S. M. Shrinagesh: Difference between revisions

{{Use Indian English|date=April 2022}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}}

Shrinagesh was born in [[Kolhapur]], [[Maharashtra]], the eldest son of Dr. Shrinagesh Mallannah, in a [[Kannada language|Kannada]] speaking [[Lingayat]] family influenced by [[Brahma Samaj]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.udayavani.com/kannada/news/rajangana/128710/palella-political-leaders-military-leaders-and-the-fame | title=S. M. Shrinagesh | publisher=Udayavaani | access-date=20 January 2022}}</ref> His father was the personal physician to [[Asaf Jah VII|H.E.H. Mir Sir Osman Ali Khan Asaf Jah VII]], the [[Nizam of Hyderabad]]. His mother was Ahalyabai, daughter of Krishnaji Kelavkar. Born in 1903 at Kolhapur, Maharashtra he went to West Buckland School in England and entered the [[University of Cambridge]] in 1921.

On his return from Japan, he was promoted to acting [[Major-General]] on 3 September 1947 and was appointed the General Officer Commanding of the Madras Area.<ref name="actg_maj_gen">{{cite web|title=Five More Indians Promoted Major Generals|url=http://pibarchive.nic.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1947-JULY-DEC-MIN-OF-DEFENCE/PDF/DEF-1947-09-03_372.pdf|website=Press Information Bureau of India - Archive|date=3 September 1947|access-date=26 January 2022}}</ref> From January 1948, he was appointed the Adjutant General at the Army Headquarters and held that post till August of the same year. Promoted to acting [[Lieutenant-General]], he also commanded the 5th Corps (later designated as 15th Corps). He was appointed the overall commander of all troops in Jammu & Kashmir during the 1947–48 [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1947|Indo-Pak War]] and held this command till the ceasefire on 1 January 1949. He was chosen as the GOC-in-C Western Command on 15 January 1949 and promoted to the substantive rank of [[Lieutenant General]] in 1950. He was then appointed the GOC-in-C Southern Command and held that post, till he assumed charge as the Army Chief on 14 May 1955. He was decorated with the U.S. [[Legion of Merit]] in September 1955.<ref>{{cite web|title=General Shrinagesh Received U.S. Legion of Merit|url=http://pibarchive.nic.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1955-JULY%20DEC-DEFENCE/PDF/DEF-1955-09-02_094.pdf|website=Press Information Bureau of India - Archive|date=2 September 1955|access-date=25 September 2022}}</ref>

In 1934, Shrinagesh married Rajkumari Kochhar (14 April 1915—24 January 2017),<ref name="showers"/><ref>{{cite news |date=2 February 2017 |title=Rajkumari Shrinagesh|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/rajkumari-shrinagesh/articleshow/56931766.cms |work=The Times of India|access-date=27 September 2022}}</ref> with whom he had three sons and two daughters. One son, Satish, also joined the Indian Army, retiring as a major.<ref name="showers">{{cite news |date=15 April 2015 |title=Showers of love as Army's grand old lady turns 100|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/chandigarh/showers-of-love-as-army-s-grand-old-lady-turns-100-67639 |work=The Tribune (Chandigarh) |access-date=27 September 2022}}</ref>

Diagnosed with [[Parkinson's disease]] in the late 1950s,<ref name="showers"/> Shrinagesh succumbed to the disease in the morning of 27 December 1977 at the Army Hospital Delhi Cantonment. Survived by his wife and children, he was cremated with full military honours in New Delhi the following day, with his funeral attended by senior military officers including the Chief of the Army Staff [[Tapishwar Narain Raina]].<ref>{{cite web|title=General S.M. Shrinagesh Passes Away|url=http://pibarchive.nic.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1977-AUG-DEC-MIN-OF-DEFENCE-PART-2/PDF/DEF-1977-12-72_276.pdf|website=Press Information Bureau of India - Archive|date=27 December 1977|access-date=27 September 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=General Shrinagesh Cremated|url=http://pibarchive.nic.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1977-AUG-DEC-MIN-OF-DEFENCE-PART-2/PDF/DEF-1977-12-28_277.pdf|website=Press Information Bureau of India - Archive|date=28 December 1977|access-date=27 September 2022}}</ref>

|align="center" |[[File:Lieutenant_General_of_the_Indian_Army.svg|35px]] || [[Lieutenant-General]] || Indian Army || 26 January 1950 (recommissioning and change in insignia)<ref name="insignia_designs">{{cite web|title=New Designs of Crests and Badges in the Services|url=http://pib.nic.in/archive/docs/DVD_38/ACC%20NO%20807-BR/HOM-1950-01-06_484.pdf|website=Press Information Bureau of India - Archive|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170808193914/http://pib.nic.in/archive/docs/DVD_38/ACC%20NO%20807-BR/HOM-1950-01-06_484.pdf|archive-date=8 August 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=227  |date=11 February 1950 |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref>