Page 28 - Leadership in the Indian Army

Cariappa’s presence at the Staff College was regarded by his colleagues
with some amusement. British officers tended to treat men from the
colonies with contempt and disdain. Cariappa tried to take the sarcasm and

discriminatory behaviour in his stride, and rarely challenged them. On one
occasion, however, he could not contain himself. In a large gathering held
towards the end of the training, student officers were invited to comment on
the course and suggest improvements. Cariappa pointed out that the number
of vacancies for Indian officers at the Staff College was too small. This
deprived a large number of deserving Indians of the opportunity to attend
the course. In the ultimate analysis, this would affect the quality of the

Imperial Army and might even prove to be its undoing in a major war.
Everyone, including the Commandant, was stunned by the audacity of the
young Indian officer.
Later, the Commandant told Cariappa that his remarks seemed to be have
been politically motivated. Cariappa was advised to broaden his views and
think of the army as a whole, rather than in terms of ‘Indianisation’, which

reflected a narrow vision. After the course, Cariappa asked for an
appointment at the India House or the War Office in London, but was
refused. In 1934 he rejoined his unit at Kohat for a third tenure of
regimental service on the North West Frontier.
After successful completion of the staff course, officers were normally
given staff appointments, which carried higher emoluments. Cariappa also
tried for a staff job. But it was two years before he succeeded and was

posted to Secunderabad as Staff Captain of the Deccan Area in March 1936.
It was a non-graded appointment, but Cariappa did not complain. Finally, in
1938, he was promoted Major and appointed DAA & QMG in the same
HQ. In 1939, when World War II began, he was posted as Brigade Major to
20 Indian Brigade in Derajat. At this point one cannot help making a
comparison between Cariappa and General K.S. Thimayya. Both joined the

army at a time when very few Indians held commissioned ranks, and
discrimination between them and their British colleagues in terms of
promotions and appointments was common, though not officially
sanctioned. Thimayya always rebelled against such discrimination and
usually got what he wanted. Cariappa, on the other hand, rarely displayed
any ambition, and accepted whatever came his way.
While at Secunderabad, Cariappa was married in March 1937, to Muthu

Machia, the daughter of a forest officer. A Kodavu (Coorg) like him, Muthu