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Siri Kanth Korla

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Major General Siri Kanth Korla, PVSM, DSO, MC (also spelled Sri Kanth Korla)[1] (27 January 1917 – 7 April 2007) was a general officer in the Indian army who served in the Second World War and the Indo-Pakistan War of 1965. He served in the British Indian Army from 1934 to 1947, and the Indian Army from 1947 to 1971. Korla was known as one of the great company commanders of the Burma Campaign, and among the most highly and heavily decorated Indian officers of the British Indian Army during the Second World War.[2][3]

Major General

Siri Kanth Korla

PVSM, DSO, MC
Born(1917-01-27)27 January 1917
Sihund, Kangra district, Punjab Province, British India
Died7 April 2007(2007-04-07) (aged 90)
Palampur, Kangra district, Himachal Pradesh, India
Allegiance British India
 India
Service / branch British Indian Army
 Indian Army
Years of service1937–1971
Rank Major General
Service numberIC382
Unit7/10 Baluch
1st Gorkha Rifles (The Malaun Regiment)
CommandsDogra Brahmin Company, 7/10 Baluch
1st Gorkha Rifles (The Malaun Regiment)
6th Mountain Division
Delhi Area
Battles / wars
AwardsParam Vishisht Seva Medal
Distinguished Service Order
Military Cross
Mentioned in Dispatches (2)
Colonel of the Regiment, 1st Gorkha Rifles
Alma materKing George's Royal Indian Military School
Indian Military Academy
School of Infantry, Warminster
National Defence College, New Delhi
Spouse(s)Sarla Korla
Other workDirector General, Home Guards

Personal life

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Korla came from a Dogra background and hailed from the Kangra valley, India.[4]

He did his schooling from the King George's Royal Indian Military School, Jullunder.[5][6][7]

He was married to Sarla Korla.[8] They got married while he was on a break from serving in Burma, around the time of the Battle of Imphal (summer of 1944).[9]

Upon his death in April 2007, Korla was cremated with full military honours.[8]

Military career

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Korla joined the 10th Baluch Regiment in 1934, as a sepoy, and in a few years was promoted to havildar.[7][10] He participated in the Waziristan operations of 1936. He then joined the Indian Military Academy in 1939, and received his commission in 1940.[7][11]

World War II

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Officers of 7/10th Baluch after the fall of Pegu, Burma, 1945. Major Korla is seen sitting second to the left, next to the man with the rifle.

As a young officer of the 7/10th Baluch Regiment (17th Infantry Division) of the British Indian Army, Korla saw major action against the forces of the Imperial Japanese Army in various episodes of action across Burma.

For his leadership and personal valour in the Battle of Pa-an in February 1942, Lt. (acting Captain) Korla was awarded an immediate Distinguished Service Order (DSO), then the second highest wartime gallantry award of the British and Commonwealth forces.[7][12][13] Lt. (acting Captain) Korla's DSO was announced alongside a Mention in Dispatches in The London Gazette on 23 April 1942.[14][15][16]

Another Mention in Dispatches for Lt. (acting Captain) Korla was announced in The London Gazette on 28 October 1942, for escorting a mule convoy without any losses for 57 miles, from Zigon to Prome in Burma, under hot pursuit from the Japanese.[7][17]

For his leadership and initiative at Taungtha in the Battle of Meiktila in early 1945, Major (temporary) Korla was awarded the Military Cross (MC) - the third highest wartime gallantry award of the British and Commonwealth forces.[7][18][16][19] Korla's MC was announced in The London Gazette on 24 May 1945.[20] He was also active in the main battle for Meiktila.[7]

Post-Independence

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After the Independence of India in 1947, Korla - then a lieutenant colonel - was given charge of the 2nd battalion, 1st Gorkha Rifles (The Malaun Regiment) (2/1 Gorkha Rifles) of the Indian Army.[21]

Over 1951-52, Korla was on attachment to the School of Infantry at Warminster, United Kingdom, for a year.[22] From 1958 to 1959, in the rank of colonel, he served as the Deputy Commandant of the Indian Military Academy.[23][24] Then as a brigadier, he commanded a brigade in Kashmir.[18] From 26 September 1961 till 6 June 1963, Korla served as the Commandant of the Infantry School at Mhow, also in the rank of brigadier.[18][25] On 16 June 1963, he was appointed Brigadier General Staff of a Corps.[26] He was then selected for a National Defence College course, following which he was promoted to become the commander of a division.[18] In May 1965, he was appointed as the ceremonial 'Colonel of the Regiment' of the 1st Gorkha Rifles.[27]

In the Indo-Pakistan War of 1965, as a major general, Korla commanded the 6th Mountain Division, part of the I Corps. The division saw action in the Battle of Chawinda.[28]

From 28 February 1968 to 19 January 1971, Maj Gen Korla served as the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Delhi Area, and retired from the army at this post in 1971.[29][30] He commanded the Republic Day parade in New Delhi on 26 January 1970.[31] On 26 January 1971, he was awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM) by the then President of India, V. V. Giri.[1]

