Capt. Maletira Nithin Cariappa, Indian Navy, is the Commanding Officer of INS Kolkata, a state-of-the-art destroyer and a symbol of India’s naval prowess.
A resident of Bogadi in Mysuru, Capt. Nithin Cariappa is an alumnus of St. Joseph’s School and later joined the Rashtriya Indian Military College, Dehradun, followed by the National Defence Academy. Over his 24-year career, he has commanded INS Ajay, an anti-submarine warfare corvette and INS Kadmatt. He also served as the Naval Advisor at the Indian High Commission in Islamabad, becoming the first Kodava officer to hold this post in Pakistan and to command a Kolkata-class destroyer.
The 163-metre-long, 7,500-tonne warship, with a cruise speed of 30 knots, is equipped with cutting-edge telecommunications and armed with anti-air missiles, anti-submarine weapons, the lethal BrahMos missile, and long-range surface-to-air missiles. Built by Mazagon Docks Ltd., Mumbai, the Kolkata-class destroyers are a testament to India’s naval strength.
His journey stands as an inspiration for Mysuru’s youth, encouraging them to explore the promising career opportunities in the armed forces. Married to Rohini, he is also an avid sportsman, recently completing the Tata Mumbai Full Marathon.
Capt. Nithin Cariappa’s parents are Maletira Ganesh Bopanna and late Cauvery Bopanna (Gummattira). Ganesh is settled in Bogadi and his second son Nayan Chengappa is a Chief Marine Engineer, assisting New Zealand Navy.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / March 07th, 2025
Kodava Samaja, Mysuru, along with the Field Marshal Kodandera M. Cariappa Fans’ Association, Mysuru, celebrated the 127th birth anniversary of Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa.
The programme was organised in front of the statue of Field Marshal Cariappa at the Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa Circle (Metropole Circle) on Vinoba Road this morning.
Former MP Prathap Simha offered floral tributes to the statue and said that celebrating the 127th birth anniversary of Field Marshal Cariappa is a matter of great pride for society. His contributions and valour have earned him immense respect across the nation. Kodagu’s contribution to the country is unparalleled.
He added that no other land could produce patriots and warriors like those from Kodagu. “Patriotism has grown there as a tradition. Though the Kodava community is small, its service to the Armed Forces is immense. It is a privilege for our land to cherish the memory of a leader like Field Marshal Cariappa, born in such a tradition,” he said.
World War II, freedom struggle
Field Marshal Cariappa’s service during World War II and the freedom struggle was exemplary to the world. The rank of Field Marshal is the highest in the Indian Army and it is a matter of pride not only for the Kodava community but also for Karnataka.
“He may not have received the Bharat Ratna, but he was honoured with the rank of Field Marshal,” Simha remarked. He further noted that Cariappa, along with General Kodandera S. Thimayya, gave democratic India a strong shape and direction.
“Even today, the Kodava community has contributed more than 30 Lieutenant Colonels to the Indian Army, five captains to Indian hockey and over 60 players to the sport. “For this, the community must feel proud and continue to grow. As the community grows, so will the nation and patriotism,” he said.
Former MLA L. Nagendra noted that it was Field Marshal Cariappa who made the entire world turn its attention towards India.
“He must be remembered every single day. When his statue was to be installed at Metropole Circle, many obstacles arose, but all were overcome and today the statue stands tall, and this is a matter of immense pride. In the coming years, thousands from the community should gather together to celebrate Cariappa’s birth anniversary on a grand scale,” Nagendra said.
The event was attended by former Mayors M.J. Ravikumar & H.N. Srikantaiah, former Corporators Pramila Bharath & Maletira U. Subbaiah, Mysuru Kodava Samaja President Ponjanda A. Ganapathy, Kodava Samaja Cultural and Sports Club President Mukkatira C. Ashok and Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa Fans’ Association President Nayakanda Thimmaiah among others.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / January 28th, 2026
Kodava Samaja, Mysuru and Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa Fans Club, Mysuru, will celebrate the 127th birth anniversary of Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa at Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa Circle (Metropole Circle) in city on Jan. 28 at 8.30 am.
Mysuru-Kodagu MP Yaduveer Wadiyar, MLAs K. Harishgowda, G.T. Devegowda, T.S. Srivatsa and G.D. Harish Gowda, MLCs C.N. Manjegowda and K.Vivekananda, former MP Prathap Simha, former MLA L. Nagendra, former Mayors M.J. Ravikumar and H.N. Srikantaiah, former Corporators Maletira U. Subbaiah and Pramila Bharath will be the chief guests.
Kodava Samaja President Ponjanda A. Ganapathy, Kodava Samaja Cultural and Sports Club President Mukkatira C. Ashok, Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa Fans Club President Nayakanda Thimmaiah and others will be present on the occasion.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> In Briefs / January 27th, 2026
With Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi slated to hold an annual press conference ahead of Army Day, a look back at certain events that took place soon after General K M Cariappa took over as the Army chief.
