Rajendrasinhji Jadeja

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General Maharaj Shri Rajendrasinhji , DSO (15 June 1899 – 1 January 1964), also known as Kumar Sri Rajendrasinhji and K.S. Rajendrasinhji, was the first Chief of Army Staff of the Indian army, and the second Indian, after Field Marshal K. M. Cariappa, to become Commander-in-Chief of the Indian armed forces and head the Indian Army.

Personal life

Rajendrasinhji was born on 15 June 1899, at Sarodar in the Kathiawar region of what is now the western Indian state of Gujarat. He was the third son of Devisinhji Jadeja .[1] The family belonged to the ruling dynasty of Nawanagar princely state (now Jamnagar),[2] and Devisinhji was the elder brother of K.S. Ranjitsinhji and uncle of K.S.Duleepsinhji, two cricketing luminaries produced by that family.[3] In 1928, Rajendrasingh wed Maya Kunwarba. The couple became the parents of three children. His Son Maharaj Sukhdevsinhji married the daughter of the ruler of Masuda in Rajputana Rajkumari Vijaylakshmi Masuda, his youngest daughter was married to HH the Raja Sahib of the erstwhile princely state of Khairagarh in then Madhya Pradesh (present day Chhattisgarh), she was sitting MP with Lok Sabha and a popular leader in her constituency.[1]

Career

Rajendrasinhji attended Rajkumar College, Rajkot,then at Malvern College, having resolved upon pursuing a military career, he joined the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the 2nd Royal Lancers in 1922. As a King's Commissioned Indian Officer, he held various ranks and offices in the British Indian Army and served with distinction during World War II.

General Rajendrasinhji became the first Indian to be deputed to serve as Military Attaché to Washington DC in 1945-46.

World War II

In 1941, Rajendrasinhji was sent to the Mediterranean and Middle East Theatre as a squadron commander of the 2nd Lancers. During the course action, his brigade was surrounded at Mechili by numerically superior Axis forces. Being encircled, the allied forces were left with no option but to hazard a headlong foray through the enemy forces, into the desert. Rajendrasinhji's squadron took the rearguard position during this operation. While the vanguard suffered much loss of life by a German tank attack, Ranjitsinhji's squadron was not seriously impacted. He led his squadron in a charge through the enemy ranks, and they gained respite in the safety of some nearby hills. The squadron essayed further action on the enemy forces after nightfall and achieved considerable success; indeed, it returned to base with sixty prisoners of war.

For his courageous leadership and determined action, Rajendrasinhji was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) in 1941. He was the first Indian to be honoured with this decoration during World War II.

In India

The Independence of India (1947) caused an upheaval in both the security situation and the dynamics of the Indian army. The partition of India meant the division of the Indian army, which was concurrently called upon to deal with several critical security situations arising from the partition of the country and the integration of the princely states. Also during this period, British officers who held most of the senior ranks in the Indian army were gradually disengaged, being replaced with Indian officers. During this critical period, Rajendrasinhji was called upon to shoulder many onerous responsibilities and received rapid promotion in rank commensurately. He was made Brigadier in 1946, Major-General in 1947 and Lt. General in 1948. He served successively as General Officer Commanding (GOC) of Delhi and East Punjab (1947–48); GOC Eastern Command (1948); and GOC Southern Command (1948–53), following the retirement of Lt. General E. N. Goddard. Operation Polo, which resulted in the integration of Hyderabad State with India, was executed during his term in office as GOC (South).

As the senior-most serving officer in the army, Rajendrasinhji was appointed Commander-in-Chief of India on 14 January 1953, following the retirement of General (later Field Marshal) K. M. Cariappa. Rajendrasinhji received the rank of General on the same day. With effect from 1 April 1955, the President of India was constitutionally designated the Commander-in-chief of India's armed forces. Rajendrasinhji then became the first head of the Indian army to be designated Chief of Army Staff. He held that office until his retirement from service on 14 May 1955 and was succeeded by Gen. S.M. Srinagesh. Rajendrasinhji died on 1 January 1964, aged 75 Years.

Promotions and Dates of Rank

  • 2nd Lieutenant, British Army (14 July 1921)
  • Lieutenant (14 October 1923)
  • Captain (14 July 1929)
  • Brevet Major (1 January 1937)
  • Major (1 August 1938)
  • Acting Lieutenant-Colonel (29 November 1943)
  • Temporary Lieutenant-Colonel (29 February 1944)
  • Lieutenant-Colonel (7 June 1946)
  • Brigadier (1946)
  • Major-General, Indian Army (1947)
  • Lieutenant-General, Indian Army (1948)
  • General, Indian Army (15 January 1953)

[4]

Decorations

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Nawanagar
  2. ↑ Gazette of India. 1953. p. 1475. "Major General M. S. Pratapsinhji; 2. Major General M. S. Himatsinhji; 3. Maharaj Shri Duleepsinhji; and 4. Lieutenant General M. S. Rajendrasinhji; members of the family of the Ruler of Nawanagar for the purposes..." 
  3. ↑ India at a glance: a comprehensive reference book on India 1954 - Page 1725
  4. ↑ Upon independence in 1947, India became a Dominion within the British Commonwealth of Nations. As a result, the rank insignia of the British Army, incorporating the Tudor Crown, was maintained, as George VI remained Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Armed Forces. After 26 January 1950, when India became a republic, the President of India became Commander-in-Chief, and the Ashoka Lion replaced the crown.
Military offices
Preceded by
Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa		 Commander-in-chief (Indian Army)
1953–1955 		Succeeded by
Abolished
Preceded by
New Office		 Chief of Army Staff (India)
1955–1955 		Succeeded by
General Satyawant Mallannah Shrinagesh
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