by Adithya K A / DH News Service, Madikeri / July 26th, 2019
The Asian Games gold medallist says he “would have loved to receive it from the president at the Rashtrapati Bhawan along with other athletes and achievers”.
Rohan Bopanna receives the Arjuna Award from union sports minister, Kiren Rijiju. Alongside him is his wife Supriya Annaiah. – SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Rohan Bopanna finally got his hands on the Arjuna award, as he received it from the union sports minister Kiren Rijiju here on Tuesday.
“It is an amazing feeling to hold the award. Definitely, I would have loved to receive it from the President at the Rashtrapati Bhawan, along with other athletes and achievers. But that does not take anything away from the thrill of receiving it,” said Bopanna, who received the trophy, along with his wife Supriya Annaiah.
More than the award, Bopanna, a former world No.3 doubles star who narrowly missed the mixed doubles medal with Sania Mirza in the Rio Olympics, said that he was delighted to meet such a sports-loving minister.
“He is such a big tennis fan, and has been watching tennis for a long time. We spoke for nearly 45 minutes and it was great and very positive. He also talked about following women’s cricket, as Smriti Mandhana also got the award today,” said Bopanna.
During his interaction with the Sports Minister, Bopanna also requested that all the matches featuring the Indian tennis players on the Tour be streamed live on the internet for the benefit of youngsters in the country.
“It may be difficult to get it on television, but live streaming is something that can inspire the young players. The minister was very receptive and said that he would see how it can be done,” said Bopanna.
Not having received any money so far this year despite being part of the TOPS funding, Bopanna did broach the subject with the minister. He was told that the national tennis federation needed to keep the athletes in its Annual Calendar for Training and Competition (ACTC) so as to make it a smooth affair.
“The SAI Director General, Neelam Kapur was also there. I was told that the medical bill for me and the funds for the first three months had been approved. So, it should be a matter of time before it reaches us. I have already sent all the original bills so far,” said Bopanna.
Since Bopanna and Divij Sharan had won the Asian Games doubles gold, they have been kept in the TOPS as a team. Thus, whatever money is sanctioned would be given 50% to the two.
“I would love to continue to play with Divij on the Tour. But, the fact is that with our ranking, we are not getting into the ATP-500 and Masters events. It is not easy to play only the big tournaments with other partners. Even now, the cut for Washington DC is 47. Me and Denis Shapovalov are one out at the moment, and have to wait. That is the reality. If we don’t play the big tournaments on the Tour, how do we prepare for the Grand Slams and the Olympics,” queried Bopanna, who will be partnering Shapovalov till the US Open.
source: http://www.sportstar.thehindu.com / Sport Star / Home> Tennis / by Kamesh Srinivasan / New Delhi – July 16th, 2019
Aiming for a Goal: A match in progress during the Kodava Hockey Festival 2016 in Madikeri, Kodagu. Photos by DH, Niran Shantheyanda
Kodavas loved to pursue two patriotic passions. One was to be part of the nation’s defence forces and the other was to play the national sport. Hence, it was said that a Kodava was born with a hockey stick in one hand and a gun in another.
Hockey was not just a sport in Kodagu, it was a way of living. Kodagu’s children practised and excelled in hockey. There was untapped talent in Kodagu but there was no way to demonstrate it.
Aiming for a Goal: A match in progress during the Kodava Hockey Festival 2016 in Madikeri, Kodagu. / Photos by DH, Niran Shantheyanda
Considering this, Pandanda Kuttappa (Kuttani) and his brother Kashi Ponnappa decided to begin the annual Kodava hockey festival in 1997. “I wanted this festival to be of use to children. I wanted them to get a chance to play for India,” says Kuttappa , former first-division hockey umpire.
That year, Kuttappa’s extended family helped organise the event. Teams from 60 Kodava clans came to participate. The Kaliyanda team won the Pandanda cup. The event is called a festival (namme, in Kodava language), and not a tournament because it helps bring people together to celebrate. Each year one Kodava clan conducts the tournament and the cup is named after the clan. The Kodava Hockey Academy governs the annual festival.
Members releasing the banner of a hockey tournament.
The academy also decides which family can organise the tournament in a particular year. As of now, families have been selected to organise the tournament until 2025.
