Satyawant Mallannah Shrinagesh
Encyclopedia
General Satyawant Mallannah Shrinagesh (1903 – December 27, 1977), commonly known as S. M. Shrinagesh, served as 3rd Chief of Army Staff
of the Indian Army
from 14 May 1955 till 7 May 1957. He then served as The Hon'ble Principal of the Indian Administrative college in Hyderabad, Hyderabad State
from 1957 to 1962.
After retirement he served as the Governor of Assam from 14 October 1959 to 12, November, 1960 and again from 13 January 1961 to 7 September 1962. He was the Governor of Andhra Pradesh from 8 September 1962 to 4 May 1964 and Governor of Mysore from 4 May 1964 to 2 April 1965.
Shrinagesh, born in Kolhapur, Maharashtra
, was son of Dr. Mallannah, and became the second Indian to become Chief of Army Staff
. He was in charge of the Kumaon Regiment
for several years. On retirement from the army, he was Governor
of Assam
, Mysore and Andhra Pradesh
. He was also the principal of Administrative Staff College of India
at Hyderabad.
General Satyawant Mallannah Shrinagesh assumed charge of the Indian Army, as the 3rd Chief of Army Staff, on 14 May 1955. He was the eldest son of Dr Shrinagesh Mallannah, who was the personal physician to the His Exalted HighnessMir Sir Osman Ali Khan Asaf Jah VII, the Nizam of Hyderabad. Born in 1903 at Kolhapur, Maharashtra he went to a public school in England and entered Cambridge University in 1921.
Among the earliest batches of Indians to be nominated for the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst in the U.K.
, he won the Quetta Cup for the best man at arms entering the British Indian Army in 1923. He was subsequently commissioned into the 19th Hyderabad Regiment
(presently known as the Kumaon Regiment) on 30 August 1923. After a brief association with the North Staffordshire Regiment
, he was posted to the 2/1 Madras Pioneers with which he served mostly in Burma until it was disbanded. In 1933, he joined the 4/19th Hyderabad Regiment and served in Singapore
as its adjutant. In December 1939, he was posted as an Instructor at the Indian Military Academy, Dehra Dun
.
in Burma from August 1945. He was then appointed as the first Indian Commandant of the Kumaon Regimental Centre in Agra on 2 October 1946 and served in that capacity till 12 December 1946. He was then chosen to lead the 268th Infantry Brigade British Commonwealth Occupation Force (BCOF) in post World War II
Japan
and served in that post till 1947. He was also Brigade Commander of the famous Lushai Brigade in Burma in 1947. He was selected to go to Germany as Deputy Chief of the Indian Military Mission in November 1945. In that capacity, he also worked as the Economic Adviser & Consul looking after the interests of Indian nationals in Germany and locating missing Prisoners of War (POWs).
On his return from Japan, he was promoted to Major-General and was appointed the General Officer Commanding of the Madras Area. From January 1948, he was appointed as the Adjutant General at the Army Headquarters and held that post till August of the same year. 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-Pak War
and held this command till the ceasefire on 1 January 1949. Promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General
in 1950, he was chosen as the GOC-in-C Western Command on 15 January 1949. He was then appointed as the GOC-in-C Southern Command and held that post, till he assumed charge as the Army Chief on 14 May 1955. General Shrinagesh retired on 7 May 1957, completing 34 years of distinguished military service. Post retirement, he served as the Governor of Assam from 1959 to 1962, then as the Governor of Andhra Pradesh from 1962 to 1964 and finally as Governor of Mysore (now Karnataka) from 1964 to 1965. From 1959 to 1957, he also served as the Principal of the Administrative Staff College in Hyderabad. He died on 27 December 1977 and was survived, till date (May 2008) by his wife (Mrs. Kumari Shrinagesh) three sons and two daughters.
Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army
The Chief of the Army Staff is the commander and usually the highest-ranking officer of the Indian Army. The position is abbreviated as COAS in Indian Army cables and communication....
of the Indian Army
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
from 14 May 1955 till 7 May 1957. He then served as The Hon'ble Principal of the Indian Administrative college in Hyderabad, Hyderabad State
Hyderabad State
-After Indian independence :When India gained independence in 1947 and Pakistan came into existence in 1947, the British left the local rulers of the princely states the choice of whether to join one of the new dominions or to remain independent...
from 1957 to 1962.
After retirement he served as the Governor of Assam from 14 October 1959 to 12, November, 1960 and again from 13 January 1961 to 7 September 1962. He was the Governor of Andhra Pradesh from 8 September 1962 to 4 May 1964 and Governor of Mysore from 4 May 1964 to 2 April 1965.
