General Thimayya

The Story

Born in Madikeri, Coorg, in 1906, Thimayya was commissioned into the British Indian Army and served with distinction in the Second World War — fighting in Burma against the Japanese, where his leadership earned him the Military Cross. He was one of the officers who emerged of Bhārat from the war as the future leaders of the Army of Bhārat.

After independence, he served with distinction in the wars of 1947-48 and 1962, and rose to become Chief of the Army Staff in 1957. He was known above all as the 'soldier's general' — a commander who shared the hardships of his men, visited the most forward posts, and whose care for the ordinary soldier made him beloved of the entire army.

After retirement he led the United Nations peacekeeping force in Cyprus with great skill, and he died in 1965. His funeral in Coorg, where he was cremated with full military honours, was attended by thousands — a final tribute to the general who had never forgotten the soldier.