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Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa
ಫೀಲ್ಡ್ ಮಾರ್ಷಲ್ ಕಾರ್ಯಪ್ಪ
The first Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army
Years
1899 – 1993
Known as
Kodandera Madappa Cariappa — the first Indian Commander-in-Chief
Birthplace
Shanivarsanthe, Karnataka
Field
Kings & Strategists
“I am an Indian first and an officer after — my loyalty is to the flag of the republic.”
— Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa
The Story
Born in 1899 in Shanivarsanthe in the Kodagu country of Karnataka, Cariappa joined the army young and served in the First World War in Mesopotamia. Between the wars he rose steadily, serving in the army of the empire, and in the Second World War he commanded troops in the Burma campaign with distinction.
When Bhārat became independent in 1947, the new nation faced its first test in the war in Kashmir — and Cariappa, as a senior general, helped direct the defence of the new state. In January 1949 he became the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army, succeeding the last British commander.
He served as the army's head till 1953, and after retirement continued to serve the nation in various capacities. In 1986 the nation honoured him with the rank of Field Marshal — only the second in its history — and he died in 1993 at the age of ninety-three, the father of the Indian Army.
Core Ideas
The First Indian Commander
The first Indian to command the Indian Army.
The World Wars
He served in Mesopotamia and Burma.
The Kashmir War
He helped direct the defence of the new nation.
Field Marshal
Honoured with the highest rank in 1986.
The Soldier's Patriot
His loyalty to the republic was absolute.
Why it matters today
Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa is honoured as the father of the Indian Army — the soldier who carried the command of the nation's forces from the empire to the republic. His name is given to the army's institutions and honours, and his life remains the model of the soldier's duty and the patriot's love.