Category Archives: Defence Services (Air,Land,Sea),Police (wef. Dec 09th, 2021)

The Brave Warriors of Coorg: A Salute to the Kodavas

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The Kodavas have a unique culture and history rooted in martial traditions, and have made significant contributions to the Indian Armed Forces. Defence and aerospace analyst Girish Linganna explains 

The Brave Warriors of Coorg: A Salute to the Kodavas

The Kodavas, a small warrior community from the Coorg district in southern India, have a long-standing tradition of serving in the Indian armed forces. This is due to a number of factors, including their martial culture, sense of duty and loyalty to the country, and the prestige and honour associated with military service in their community.

The Roots of Warrior Culture 

The Kodavas are an ethnic group with a distinct culture and language. They have been living in the Western Ghats region for centuries, with a history dating back to even before 1100 AD. They have a martial culture, and the men are trained in the use of traditional weapons such as the odi katti (traditional Coorgi sword). They have a rich history of military service, with many Kodavas having served in various conflicts and peacekeeping missions. 

In fact, Coorg is the only district in India to have produced all the ranking officers in the Indian army, despite having a population of just over 1.5 lakh. Coorg was once a state and had its own chief minister. Four diwans served the Mysore maharajas; many held the commander-in-chief position even pre-independence during Mysore rajas’ rule.

Dedication to Duty: The Kodavas in the Indian Army 

The Kodavas have a strong tradition of serving in the Indian armed forces, driven by their martial culture, sense of duty, and desire to protect and defend their country. Many come from families with a history of military service, and it is not uncommon for multiple generations of a family to have served in the armed forces. There are even Kodava couples who have served together in the Indian armed forces. They are also known for their physical fitness and discipline, which makes them well-suited for military service.

In addition, serving in the armed forces is often seen as a way for Kodavas to protect and defend their country, and many view it as a matter of great pride and honour. As a result, many Kodavas are willing to make significant sacrifices, including leaving their families and communities to serve in the armed forces.

Bravery in the Face of Danger: Kodavas in Action 

The Kodavas have a rich history of military service and have played a significant role in defending the country in various conflicts and peacekeeping missions. They have been known for their bravery and dedication in the face of danger. 

One of the most notable Kodavas to have served in the Indian Armed Forces is Field Marshal K M Cariappa, who was the first Indian commander-in-chief of the Indian Army. He played a key role in the integration of the Indian states after independence and was honoured with the Order of the British Empire and the Legion of Merit.

Another notable Kodava is Lieutenant General K S Thimayya, who served as the Chief of Army Staff from 1957 to 1961 and was awarded the Padma Bhushan and the Distinguished Service Order. Other notable Kodavas who have served in the Indian Armed Forces include Brigadier B K Ponnappa, who fought in World War II and the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947, Lieutenant General B K Krishnan, who served as the Director-General of Military Training and the Commandant of the Indian Military Academy, Lieutenant General P K Dewan, who served as the Deputy Chief of Army Staff and the Commandant of the Indian Military Academy, and Major General K S Chandrashekar, who served as the General Officer Commanding of the Indian Army’s Southern Command.

In conclusion, the Kodavas have a unique culture and history rooted in martial traditions and have made significant contributions to the Indian Armed Forces. Their sense of duty and loyalty drives their dedication to the military to the country and their desire to protect and defend their country. 

They have a rich history of military service and have played a significant role in defending India. The Kodavas of Coorg are a shining example of bravery, honour, and sacrifice, and their service to the nation should be revered and celebrated.

source: http://www.newsable.asianetnews.com / Asianet Newsable / Home> English News> India News / by Team Newsable / February 21st, 2023

National Defence College team in Kodagu

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An 18-member team from National Defence College, New Delhi visited Gen. Thimayya Memorial Museum at Madikeri in Kodagu district on Wednesday.

The team was led by Air Vice-Marshal Tejbir Singh who said that the museum is a source of inspiration for present and future military leaders and eulogised Gen.Thimayya’s role in strengthening the defence forces.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> India> Karnataka / by The Hindu Bureau / February 01st, 2023

In pics: Crowd at Book Fair, postal stamp unveiling and more news from Kolkata

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A quick look at the day that was for Kolkata.

pix: Suvendu Das/My Kolkata

To commemorate the distinguished services rendered by General KS Thimayya, Padma Bhushan, DSO, a commemorative postage stamp and the first day cover were issued by the Department of Posts and Army Postal Service Corps at Fort William, Kolkata on February 4, 2023.