Awards and decorations

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Param Vishisht Seva Medal Samar Seva Star India Independence Medal
Distinguished Service Order Military Cross India General Service Medal (1936) 1939–45 Star
Africa Star Burma Star War Medal 1939–1945 with a bronze oak leaf

(Mention in Dispatches)

India Service Medal

Post-retirement

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After retiring from the army, from 1972 to 1976, Korla served as the Director General of the Home Guards in Delhi.[32] In May 1975, he relinquished his post as the ceremonial Colonel of the 1st Gorkha Rifles.[33][27]

In the early 1980s, Korla served as a member of the Himachal Pradesh Board of School Education.[34]

References

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  1. ^ a b Press Information Bureau, Govt. of India (25 January 1971). "Gallantry and distinguished service awards for defence personnel" (PDF). Retrieved 17 August 2022.
  2. ^ Randle, John (1 January 2004). Battle Tales from Burma. Casemate Publishers. p. 126. ISBN 978-1-84415-112-7.
  3. ^ Lehl, Lachhman Singh (1997). Missed Opportunities Indo-Pak War 1965. Natraj Publishers. pp. 233, 311. ISBN 978-81-85019-62-8.
  4. ^ divyahimachal (29 August 2015). "मेजर कोरला ने पाक को याद दिलाया था छठी का दूध". Divya Himachal.
  5. ^ "Distinguished Alumni". Rashtriya Military School ChailAn institute of excellence. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
  6. ^ "Rashtriya Military School Ajmer". www.rashtriyamilitaryschoolajmer.in. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g Mani, PRS (1945). Indian Army Observer. pp. 17/3A, 1–2.
  8. ^ a b Palmo, Tenzin (December 2007). "Sarla Korla: Our Gracious Chairperson Retires". Gatsal. 20: 2.
  9. ^ Randle, John (1 January 2004). Battle Tales from Burma. Casemate Publishers. p. 118. ISBN 978-1-84415-112-7.
  10. ^ Carew, Tim (1969). The Longest Retreat: the Burma Campaign 1942. London: Hamish Hamilton. p. 91.
  11. ^ Sainik Samachar: The Pictorial Weekly of the Armed Forces. 1971.
  12. ^ Grant, Ian Lyall; Tamayama, Kazuo (1999). Burma 1942: The Japanese Invasion ; Both Sides Tell the Story of a Savage Jungle War. Zampi Press. ISBN 978-0-9521083-1-3.
  13. ^ "Distinguished Service Order (DSO) - TracesOfWar.com". www.tracesofwar.com. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  14. ^ "Supplement to the London Gazette, 23 April, 1942. (DSO)" (PDF). 23 April 1942.
  15. ^ "Supplement to The London Gazette, 23 April, 1942. (Mention in Dispatches)" (PDF). 23 April 1942. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  16. ^ a b "Korla, Siri Kanth on 'Traces of War'".
  17. ^ "Supplement to The London Gazette, 28 October, 1942" (PDF). 28 October 1942. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  18. ^ a b c d Gupta, Hari Ram (1967). India-Pakistan War 1965 (Vol. 1). Hariyana Prakashan. p. 210.
  19. ^ "Military Cross (MC) - TracesOfWar.com". www.tracesofwar.com. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  20. ^ "Supplement to The London Gazette, 24 May, 1945" (PDF). 24 May 1945. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  21. ^ Bellamy, Chris (2011). The Gurkhas. Hachette.
  22. ^ Lewin, Ronald (1999). Slim: The Standardbearer : a Biography of Field-Marshal the Viscount Slim. Wordsworth Editions. ISBN 978-1-84022-214-2.
  23. ^ Sinha, B. P. N.; Chandra, Sunil (1992). Valour and Wisdom: Genesis and Growth of the Indian Military Academy. Oxford & IBH Publishing Company. p. 309. ISBN 978-81-204-0678-0.
  24. ^ "Explore Army/Training Establishment/Army Establishments/IMA/Commandants/Deputy Commandant". Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  25. ^ Raghavan, V. R. (1997). Infantry in India. Vikas Publishing House. p. 302. ISBN 978-81-259-0484-7.
  26. ^ The Gazette of India. Govt. of India. 1963.
  27. ^ a b Sharma, Gautam (2000). Indian Army, a Reference Manual. Reliance Publishing House. ISBN 978-81-7510-114-2.
  28. ^ Major General Deva, Yashwant (2015). "The saga of grit and cold courage: tribute to the fighters of 35 Infantry Brigade in 1965 War: a first hand account" (PDF). Retrieved 17 August 2022.
  29. ^ "Entry in Sainik Samachar, 1971 (issue 18)". Sainik Samachar (18): 14. 1971.
  30. ^ Sainik Samachar. Director of Public Relations, Ministry of Defence. 1995.
  31. ^ Sainik Samachar. Director of Public Relations, Ministry of Defence. 1970. p. 23.
  32. ^ "'Roll of Honour' on the website of the Delhi Home Guards". Retrieved 17 August 2022.
  33. ^ "The Gazette of India". The Gazette of India, Part 1 - Section 4: 789. 14 June 1975.
  34. ^ Sharma, Om Parkash (1991). Administration of Education Boards in India. APH Publishing. pp. 43–44. ISBN 978-81-7024-425-7.
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