Kodandera Subayya Thimayya
Kodendera Subayya Thimayya | |
|---|---|
General KS Thimayya | |
| 3rd Chief of the Army Staff | |
| In office 8 May 1957 – 7 May 1961 | |
| President | Rajendra Prasad |
| Prime Minister | Jawaharlal Nehru |
| Preceded by | Satyawant Shrinagesh |
| Succeeded by | Pran Nath Thapar |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 31 March 1906 Madikeri, Coorg, Mysore, British India (now Kodagu district, Karnataka, India) |
| Died | 18 December 1965 (aged 59) Cyprus |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance | British India India |
| Branch | British Indian Army Indian Army |
| Years of service | 1926 – 1961 |
| Rank | General |
| Service number | AI-944 |
| Unit | 19th Hyderabad Regiment (Now Kumaon Regiment) |
| Commands | Eastern Army Southern Army Western Army 19th Infantry Division 268th Indian Infantry Brigade 8/19 Hyderabad United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) |
| Awards | Padma Bhushan Distinguished Service Order |
| Alma mater | Prince of Wales Royal Indian Military College Royal Military College, Sandhurst |
General Kodendera Subayya Thimayya DSO (31 March 1906 – 18 December 1965) was the 3rd Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army from 1957 to 1961 during the crucial years leading up to the conflict with China in 1962. Thimayya was the only Indian to command an Infantry brigade in battle during the Second World War and is regarded as the most distinguished combat officer the Indian Army has produced. After the Korean War, Thimayya headed a United Nations unit dealing with the repatriation of prisoners of war. After his retirement from the Army, he was appointed Commander of the United Nations Peace Keeping Force in Cyprus from July 1964 to December 1965 and died in Cyprus while on active duty on 18 December 1965.