Lt General RP Kalita, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Indian Army’s Eastern Command, and Col of the Kumaon & Naga Regiments and Kumaon Scouts unveiled the stamp and signed the First Day Cover in the presence of prominent dignitaries, veterans, senior serving Army officers and the present and Ex-Commanding Officers of 4 & 8 Kumaon, the battalions where General KS Thimayya had served.

source: http://www.telegraphindia.com / The Telegraph Online / Home> My Kolkata > News / by Kolkata Web Desk (edited) pix 2 of 4 / February 04th, 2023

Kodava Ex-Servicemen Meet In City

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Advocate A.S. Ponnanna assures to resolve their problems

Mysore/Mysuru:

To project and seek solutions for the problems of Ex-servicemen and ex-Para Military personnel from Kodagu district, a Kodava Ex-servicemen Meet was held at The Roost Hotel in Mysuru on Sunday.

Former Additional Advocate General Ajjikuttira S. Ponnanna was the chief guest at the meet convened by Army Veteran Appachangada Motaiah, General Secretary of Kodagu Ex-servicemen Welfare Association, Mysuru. A large number of Ex-servicemen, ex-Para Military personnel attended the meeting.

Many Ex-servicemen aired their problems with Advocate Ponnanna during an interaction  and sought his help to resolve the same. Ponnanna assured that he would resolve their problems in all the justified causes.

Most of their problems were with  regard to difficulty in getting their names and their children’s names included in the Record of Rights / RTC of their share in Jamma land.

Advocate Ponnanna, while addressing the gathering, spoke about various problems faced by Ex-Servicemen and ex-Para Military personnel and their children concerning Record of Rights /ownership of Jamma land.  He opined that the procedure / system to include Jamma land owners’  names in the Record of Rights / RTC should be simplified with concerted efforts by impressing upon the Government.

Ex-servicemen and widowed wives also projected their problems and Ponnanna assured to resolve their problems if the copies of connected documents are sent to his Office.

Cheppudira Arun Machaiah was the guest of honour.

Mandetira N. Subramani, President of VeKare Ex-servicemen Trust, highlighted the problems of two widows of Ex-servicemen who have been denied Death Certificates of their husband even after one-and-a-half years and requested Advocate Ponnanna to intervene.

Subramani said that one of the affected widows, Moodera Juby, aged  74  and wife of Sepoy Moodera Arjuna, did not get her husband’s  Death Certificate due to callousness of the concerned  Revenue Inspector according to the deceased’s son Cariappa.

The other helpless widow was Meederira Kamala Kumari, wife of Meederira late Havildar Bheemaiah, who too could not get the Death Certificate  as the concerned Village Accountant and Revenue Inspector failed to conduct mahazar or find out who is the living wife of the deceased since Bheemaiah married Kamala Kumari after the death of his first wife Damayanthi (Dharani) and lived with second wife for over 6 years.

Subramani requested Advocate Ponnanna to help both the widows in getting them the Death Certificates of their husbands so that they could claim their defence family pension as well as civil family pension since late Meederira Bheemaiah was re-employed and retired from BEL, Bengaluru while late Moodera Arjuna was re-employed at Mysore Sales International Ltd.

Ponnanna agreed to intervene  and help both the widows.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / February 01st, 2023

Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa Remembered

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Mysore/Mysuru:

Today, Jan. 28 in Indian and World History is celebrated, observed and remembered for various reasons and one of them is the birth anniversary of Field Marshal Kodandera Madappa Cariappa, who was the first Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army. 

The Kodava Samaja, Mysuru, Kodava Samaja Cultural and Sports Club, Mysuru and Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa Fans Club celebrated the 124th birth anniversary at Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa Circle (Metropole Circle) in the city this morning. The statue of the celebrated supreme commander was decked up for the occasion.

MLAs L. Nagendra and G.T. Devegowda, MLC C.N. Manjegowda, Mayor Shivakumar, MUDA Chairman Yashaswi S. Somashekar and ex-Mayor M.J. Ravikumar were the chief guests.

Field Marshal Cariappa was appointed as the Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army on Jan. 15, 1949. Army Day is celebrated on that day every year. He had adopted the slogan ‘Jai Hind’, which means ‘Victory to India’”.

MLA Nagendra recalled the dedicated and committed service of the Field Marshal and described him as the true patriot. “His time sense, patriotism, dedication, punctuality and discipline are worth emulating. Field Marshal Cariappa was instrumental in preventing many foreign invasions,” he said. G.T. Devegowda and Manjegowda also spoke.

Mayor Shivakumar too recalled the services of the disciplined Commander-in-Chief and hailed Kodagu that has produced and is still producing stalwarts who made India proud. “His distinguished military career spanned almost three decades. The Mysuru City Corporation will take steps to further beautify the Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa Circle so that it becomes a landmark and a visual attraction,” he assured.

Yashaswi Somashekar noted that the MUDA has received an application for a site from the Kodava Ex-Servicemen Association. “We will discuss the issue at the MUDA meeting on Feb. 4 and decide on the allotment,” he said.

Corporators M.U. Subbaiah, Rangaswamy, Ravindra and Pramila Bharat, Vidya Vikas Educational Trust Secretary Kaveesh Gowda, Kodava Samaja President Mechanda Shashi Ponnappa, Vice-President Malachira Ponnappa, Kodava Samaja Cultural and Sports Club President Kuttimada D. Muthappa,  Fans Club President Nayakanda Thimmaiah and others were present.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / January 23rd, 2023

They are all my sons: What Field Marshal K M Cariappa told Ayub Khan

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Field Marshal K M Cariappa the first Indian commander-in-chief of the Indian Army was responsible for eradicating caste and creed from the Indian Army. He remains one of India’s bravest sons.

New Delhi :

January 28 2023 marks the 124th birth anniversary of Field Marshal Kodandera Madappa Cariappa, the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army.

When it comes to Field Marshal K M Cariappa, there are many stories. Prior to becoming the Army Chief, FM Carrriappa led the Indian forces on the western front during the India-Pakistan War of 1947. He played a major role in recapturing Drass, Kargil and Zojila.

Field Marshal Kodandera Madappa Cariappa

Another fine achievement of FM Cariappa was that he kept politics away from the Indian Army. He also introduced inclusivity by doing away with caste and creed. In this regard, he raised the Brigade of The Guards in 1949.

The soldiers were his sons: This story will go on to show how important the nation and soldiers were for Field Marshal K M Cariappa. It was 1965, the last day of the war between India and Pakistan. FM Cariappa’s son, then Squadron Leader K C Cariappa of the Indian Air Force was flying near the border, when his plane was shot down. He was taken prisoner by the Pakistan Army.

At that time, Cariappa was a retired General of the Indian Army. He was conferred the title of Field Marshal in the year 1986.

When K C Cariappa was being interrogated, he only revealed his name, rank and unit number. That is when the jail guards rushed to his cell to ask if he was the son of K M Cariappa.

K C Cariappa recalled (https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/when-i-was-a-prisoner-of-war-in-pakistan/295045), he gave his name, rank and number. I was asked if I was related to General Cariappa. I feigned a faint because of the pain, or maybe I did pass out. The next thing I knew was that I was lying on the back of a jeep and was being questioned by a Brigadier.

After he confirmed that he is the son of General Cariappa, the news reached up to Ayub Khan who at that time was the military leader of Pakistan. Khan announced on radio that K C Cariappa had been captured by his forces and that he was in safe custody.

Khan offered to release K C Cariappa because he is the son of General Cariappa. He even ordered the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi to personally meet with General Cariappa and brief him about his health.

General Cariappa declined the offer by saying all soldiers were his sons, and all of them should be looked after well by Pakistan.

K C Cariappa revealed years after his release that his dad was a man of high principles. For him his son and all other soldiers were the same. I was released with all others even though Ayub Khan was his junior and was close to him. Despite that he refused to get me released Air Marshal (retd) K C Cariappa.

source: http://www.oneindia.com / One India / Home> News> India / by One India Correspondent / January 28th, 2023

Tributes paid to Gen. Thimayya’s daughter

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Tributes were paid to K. Mireille Chengappa, daughter of KS. Thimayya at Thimayya Memorial Museum in Madikeri on Saturday. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT


Tributes were paid to K. Mireille Chengappa, 86, daughter of Gen. K.S. Thimayya, India’s 6th Chief of Army Staff, at Thimayya Memorial Museum in Madikeri on Saturday.

Ms. Chengappa passed away in Bengaluru on Friday and the staff of the museum made floral offerings to her portrait and recalled her contribution to the establishment of the museum and observed a minute’s silence as a mark of respect.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> India> Karnataka / by The Hindu Bureau / January 14th, 2023

General K.S. Thimayya’s Daughter Passes Away

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Bengaluru: 

Kongetira Mireille Chengappa, aged 86 years, wife of Maj. Gen. Kongetira M. Chengappa and daughter of General Kodandera S. Thimayya, passed away in Bengaluru at 7 pm yesterday. She leaves behind her son K.C. Belliappa and daughter Amrita.

Last rites will be performed at Hebbal crematorium in Bengaluru today at 6 pm, said family sources.

General Kodandera Subayya Thimayya served as the Chief of Army Staff from 1957 to 1961 in the crucial years leading up to the conflict with China in 1962.