General KM Cariappa and Jawaharlal Nehru
Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi will hold an annual press conference on January 13 ahead of Army Day, January 15. It was on January 15, 1949, that General K M Cariappa (later Field Marshal) took over as the commander-in-chief and chief of army staff of the Indian Army—the first Indian to do so.
It is an apt occasion to look back at certain events that took place soon after General Cariappa took over as the Army chief, setting the tone for an apolitical Army in Independent India. The then prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, chided General Cariappa for having publicly praised the Government saying that it should have been avoided and that military officers should not broach political subjects in public. A letter that he wrote to General Cariappa on May 24, 1949, forms part of the Nehru Archives.
In an interview at Dehradun on May 2, 1949, Cariappa remarked, “The achievement made by the country under Pandit Nehru’s leadership in so short a period has no parallel in history.” He added that “the last Commonwealth Conference in London, when seen in clear perspective, will be found to have been a great triumph for the prime minister”. He also said that the people had not clearly appreciated the all-round progress made by the leadership.
Nehru was not pleased about these remarks made by the Army chief and conveyed his displeasure to him in no uncertain terms. “About three weeks ago, you made a statement to the press in the course of which you congratulated me for my work at the Commonwealth Conference in London. You further drew attention to the all-round progress made by the present leadership in the country. I am grateful to you for what you said. But this raises an important point, and indeed the press has drawn attention to this. Should our officers, civil or military, even including the head of the Army, express any opinion in regard to political subjects in public,” he said.
Nehru questioned whether senior officers should speak in praise of the work of the Government.
“Indeed should they deliver public speeches at all except on matters strictly confined to their own work or some social or cultural subjects? What you said was harmless enough, but there is always a danger in touching upon political questions. Obviously, it would be highly improper for an officer to criticise Government, more especially on a political issue. If this is so, then praise of Government should also be avoided,” said Nehru.
‘Avoid public statements completely’
The then prime minister said he was drawing the Army chief’s attention to this matter as Cariappa set the tone for the Army, and Nehru did not want the Army to get mixed up in any way with politics. “You yourself have made this clear on many occasions. In the past I did not like the activities of some Sikh officers who indulged in communal politics. The safest course, therefore, is for all officers to avoid public speaking or public statements completely except on strictly limited topics. Sometimes an officer may not even know the exact political significance of some issue or some remarks he might inadvertently make,” he said.
Nehru noted that the Government had the largest political party and organisation at its back.
Nevertheless, there are other parties and groups, and they might object to the Army doing or saying something in praise or in criticism of political parties or ideologies, he said.
Nehru said Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, a noted British military personality of World War II, is apt to let himself go in public. “He has been repeatedly asked by the British Government not to do so. Recently, I was in Switzerland, and some members of the Swiss Federal Government told me how they had been greatly embarrassed at a rather casual remark of Montgomery in Switzerland,” he said.
In fact, Nehru and Cariappa continued to spar on various issues even after the retirement of the latter as Army Chief.
Cariappa’s unhappiness over Himachal L-G appointment
In a letter written to the prime minister in 1958, General Cariappa expressed unhappiness over the report regarding the appointment of J K Bhonsle, who had been a member of the Indian National Army, as the Lieutenant Governor of Himachal Pradesh. Cariappa had written that Bhonsle, by serving in the INA, had shown disloyalty to the then Government and had also been disloyal to the traditions of the Army.
Cariappa had also expressed his disagreement with the military guard firing a ‘feu-de-joie’ (ceremonial rifle volley), sounding of the Last Post on bugles, and so on, as is done at military funerals, at Rajghat, the samadhi of Mahatma Gandhi, on January 30. He said he found it “out of place” in that atmosphere of “sanctity, purity and solemnity”.
Nehru responded by saying that the military honours at Rajghat were decided upon after careful consideration. On the issue of Bhonsle, Nehru said that whether he did right or not when he joined the INA under very peculiar circumstances in Malaya was a subject on which there might be differences of opinion.
“You know that we have not criticised our present army officers or men because they served the then British Government in India loyally. We have spoken highly of our army. But it is another matter for us to condemn for ever a person who, in a peculiar set of circumstances, thought it his duty to serve his country in another way. I do not know what I would have done if I had been in such a position,” he said.
Nehru commented that British army officers functioned with neither ability nor courage in Malaya. “Ultimately, they meekly surrendered, having made a mess of things. In India, conditions were very peculiar, and the country generally was opposed to the British. If a young Indian was affected by this widespread sentiment in India, I certainly am not prepared to blame him,” he said.
source: http://www.indianexpress.com / The Indian Express / Home> News> Cities> Chandigarh / by Man Aman Singh Chhina / January 11th, 2026
On November 5, 2025, Lt Gen Dhiraj Seth, PVSM, AVSM, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Southern Command, visited the 19 Karnataka Battalion of the National Cadet Corps (NCC) in Madikeri. This visit highlighted the Indian Army’s dedication to fostering youth involvement in nation-building and promoting leadership, discipline, and patriotism among cadets.
Throughout his visit, Lt Gen Seth received a comprehensive briefing on the battalion’s notable history, organizational structure, and major accomplishments since it was formed in 1954. The presentation emphasized the unit’s ongoing achievements in training cadets from various schools and colleges in Karnataka, as well as its exceptional performance in adventure activities, social awareness initiatives, and national-level competitions.
Lt Gen Seth lauded the battalion’s steadfast dedication to the central mission of the National Cadet Corps, which is to develop young men and women into responsible citizens and future leaders for the Armed Forces and the nation. He commended the officers and training staff for their professionalism and commitment to instilling values of discipline, integrity, and service in the cadets.
The General Officer also engaged with a group of distinguished cadets who have represented the battalion at various regional and national events, including the Republic Day Parade, the All India Nau Sainik Camp, and the Thal Sainik Camp. He acknowledged their enthusiasm, confidence, and dedication to serving the nation in diverse roles.
In his address to the cadets, Lt Gen Seth encouraged them to uphold the NCC’s motto of “Unity and Discipline” and to focus their efforts on nation-building and social welfare. He emphasized that the NCC offers an unparalleled platform for character development and leadership training, urging cadets to continue pursuing excellence in all aspects of life.
The visit concluded with Lt Gen Seth expressing his belief that the 19 Karnataka Battalion NCC would maintain its tradition of honor, discipline, and service, making significant contributions to the youth development initiatives of the Indian Armed Forces.
source: http://www.shop.ssbcrack.com / SSB Crack / Home / November 06th, 2025
MLA for Madikeri Mantar Gowda has sanctioned a grant of ₹3 lakh from the MLA Local Area Development Fund for the development of the statue of Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa, the first Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army, and its surrounding park in Madikeri.
During their visit to Madikeri on Tuesday, Tennira Maina, district president of the Rajiv Gandhi Panchayat Raj Organisation, and Mandira Sada Muddappa, nominated member of the Madikeri City Municipal Council, submitted an estimate for the proposed development works. Responding to their proposal, Dr. Gowda announced the grant.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Gowda said that Field Marshal Cariappa and General K.S. Thimayya were exceptional military leaders and it is the duty of every Indian to honour their contributions.
The MLA said that he would continue to extend full support to all programmes and initiatives associated with these great leaders.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> India> Karnataka / by The Hindu Bureau / October 28th, 2025
Vidul Thimmanna, a former student of Army Public School, Bolarum in Hyderabad, has topped the All India Merit List of Technical Entry Scheme (TES) to join the Indian Armed Forces. He hails from Kodagu and is the son of Colonel C.M. Thimanna and Veena Thimmanna.
Col. Thimanna is a Shourya Chakra awardee and is currently posted at the Military College of Electronics and Mechanical Engineering, Secunderabad.
The Technical Entry Scheme is a technical intake of the Indian Army with the aim of transforming young boys into techno-warriors during the course of training of four years. The Merit List was released on Nov. 29. Vidul, who is presently an engineering student at the prestigious Army Institute of Technology, Pune, will discontinue the course and join the Indian Army.
“It has been my passion to serve the country by joining the Indian Army. To me, the challenging and the adventurous life the army offers is any day better than delivering from a cubicle of a MNC,” Vidul said.
“We are proud of our son for taking such a decision. I am confident that he will definitely keep the name of the country above self,” said his mother Veena Thimanna.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / December 03rd, 2017
In a curious case, a 10-cm-long worm was surgically removed from a man’s eye. The 66-year-old man, a former soldier from Cherambane in Madikeri taluk, had been experiencing persistent itching in his left eye for a month.
He visited the Iksha Super Specialty Eye Hospital in Madikeri on the September 12, where Dr A G Chinnappa examined him.
Upon examination, Dr Chinnappa found a swelling on the conjunctiva (the white part of the eye) that was moving. A scan revealed a long worm inside the swelling.
An emergency surgery was performed, and the worm was removed. The worm measured 10 cm in length. Further microscopic examination confirmed that the worm was a Loa loa, a type of parasitic worm commonly found in Africa. If left untreated, the man could have suffered from blindness. The successful surgery has saved the man’s vision, and he is receiving further treatment.
