How First General of Indian Army chosen

[Prof. Dr. Yogendra Yadav]

Prof. Dr. Yogendra Yadav

Senior Gandhian Scholar, Professor, Editor and Linguist

Gandhi International Study and Research Institute, Jalgaon, Maharashtra, India

Contact No. – 09404955338, 09415777229

E-mail- [e-mail];

[e-mail]

Mailing Address- C- 29, Swaraj Nagar, Panki, Kanpur- 208020, Uttar Pradesh, India

 

 

How First General of Indian Army chosen

 

Immediately, India won freedom, a meeting was organized to select first General of Indian Army. Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru was heading that meeting. Leaders and Army officers were discussing to whom this responsibility should be given. In between Pt. Nehru said: ‘I think we should appoint a British Officer as the chief of Indian Army as we do not have enough experience to lead same.

Everybody supported to Pt. Nehru because if the Prime Minister was suggesting something. How could they not agree? But one of the Army Officer abruptly said: I have a point sir.

Pt. Nehru said: Yes, You are free to speak.

The Army Officer said: You see sir, we do not have enough experience to lead a Nation, So should not we appoint British Person as a first Prime Minister of India. The meeting hall suddenly was quite.

Then Pt. Nehru said: Are you ready to be the first chief of Indian Army?

The Indian Officer got a golden chance to accept the this but he refused the same and said: sir, we have a very talented Army Officer, my senior Lt. General Cariappa who is the most deserving among us.

The Army Officer, who raised his voice against the prime minister, was Lt. General Nathu Sing Rathore, the first Lt. General of Indian Army. That was the professionalism and character made army that how India survive against so many odds.