Agra: Lieutenant General Codanda Poovaiah Cariappa assumed charge as General Officer Commanding of the elite First Strike Corps at Mathura yesterday. 

Alumnus of National Defence Academy and Indian Military Academy, Cariappa was commissioned on June 9, 1984 into the 4th Battalion of the Rajputana Rifles. He is an expert in manoeuvre warfare, counter terrorism and operational art. 

The General Officer has also held varied coveted command, instructional and staff appointments. He has served in all types of terrain to include deserts, mountains and plains covering a wide spectrum of military operations that has given him an intellectual edge in understanding the nuances of complex military operations both at operational and strategic levels. 

The General is also an alumnus of Defence Services Staff College, Higher Command at Army War College and NATO Defence College at United States Army War College. The General Officer has a Master’s degree in Philosophy in Defence Studies and Management, as well as in Strategic Studies.

The General has commanded a mountain division and an infantry brigade and also served as part of United Nations peace keeping force at Mozambique (Africa) and Iraq – Kuwait. 

Prior to taking over command of Elite First Strike Corps, he was the Military Secretary to the President of India in New Delhi. On assuming the command, he emphasised that his priority is ’fight against COVID-19 threat’.

He exhorted the soldiers to continue work with the same zeal and enthusiasm. “Focus on operational preparedness, with realistic training, to achieve an exceptional level of military professionalism so that First Strike Corps continues to undertake its mandated role of defeating military misadventures by enemies of India,” he said.