Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa: India's First Army Chief and His Legacy

Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa
⬧ Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa, also known as 'Kipper', was born on January 28, 1900 in Mercara State (Karnataka).
⬧ Cariappa attained the rank of King's Commission in 1919 with the first batch of Indian cadets and became the first Indian officer to join the Staff College, Quetta in 1933.
⬧ In the year 1942, Lt. Col. K.M. Cariappa formed the 7th Rajput Machine Gun Battalion.
⬧ Cariappa joined the Imperial Defense College of the United Kingdom in the year 1946 as a Brigadier.
⬧ Cariappa was recalled to India from the UK to serve as a member of the Army Reorganization Committee and Army Sub-Committee and facilitated an amicable settlement in the allocation of forces between India and Pakistan during partition.
⬧ On 21 November 1947, Lt Gen Cariappa took over as the Commanding Officer of the Eastern Command.
⬧ On January 20, 1948, he took over the Delhi and East Punjab Command (now Western Command) as Army Commander.
⬧ On January 15, 1949, General Cariappa was appointed the first Chief of Army Staff.
⬧ He was appointed Colonel of the Rajput Regiment from the year 1949 to 1959 and as a seasoned military officer, he served in 2/125 Napier Rifles, 1/7 Dogra and 1/7 Rajput.
⬧ General K.M. Cariappa was relieved of the post of Chief of Army Staff on January 14, 1953.
⬧ On May 15, 1993, Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa passed away.