Field Marshal KM Cariappa

First Indian Commander-in-Chief Kodandera Madappa Cariappa, nicknamed “Kipper,” was the first Indian army chief of staff following independence from Great Britain. Born on 28 January 1899 in Shanivarsanthe, Mysore [now Kodagu district, Karnataka state], India, he died in Bangalore on 15 May 1993.

Early Life and Career:

Cariappa was born on January 28, 1899, in Shanivarsanthe, Coorg Province, to farmers of the Kodava tribe. He was raised in the present-day state of Kerala. His father, Madappa, worked for the company’s revenue department. Cariappa was the family’s second-oldest child, after four boys and two girls.

He graduated from Madikeri’s Central High School in 1917 and then attended Chennai’s Presidency College to further his education. In college, he learned that Indians would be serving in the military and that they would be receiving their training there. He signed up for the programme because he wanted to join the military. Daly Cadet College, Indore, accepted 42 pupils out of 70 applicants, including Cariappa. He was the best student in his class when he finished his studies.

Although Cariappa was trained for military service during World War I (1914–18), he never saw a battle. It wasn’t until World War II that India’s government began putting pressure on Britain to integrate Indian officers with British military personnel stationed on Indian soil. In 1919, Cariappa was one of the first Indian candidates to be accepted for training in Indore. His military career started in Bombay, when he earned his commission into the Carnatic Infantry (now Mumbai) (now Mumbai).

In 1923, Cariappa was promoted to lieutenant, captain, major, lieutenant colonel, and eventually brigadier before the conclusion of World War II. While operating with the British, he saw action in the Middle East (1941–42) as well as Burma (now Myanmar) (1943–44). 

When he was appointed brigadier general in 1942, he was the first Indian Commander-in-Chief assigned the responsibility of an entire battalion. In recognition of his service during World War II, he was awarded the Order of the British Empire. Cariappa was given the duty of dividing the Indian military between Pakistan and India before independence during the partition of India in 1947.

As a result of India’s independence, Cariappa was elevated to the position of major general. In November 1947, he was named Eastern Army commander after being raised to lieutenant general. He was given charge of the Delhi and East Punjab Command in January of that year (now the Western Command).

Sir Roy Bucher’s commanding general was succeeded by Cariappa in January 1949, making him the first Indian Commander-in-Chief. As army commander, Cariappa was tasked with transforming the British-era army into a national one. With this purpose in mind, the Parachute Regiment (1952), founded by former members of both the Guards and the Parachute Regiment (1949), gained notoriety for recruiting individuals from all social strata. His military service was recognised by President Harry S. Truman, who bestowed upon him the rank of Chief Commander of the Merit Corps in 1949.

During his tenure as ambassador to Australia and New Zealand, Cariappa was a veteran who served in the Indian army till 1953. His involvement in Indian military matters remained throughout the two wars India fought with Pakistan in 1965 and 1971. To help the Indian military, he was a fervent advocate of industrial development. He emphasised the significance of military service being apolitical and subservient to civilian authority. Cariappa was made an honorary field marshal in 1986 for his outstanding service to India.

Post-Retirement and Death:

More than 30 years after he died of cancer, Cariappa was still employed by the Indian Army and served in various leadership roles, even after his retirement and death. The Indian high commissioner to Australia and New Zealand was his post for the remainder of his career. An initiative started by Cariappa in 1964 to better many veterans was named the Indian Ex-League Servicemen’s (IESL) initiative. 

The Directorate of Resettlement within the Ministry of Defence’s Ex-Soldiers’ Welfare Department was established in his name after retiring early. This inter-service organisation was responsible for resettling former soldiers. Cariappa excelled at reorganising military units in other countries. After Truman’s presidency, he was promoted to Chief Commander of the American Legion of Merit.

Cariappa’s friends and admirers also convinced him to join the political arena. In 1971, he ran for the Lok Sabha from Mumbai North East and placed in third place. The Indian government website does not have any evidence of the contest against Krishna Menon, as claimed in several sources.

On 28 April 1986, the Indian government presented Cariappa with the honorary title of field marshal at Rashtrapati Bhavan, the official house of the country’s president.

By 1991, Cariappa was suffering from arthritis and heart problems. He died a year after that. May 15, 1993, was the day on which he died peacefully at the Bangalore Command Hospital. He was buried at Madikeri, where he was born and reared, two days after his death. The three service chiefs that attended the cremation included Sam Manekshaw. The Honor Guard’s salutations were altered when Cariappa’s son Nanda lit the pyre on fire. COAS Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag visited the FM Cariappa Memorial at Madikeri, Coorg, to pay his tributes to the late FM Cariappa.

Conclusion:

Nanda, his only son, was killed in the battle in 1965 when their plane was blasted out of the sky over Pakistan. Held prisoner by war, he was imprisoned for an indeterminate period (POW). The arrest of the younger Cariappa was widely publicised on Radio Pakistan once the identity of the wounded soldier at Kargil was confirmed. Upon Ayub Khan’s request, retired General Cariappa was personally summoned to discuss his son’s safety. At the suggestion of Ayub Khan, Cariappa is believed to have mocked him and told him to treat his son like any other prisoner of war. That’s what Cariappa said, according to Singh, “He is no longer my son, sir,” he said in response to the latter’s query. “He is a soldier who has given his life to protect his country and the people he loves. I appreciate your kind gesture, but I must insist that you either reveal everything or nothing. Don’t let him get away with it.”