Mireille was born in 1936 and Gen. Thimayya and his wife Nina (from Codanda family) named her Mireille as Nina was sent to France for schooling as a 13-year-old. She stayed there for 5 years and found the name Mireille popular in France.

Mireille studied at Bishop Cotton Girls School in Bengaluru for a brief period before she went to Woodstock at Mussoorie and later had a stint at J.J. School of Arts, Mumbai

Her son (Gen. Thimayya’s grandson) Belliappa lives in Bengaluru and is married to Nicole, a professional photographer. The General’s granddaughter Amrita is married to a German and they live near Almora in Uttaranchal.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> January 14th, 2023

‘Coorg Role Models’ book launched

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Journalist and author P T Bopanna has launched his new book ‘Coorg Role Models’, which profiles the winners of the ‘Coorg Person of the Year’ title from 2005 to 2020.

Bopanna has authored eight books so far, including the Gourmand award-winning book ‘The Romance of Indian Coffee’ and the bestselling books – ‘Are Kodavas (Coorg) Hindus?’ and ‘Rise and Fall of the Coorg State’.

About his latest book, Bopanna said, “Kodavas, a microscopic minority community hailing from Kodagu (Coorg) in Karnataka, were once known for their leadership qualities. This Kodava trait of being natural leaders was very much evident in the Defence Services, and Kodagu came to be known as the ‘Land of the Generals’.”

“However, in the last few decades, the community has not produced many truly outstanding men and women, except in the arena of sports. As a chronicler of Kodagu, I felt that one of the reasons for their inability to play a leadership role was the absence of enough role models in the community,” he said.

“With a view to reigniting the famed leadership qualities in the community, I promoted the concept of ‘Coorg Person of the Year’ in 2005. The selection of the Coorg person was made on the basis of a poll I conducted through my portal www.coorgtourisminfo.com,” he added.

The selection was not confined to the Kodava community but included all residents of Coorg. For instance, one of the joint winners of the title in 2018 was industrialist Ashok Kumar Shetty, who donated part of his land to the government for building a road that was damaged by the floods and landslides of 2018. Another winner is Dr S V Narasimhan, the birdman of Coorg, he said.

The book features the achievements of the winners of the Coorg Person title. It is published by Rolling Stone Publications. The foreword for the book is written by Preeth Ganapathy, who is an officer of the Indian Revenue Service (IRS). She is currently posted as Deputy Commissioner of Income Tax, Bangalore.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State> Mangaluru / by P T Bopanna / DHNS, Madikeri / July 06th, 2021

Memorial Event Held Under Bronze Statue In Madikeri

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Madikeri:

Squadron Leader Ajjamada B. Devayya, the only Indian Air Force (IAF) Officer to be posthumously awarded the Maha Vir Chakra (MVC), was remembered on Sept. 7 in Madikeri and his valiant actions were recalled by war veterans, defence personnel and political leaders. It has been 57 years since his supreme sacrifice.

They had gathered at the 6-feet-9-inch bronze statue of the Squadron Leader installed at the Old Private Bus Stand Circle and paid their respects. The statue has been mounted on a pedestal.

The event in Madikeri was organised by Kodava Makkada Koota and the members of Ajjamada family. Speaking at the ceremony, Air Marshal (Retd.) Kodandera Nanda Cariappa recalled the bravery displayed by Devayya who came from the tiny district of Kodagu.

“Let us not restrict the Squadron Leader to the Kodava community. He is India’s valiant son and deserves that recognition. He is a role model even now, more than 50 years after his death,” he said.

Katti Mandaiah, President of Ajjamada B. Devayya Memorial Trust, said that it was a proud moment to pay homage to a leader under his huge bronze statue.

Devayya showed dare-devilry at the young age of 32.

The bronze statue weighs 600 kg and Rs. 20 lakh was spent on getting it carved at Kengeri near Bengaluru. The statue installation work was supported by Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa and General Thimayya Forum, Kodava Makkada Koota. Thanks to the efforts of all, the Old Private Bus Stand Circle is officially called Squadron Leader Ajjamada B. Devayya Circle, he recalled.

Former MLC Shantheyanda Veena Achaiah, Kodagu Deputy Commissioner Dr. B.C. Sathish Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa and General Thimayya Forum President Col. (Retd.) Kandrathanda Subbaiah, Kodava Makkada Koota President Bollajira B. Aiyappa, Kodagu Superintendent of Police Malachira A. Aiyappa, President of Akhila Karnataka Retired Soldiers Association (Kodagu) Kottukathira B. Somanna and other dignitaries also spoke.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / September 10th, 2022