According to Shantheyanda Ravi Kushalappa, any family that wants to organise the festival should apply to the Kodava Hockey Academy. The application will be checked and considered on a first-come- first-serve basis. The selected family will have a year to prepare for conducting the event. The state government partly funds the event on most years. Lok Sabha MP for Mysore-Kodagu also grants some money. The rest of the money is collected by the family through donations.
Kodava hockey festival.
The family puts together a committee which is responsible for organising the event. They select a convenient ground and arrange all the facilities near the family’s ancestral residence.
According to the Limca Book of Records, the Kodava hockey festival is both the largest and the longest hockey tournament in India. This is probably the world’s largest family tournament as well. In 2018, 329 teams participated in the Kulletira Cup held in Napoklu.
Men, women and children take part in the tournament. There is no bar on age or gender. Among the prominent women players are goalkeeper Shivachaliyanda Nilan (Ekalavya awardee) and Malamada Lilavati.
In 2014, the Thathanda family organised a rink hockey event for 35 families. Later, two formats were supported: league matches for champions who regularly made it to the semifinals and knockouts for others.
In recent times, a number of similar family tournaments such as Kodava cricket, badminton, tug-of-war and golf, Kodagu Gowda cricket, Kodagu Heggade hockey, Amma Kodava cricket, Yerava cricket, Kodagu Muslim football and volleyball events are held in Kodagu.
The champions
There are a few strong family teams who often make it to the top. The Palanganda team has won the festival the highest number of times (five) so far. They entered the finals eight times (between 2006-2016).
Kodagu has produced several Hockey Olympians like Maneyapanda M Somaya, Mullera P Ganesh, B P Govinda, Arjun Halappa, S V Sunil among others. Most of the winning teams have Olympians in their midst. The Koothanda team, led by former Olympian K K Poonacha, comes a close second, having won the festival four times (including the 1999 draw with Kulletira team) between 1998-2008. The Cheppudira team, with another Olympian C S Poonacha, were the runners-up in the 2001 edition.
Olympian goalkeeper Anjaparavanda B Subbaiah’s team has been consistent over the years since 1997. They were winners twice and in the finals five times. Subbaiah attributes the team’s success to the remarkable individual efforts of its players.
The Kaliyanda team won thrice and came second twice. The Nellamakkada team won thrice and hosted the 2001 Cup. Kulletira won all the three times it came to the finals. The Mandepanda team won the tournament once.
In the 2018 finals, the defending champion Chendanda scored two goals and didn’t allow Anjaparavanda to score. Two Olympians were on the field: Nikkin Thimmaiah, a young forward, and Subbaiah, veteran goal-keeper.
“The hockey festival brought the family together. The family members stay in different villages. Earlier, there were no interactions between them, and they didn’t know each other (for many decades),” says Subbaiah. This has been the case with many Kodava families.
The kids of Kodagu are taught to wield the hockey stick at a young age. Their parents make crude hockey sticks and play the game with them after school hours.
Every summer, during the months of April and May, this festival brings together members of joint families. The relatives living in the cities, in the army or elsewhere converge in Kodagu. Uniforms and kits are prepared and at least eleven players are registered. For weeks, the teams practice playing with their hockey sticks on fallow fields and empty grounds.
Personal touch
My family team, the Mookonda team, is quite strong having players like Nikhil, Jnapak who trained in Sports Authority of India.
The first time I watched a Kodava hockey festival game was in our hometown Ammathi. It was the 2001 Cup. Cousins, aunts and uncles came together after a long time. Even my paternal grandmother, who was bed-ridden at the time, requested us to take her to the stadium to watch the hockey game.
The air was filled with slogans being shouted out cheering our home team: “Come on, Mookonda! Steady, Ammathi!”
We also went to watch the Muckatira family match during the 2002 Chekkera Cup in Hudikeri. Even while the sun was beating down upon us and we were all sweating, we cheered the team enthusiastically.
Paused by calamity
Floods and landslides ravaged parts of Kodagu in 2018. In order to show solidarity with the victims, the 2019 hockey festival was initially cancelled. However, the cancellation was not appreciated.
