KM Cariappa

First Chief of the Indian Army, General & Field Marshal

Born: 28th January 1899, Shanivarsanthe, Kodagu (Coorg)

Died: 15th May 1993, Bangalore

General Cariappa is one of those who always figures in our quiz books, as the first army chief of Independent India. While in Std 7, I actually got to see him. General Cariappa was invited to my school, Baldwin Girls, and I remember how all of us students sat in the school auditorium and listened to the words of wisdom from this old man who could just about manage to walk. I did so want to ask for his autograph, but we had been told that we were to stay in our assigned places and not crowd around the guest, and as class prefect I couldn't disobey! Some weeks later there was a special television interview with the General that was telecast on Doordarshan.

I did so want to write to General Cariappa and was wondering how to get his address when my mom remembered that one of his relatives Mrs Uttappa lived in our neighbourhood. So I went to Mrs Uttappa's house on Norris Road and she gave me the address.

My letter to the General had reference to both his visit to my school and the television interview, and he too has written about these in his letter.

23rd July 1983

The reverse of the letterhead has Telegram and Telephone information

The envelope is my self-addressed envelope that I had enclosed with my letter.

Looking at the envelope now, my handwriting could surely have been better, but the striking thing is that the General struck off "25" and wrote the full pin code "560025". This was a lesson in itself.

Subsequently, whenever writing any postal address, I have always written the full pin code, the way it was meant to be. After all, the pin code is meant to indicate the city and locality post office.

Five months after I received the letter from the General, I was delighted to receive another one, this time in a Roshanara envelope. As the General wasn't sure if he'd replied to my letter, he had decided to write and send me his autograph.

The envelope has my surname as "Maray". Guess it was my handwriting where my "n" looked like "r".

The General obviously did not see the typed envelope. The person who typed it copied my address as I had written it, and typed "25" instead of "560025".

Jan 1986 newspaper article after General Cariappa became Field Marshal Cariappa