By IANS
New Delhi : Punjab Governor Gen. (retd) S.F. Rodrigues will deliver the 12th Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa Memorial Lecture on ‘Resurgent India – The Way Ahead’ here on Wednesday.
Defence Minister A.K. Antony will be the chief guest on the occasion. The three service chiefs will also be present. The event is being organised to mark Infantry Day.
Cariappa “is an unforgettable name in the history of Indian Army”, a defence ministry release issued Tuesday said.
Born on Jan 28, 1900, in Mercara state, now part of Karnataka, he was amongst the first Indian officers to receive the King’s Commission in 1919. After an outstanding career, he became the army’s first Indian commander-in-chief on Jan 15, 1949.
In this capacity he was responsible for three key initiatives: integration of troops and turning an imperial (British-oriented) army into a national army; raising the Brigade of the Guards and the Parachute Regiment on an all-India caste composition; and raising the National Cadet Corps (NCC) and Territorial Army (TA) using troops from the regular Army.
“A hardcore infantryman, Cariappa was a thorough gentleman who exhibited the highest standards of self discipline and compassion. He had been a legend in his lifetime and left an indelible impression that would inspire the people for a long time,” the release said.
The government bestowed him with the highest rank of Field Marshal in 1983. He died on May 15, 1993.