General (later Field Marshal) Kodandera Madappa Cariappa was the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army, serving from 15 January 1949 to 31 March 1953. Born on 28 January 1900 in Mercara, in present-day Karnataka, he received his early education at the Central High School in Madikeri and later attended Presidency College, Madras. Following World War I, Indian leaders demanded that Indians be granted the King’s Commission in the British Indian Army. Cariappa was among the first group of Indian cadets to receive this commission in 1919. In 1933, he made history again by becoming the first Indian officer to attend the prestigious Staff College at Quetta.

Throughout his military career, Cariappa earned numerous distinctions. In 1945, he was awarded the Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his service as Assistant Adjutant and Quartermaster General with the 26th Indian Division in the Arakan Campaign during World War II. After leading the Indian Army during a crucial phase post-independence, his exemplary service was honored in 1986 when he was conferred the rank of Field Marshal, the highest rank in the Indian Army. Field Marshal Cariappa passed away on 15 May 1993, leaving behind a legacy of discipline, nationalism, and professional excellence that continues to inspire generations of Indian soldiers.