Early life and education
GeneralGeneral
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Shrinagesh, born in Kolhapur, Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
, was son of Dr. Mallannah, and became the second Indian to become Chief of Army Staff
Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army
The Chief of the Army Staff is the commander and usually the highest-ranking officer of the Indian Army. The position is abbreviated as COAS in Indian Army cables and communication....
. He was in charge of the Kumaon Regiment
Kumaon Regiment
The Kumaon Regiment is one of the most decorated regiments of the Indian Army. The regiment traces its origins to the 18th century and has fought in every major campaign of the British Indian Army and the Indian Army, including the two world wars...
for several years. On retirement from the army, he was Governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
of Assam
Assam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
, Mysore and Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
. He was also the principal of Administrative Staff College of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
at Hyderabad.
General Satyawant Mallannah Shrinagesh assumed charge of the Indian Army, as the 3rd Chief of Army Staff, on 14 May 1955. He was the eldest son of Dr Shrinagesh Mallannah, who was the personal physician to the His Exalted HighnessMir Sir Osman Ali Khan Asaf Jah VII, the Nizam of Hyderabad. Born in 1903 at Kolhapur, Maharashtra he went to a public school in England and entered Cambridge University in 1921.
Among the earliest batches of Indians to be nominated for the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst in the U.K.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, he won the Quetta Cup for the best man at arms entering the British Indian Army in 1923. He was subsequently commissioned into the 19th Hyderabad Regiment
19th Hyderabad Regiment
The 19th Hyderabad Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was formed following the post World War I reforms of the Indian Army when they moved from single battalion regiments to multi battalion regiments...
(presently known as the Kumaon Regiment) on 30 August 1923. After a brief association with the North Staffordshire Regiment
North Staffordshire Regiment
The North Staffordshire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army, which was in existence between 1881 and 1959. It can date its lineage back to 1756 with the formation of a second battalion by the 11th Regiment of Foot, which shortly after became the 64th Regiment of Foot...
, he was posted to the 2/1 Madras Pioneers with which he served mostly in Burma until it was disbanded. In 1933, he joined the 4/19th Hyderabad Regiment and served in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
as its adjutant. In December 1939, he was posted as an Instructor at the Indian Military Academy, Dehra Dun
Indian Military Academy
The Indian Military Academy, Dehradun is the officer training school of the Indian Army. IMA was established in 1932.-Demands for an Indian military training academy:...
.
Later career
From 17 December 1942 till 28 August 1945, he was the Commanding Officer of the 6/19th Hyderabad Regiment (now 6th Kumaon). He then officiated as the Brigade Commander of the 64th Indian Infantry Brigade of the 19th Indian (Dagger) DivisionIndian 19th Infantry Division
The Indian 19th Infantry Division was an infantry division of the Indian Army during World War II, and played a prominent part in the final part of the Burma Campaign....
in Burma from August 1945. He was then appointed as the first Indian Commandant of the Kumaon Regimental Centre in Agra on 2 October 1946 and served in that capacity till 12 December 1946. He was then chosen to lead the 268th Infantry Brigade British Commonwealth Occupation Force (BCOF) in post World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and served in that post till 1947. He was also Brigade Commander of the famous Lushai Brigade in Burma in 1947. He was selected to go to Germany as Deputy Chief of the Indian Military Mission in November 1945. In that capacity, he also worked as the Economic Adviser & Consul looking after the interests of Indian nationals in Germany and locating missing Prisoners of War (POWs).
On his return from Japan, he was promoted to Major-General and was appointed the General Officer Commanding of the Madras Area. From January 1948, he was appointed as the Adjutant General at the Army Headquarters and held that post till August of the same year. 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-Pak War
Indo-Pakistani War of 1947
The India-Pakistan War of 1947-48, sometimes known as the First Kashmir War, was fought between India and Pakistan over the princely state of Kashmir and Jammu from 1947 to 1948. It was the first of four wars fought between the two newly independent nations...
and held this command till the ceasefire on 1 January 1949. Promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
in 1950, he was chosen as the GOC-in-C Western Command on 15 January 1949. He was then appointed as the GOC-in-C Southern Command and held that post, till he assumed charge as the Army Chief on 14 May 1955. General Shrinagesh retired on 7 May 1957, completing 34 years of distinguished military service. Post retirement, he served as the Governor of Assam from 1959 to 1962, then as the Governor of Andhra Pradesh from 1962 to 1964 and finally as Governor of Mysore (now Karnataka) from 1964 to 1965. From 1959 to 1957, he also served as the Principal of the Administrative Staff College in Hyderabad. He died on 27 December 1977 and was survived, till date (May 2008) by his wife (Mrs. Kumari Shrinagesh) three sons and two daughters.
Further reading
- Issar, Satish K. (2009). General S. M. Srinagesh, New Delhi: Vision Books, ISBN 8170947413