“A year break would make youngsters lose a chance to practice and display their skills,” says Hockey Coorg treasurer Palanganda Lava. Paikera E Kalaiah, who played in the 1975 Hockey World Cup, presides over Hockey Coorg.
Therefore, Hockey Coorg organised a 2019 family tournament with 146 teams in Kakotparamb. Funds were handed over to the calamity victims during the closing ceremony.
In 2020, the Harihara Muckatira family will host the event.
As families bond during this annual festival, hockey players, both young and old, exhibit their talent.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Spectrum> Spectrum Top Stories / by Mookonda Kushalappa / July 13th, 2019
The President of India Pranab Mukherjee has conferred the Rajiv Gandhi Manav Seva Award on Kakamada Ganga Changappa for her outstanding contribution towards child welfare. The Award was presented to her recently in Delhi.
The President confers Rajiv Gandhi Award on Kakamada Ganga Changappa
After her marriage, Ganga Changappa, who holds a Master’s degree in English, settled down in Munnar where her husband worked for Tata Tea. Looking for something worthwhile to do, she found her vocation – welfare of women and children among the Tata Tea estate workers, teaching them skills which they could turn to profit.
With the active support of Tata Tea, she became very involved in setting up a special school and rehabilitation centre in Munnar for children with disabilities – Dare School. She was its Principal for nine years and with her innovative ideas imparted specialised skills to her students in order to make them independent and earn a living.
Her dedicated work was well recognised and in 1999 she received the FICCI award.
When her husband retired as a director of Tata Tea, they settled in Kodagu. Even here, Ganga was determined to work for disabled youngsters. Tata Coffee, as part of their corporate social responsibility, set up a school on the lines of the Dare School, in Kodagu.
The school, Swastha, a special school for the differently-abled was set up in Sunticoppa in 2003. It is partly residential and offers free education. She has worked tirelessly for eleven years taking the school to great heights. Tailoring, screen printing, offset printing, book binding, paper bags and candle-making are a few of the skills being taught there.
Some of the youngsters from the school even got a chance to represent India at the international level in the Para-Olympics.
by P.T. Bopanna
source: http://www.coorgnews.in / CoorgNews.in / Home> Features> NewsMakers / by P.T. Bopanna / December 02nd, 2014
A Jawan from Kodagu is undergoing treatment at the Army Hospital in Chandigarh after he sustained bullet injuries in an anti-terror operation in Jammu & Kashmir on May 29.
H.N. Mahesh, a native of Ponnampet in Virajpet taluk of Kodagu district, who is serving in the 44th Rashtriya Rifles Regiment is the injured.
Mahesh, a Shaurya Chakra awardee, received bullet injuries on his face in an anti-terror operation launched by the Indian Army in Jammu & Kashmir on May 29, following which he was rushed to Chandigarh’s Army Hospital, where he is said to be out of danger. But his family at Ponnampet came to know of the incident only when Mahesh himself called his family members on June 6 to explain about the incident and about the injuries he had received.
Mahesh, who joined Army Engineering Works seven years ago, was later deputed to serve in the 44th Rashtriya Rifles Regiment in Jammu & Kashmir. His three-year service period will end on Aug.24 this year.
Mahesh was part of an Army operation to weed out terrorists in J&K and in one such operation, the Army had closed-in on a house in Shopian, where four terrorists were said to have been hiding.
But as the terrorists failed to surrender, the Army went on an offensive and fired at the terrorists. During the operation, Mahesh received bullet injuries on his face in an exchange of fire between the Army and the terrorists.
Despite his injury, Mahesh managed to walk a distance of 200mts. When he collapsed due to excessive bleeding.
Mahesh was immediately rushed in an Army helicopter to the Army Commando Hospital in Srinagar and later was shifted to Chandigarh Army Hospital, where he is out of danger.
However, the Army succeeded in blasting the house where the four terrorists were hiding and killed them.
Mahesh, in his Army career, has gunned down a total of eight Pakistani infiltrators. He was awarded the Shaurya Chakra gallantry award by the President of India, thus earning the distinction that he was the only living soldier to have received the award in 20 years.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / June 10th, 2019
Kodagu Zilla Panchayat CEO K Lakshmi Priya and Madikeri Taluk Panchayat Executive Officer Lakshmi speak to a child in Kadagadalu.
Kodagu Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer K Lakshmi Priya visited various places in Kadagadalu Gram Panchayat limits in Madikeri on Thursday and collected information on children who have dropped out of school.
As a part of the special enrollment drive by the education department, the ZP CEO and Madikeri Taluk Panchayat Executive Officer Lakshmi convinced the parents to send their wards to schools. A school dropout was admitted to the eighth standard in Government High School in Kadagadalu.
Kadagadalu Gram Panchayat Vice President Madettira Timmaiah, Kadagadalu Panchayat Development Officer B D Devika, Government Higher Primary School, Kadagadalu, Headteacher Neelamma were present.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> States> Mangaluru / by Adithya K A / DH News Service, Madikeri / June 07th, 2019
New beginnings: The houses built for the displaced tribal people of Diddahalli forest in Kodagu district.
Each house has been built on a 30×40 sq. ft plot at a cost of ₹4.70 lakh; total cost of the project is ₹39.27 crore
Residential colonies coming up in Kodagu for displaced tribals of Diddahalli forests are being developed as ‘model settlements’, putting across facilities usually found in layouts developed in cities, such as well-laid roads, piped water supply, and CCTV surveillance.
The tribals relocated from Diddahalli forests in Virajpet taluk in the district have been provided shelter in the newly-constructed settlements at Basavanahalli and Byadagotta villages in Somawarpet taluk, with the State government coming forward to build individual houses for the families. Each house has been built on 30×40 sq.ft. plot and the project is nearing completion with only a few houses remaining to be built besides establishing essential facilities.
Out of 528 houses proposed for construction, 338 houses had been completed and some families have already shifted to their new dwelling. The construction began two years ago, according to C. Shivakumar, Project Coordinator, Integrated Tribal Development Project (ITDP).
Kodagu Nirmithi Kendra has built each house at a cost of ₹4.70 lakh. The total cost of the project is ₹39.27 crore. So far, ₹21.76 crore had been released to the Nirmithi Kendra for having completed the construction of 338 houses, he told The Hindu.
The Nirmithi Kendra has taken up works like the installation of water tanks for each house, laying of pipelines, covering drainages with stone slabs, construction of parks and fencing, and installation of surveillance cameras at a cost of ₹2.72 crore.
At both Basavanahalli and Byadagotta, a sum of ₹8 crore was being spent on construction of roads, drainages, septic tanks, UGD lines, culverts, overhead tank, and anganwadi kendras besides establishing electricity connection and water distribution lines to every house.
Out of 174 houses in Basavanahalli, 138 houses had been completed. Byadagotta will have about 354 houses. There are about 84 temporary dwellings which will be making way for the construction of permanent houses consisting of a living room, a bedroom, kitchen, bathroom and other facilities.
Survey identifies 3,000 tribal families
A joint survey by the authorities of various departments in Kodagu has identified around 3,000 tribal families, mostly Yeravas and Jenukurubas, living in various plantations in the district.
The survey was done to collate information on the number of tribal families living outside the forests and working in plantations, which are in need of dwelling.
The survey was done by a committee comprising representatives from the Departments of Revenue, Police, Labour, Tribal Welfare and Public Instruction.
Children admitted to residential schools
Away from the accustomed schooling in government-run ashram schools, tribal children in Kodagu have an opportunity to pursue an education in government-run residential schools – Morarji Desai Residential School and Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya.
The authorities of Integrated Tribal Development Project (ITDP) persuaded the tribal families in the district and their children appeared for the entrance examination to these schools.
As many as 53 tribal children have been selected for Morarji Desai Schools in Madikeri, Somwarpet and Virajpet areas. Two children from tribal settlements have made it to the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya in Madikeri.
“This is perhaps the first time that tribal children from the areas wrote the entrance examination and a few of them got selected. Now the challenge is to persuade their parents to complete the admission process since many are reluctant to send their wards to schools outside their settlement,” said C. Shivakumar, Project Coordinator, ITDP.
Most of the children selected for the residential schools belong to the primitive tribes. There are 11 ashram schools in the district.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Mysuru – June 02nd, 2019
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
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