“We could see some movement on the eye ball and subjected him to a scan which revealed the presence of a worm. We immediately performed surgery under local anasthaesia. We were surprised that the worm was still alive and was 10 cm long”, said Dr Chinnappa.
source: http://www.english.public.tv / Public TV / Home / by Public TV English / September 20th, 2025
Manjunath T. V., a second-year B.Sc. student of St Philomena College (Autonomous), Puttur, has been selected to serve in the Indian Air Force as a Medical Assistant. He is set to report at the Military Training Centre in Bengaluru on July 1, 2025, thus realizing a long-cherished dream of joining the armed forces.
A native of Kodagu district, Manjunath is the proud son of educators Mr Venkatesh T. J. and Mrs Radhamani G. R., from the Virajpet taluk.
Since 2013, he has actively participated in several selection processes across various branches of the Indian Armed Forces. His relentless perseverance has finally borne fruit with his selection into the prestigious Indian Air Force. In honour of this remarkable achievement, the college organised a formal felicitation ceremony.
Presiding over the event, the Principal of St Philomena College, Rev. Dr Antony Prakash Monteiro, hailed the commitment of soldiers as comparable to that of monks who renounce worldly ties. “A soldier is one who is willing to sacrifice even his life for the nation, forsaking personal comfort and family for the greater cause of national service. Such dedication requires not only divine grace but also the blessings of parents,” he said, presenting a floral bouquet to the proud parents of Cadet Manjunath and extending his heartfelt congratulations.
Speaking on the occasion, Vice Principal Dr Vijay Kumar Moleyar emphasized the significance of Manjunath’s accomplishment in the current scenario, where fewer young men and women are opting to join the armed forces due to perceived hardships, modest remuneration, and lack of parental encouragement. “Despite facing multiple setbacks in previous recruitment processes, Cadet Manjunath remained undeterred and committed. His success today brings pride to the college, his hometown, and especially to his parents,” Dr Vijay Kumar noted.
Dr Vinaychandra, Controller of Examinations, Dr Edwin D’Souza, Finance Officer, Mr Vipin Naik, Academic Assistant Registrar, Mr Abhishek Suvarna, Assistant Controller of Examinations and Dr Malini K, IQAC Coordinator, Faculty members, administrative staff, and students were also present in large numbers to witness the occasion.
Captain Johnson David Sequeira, the college NCC Officer, compered the felicitation ceremony and lauded Cadet Manjunath’s journey as an inspiring example for youth aspiring to serve the nation through the defence services.
The entire St Philomena College community joins in wishing Cadet Manjunath T. V. great success in his military career and salutes his dedication to the nation.
source: http://www.catholictime.com / Catholic Time / Home> Association – Institutions News / by Media Release / June 30th, 2025
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has assured that one of the metro stations in Bengaluru will soon be named after Field Marshal K. M. Cariappa, India’s first Commander-in-Chief.
He made this announcement on Sunday during a felicitation ceremony organised by the Kodava Samaja Bengaluru at the Kodava Samudaya Bhavana in Vasanthnagar. The event honoured Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar for allocating seven acres of land to the community in the State capital.
He said that the proposal to name a metro station after Field Marshal Cariappa will be placed before the Cabinet, and a final decision will be taken shortly.
For years, the Kodava community has been urging the State Government and the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) to honour Cariappa’s legacy in this manner.
In July 2024, members of Kodava Samaja formally submitted a request to BMRCL Managing Director Maheshwar Rao, reiterating the demand to name a metro station after the iconic military figure. Praising the Kodava community’s contributions, Siddaramaiah lauded its inclusive spirit, highlighting that Kodavas respect all Indians regardless of caste or religion.
He also expressed confidence in the political future of Kodagu MLAs A.S. Ponnanna (Virajpet) and Dr. Manthar Gowda (Madikeri), describing Ponnanna as an emerging firebrand leader comparable to the late A.K. Subbaiah and M.C. Nanaiah, known for their socially conscious speeches in the legislature.
Deputy CM Shivakumar appealed to the Kodava community to continue supporting Congress government. “Our government has initiated many programmes for you. We have allotted land to families of Armed Forces personnel, appointed Kodavas to Rajya Sabha and ensured representation in the legislature. Recognising this legacy, we request your continued support,” he said.
He pointed out that the Government’s decision to allot seven acres of land in Bengaluru to Kodava Samaja comes with only nominal financial concessions, underscoring that no price tag can match the community’s discipline, sacrifice and patriotism.
“We must safeguard our traditions and culture. Your dedication is beyond monetary value,” he added.
The event was attended by Ministers K. J. George, Krishna Byregowda, Byrathi Suresh, MLA Rizwan Arshad, MLAs A.S. Ponnanna and Dr. Manthar Gowda and Bengaluru Kodava Samaja President Karavattira Pemmaiah, among others.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / June 19th, 2025
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