 | Kodandera Madappa Cariappa: Encyclopedia II - Kodandera Madappa Cariappa - Military Career
Kodandera Madappa Cariappa - Military Career
After World War I concluded in 1918, Indian politicians at that time raised a demand to sanction Indians to the King's Commission. After strict screening, Cariappa was selected as one among the privileged few, who were selected for the first batch that underwent rigorous pre-commission. He joined the first batch of KCIOs King's Commissioned Indian Officers) at Daly Cadet College at Indore and was commissioned in Carnatic Infantry at Mumbai.
Cariappa saw active service with the 37 (Prince of Wales) Dogra in Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq) and was later posted to the 2nd Rajput Light Infantry (Queen Victoria's Own) which became his permanent regimental home. He was the first Indian officer to undergo the course at Staff College, Quetta in 1933. In 1946, he was promoted as the Brigadier of the Frontier Brigade Group. It was during this time that Colonel Ayub Khan - later Field Marshal and President of Pakistan, 1962-1969 - served under him.
Cariappa served in Iraq, Syria and Iran from 1941-1942 and then in Myanmar in 1943-1944. He spent many of his soldiering years in Wagiristan. He earned his 'Mentioned in Despatches' as DAA and QMG of General (later Field Marshal) Slim's 10th Division. He was the first Indian Officer to be given command of a unit in 1942. After command he volunteered to serve in 26 Division engaged in clearing the Japanese from Burma, where he was awarded the Order of the British Empire.
In 1947, Cariappa was the first Indian who was selected to undergo a training course at Imperial Defence College, Camberly, UK on the higher directions of war. During the traumatic period of partition, he handled the division of the Indian Army and sharing of its assets between Pakistan and India, in a most amicable, just and orderly manner. He was then the Indian officer in-charge to oversee the transition.
Post-Independence, Cariappa was appointed as the Deputy Chief of the General Staff with the rank of Major General. On promotion to Lieutenant General he became the Eastern Army Commander. On outbreak of war with Pakistan in 1947, he was moved as General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command and directed operations for the recapture of Zojila, Dras and Kargil and re-established a linkup with Leh. In all this, he showed tremendous energy in moving troops, against heavy odds and finally ensuring success.
On being appointed as the first Commander-in-Chief of an independent Indian Army on 15 January 1949, he was instrumental in the integration of troops and turning an imperial army into a national army.
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 Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Military Career", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki |
