NEWS & VIEWS|||SARASIJ|||27-10-2026

 

FORGOTTEN GENERAL OF INDIAN ARMY

SARASIJ MAJUMDER

General Kodandera Subayya Thimayya, Served as Chief of Army Staff from (1957 - 1961), is reputed to be the most SUCCESSFUL COMBAT OFFICER The Indian Army has ever Produced.  I would like to give you relevant details about his Early career: -

1. He was born in (Coorg) Karnataka on 31st Mar 1906, and belonged to an Influential and Leading Coffee Planting family having 5 siblings out of which 3 were boys including him and all the 3 boys Joined the Défense Forces as Officers.
2. He was Posted to Burma in 1941 under the Command of 3rd Commando Brigade, his Infantry Division was conducting Jungle Warfare training for facing The Japanese Army during Second World War. His Excellent Leadership led to success in the Battle of Hill 170 which was in Kangaw and he was awarded with (DSO) Distinguished Service Order.
3. He was Promoted to the Acting Rank of Major General in Sept 1947 and his immediate appointment was to Command the 19th Infantry Division in Jammu & Kashmir where he Succeeded in Driving Out the Raiders and the Pakistan Army out of the Kashmir Valley by doing a surprise attack on Zoji- La on 1^st November 1948 which Led to the eventual capture of Drass, Kargil and Leh.
4. He also served as The Commandant of Indian Military Academy, Dehradun and was also awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1954 for his Civil Service. He was the 3rd Chief of Army Staff and wanted to Resign his Post in 1959 over a Dispute with V.K Krishna Menon who was the defense minister during That Time. However, Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru refused to accept his resignation and persuaded him in withdrawing it and he Eventually Retired in 1961. Even after his Retirement he played a Crucial Role when there was a Conflict with China in 1962.

At Last, I would like to Quote what General Kodandera Subayya Thimayya was known to be-- “A Soldier’s General, A Man’s Man, The Army His Soul- His Soul, The Army”