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)
Commands heldDogra Brahmin Company, 7/10 Baluch
1st Gorkha Rifles (The Malaun Regiment)
6th Mountain Division
Delhi Area
Battles/warsBurma Campaign
Indo-Pakistan War of 1965
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
Other workDirector General, Home Guards

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 decorated Indian officers of the British Indian Army during the Second World War.[2][3]

Early life and education

Korla came from a Dogra background and hailed from the Kangra valley, India.[4] He was an alumnus of King George's Royal Indian Military School, Jullunder, and the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun.[5][6][7]

Military career

World War II

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 gallant actions, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) and the Military Cross - the second and the third highest wartime gallantry awards in the armies of the United Kingdom and the British Empire - besides two Mentions in Dispatches.[8][9][10] Lt. (acting Captain) Korla's DSO was announced alongside a Mention in Dispatches in The London Gazette on 23 April 1942.[11][12] Another Mention in Dispatches for Lt. (acting Captain) Korla was announced in The London Gazette on 28 October 1942.[13] Major (temporary) Korla's Military Cross was announced in The London Gazette on 24 May 1945.[14]

Post-Independence

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.[15] From 1958 to 1959, in the rank of colonel, Korla served as the Deputy Commandant of the Indian Military Academy.[16][17] 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.[18]

After the war, from 1968 to 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.[19] On 26 January 1971, he was awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal by the President of India V. V. Giri.[1]

Awards and decorations

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

After retiring from the army, from 1972 to 1976, Korla served as the Director General of the Home Guards in Delhi.[20] In 1975, he relinquished his post as the ceremonial Colonel of the 1st Gorkha Rifles.[21]

References

  1. 1 2 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. ↑ Mani, PRS (1945). Indian Army Observer. pp. 17/3A, 1–2.
  8. ↑ "Korla, Siri Kanth on 'Traces of War'".
  9. ↑ "Distinguished Service Order (DSO) - TracesOfWar.com". www.tracesofwar.com. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  10. ↑ "Military Cross (MC) - TracesOfWar.com". www.tracesofwar.com. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  11. ↑ "Supplement to the London Gazette, 23 April, 1942. (DSO)" (PDF). 23 April 1942.
  12. ↑ "Supplement to The London Gazette, 23 April, 1942. (Mention in Dispatches)" (PDF). 23 April 1942. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  13. ↑ "Supplement to The London Gazette, 28 October, 1942" (PDF). 28 October 1942. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  14. ↑ "Supplement to The London Gazette, 24 May, 1945" (PDF). 24 May 1945. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  15. ↑ Bellamy, Chris (2011). The Gurkhas. Hachette.
  16. ↑ 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.
  17. ↑ "Explore Army/Training Establishment/Army Establishments/IMA/Commandants/Deputy Commandant". Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  18. ↑ 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.
  19. ↑ "Entry in Sainik Samachar, 1971 (issue 18)". Sainik Samachar (18): 14. 1971.
  20. ↑ "'Roll of Honour' on the website of the Delhi Home Guards". Retrieved 17 August 2022.
  21. ↑ "The Gazette of India". The Gazette of India, Part 1 - Section 4: 789. 14 June 1975.
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