Lieutenant General Apparanda Chengappa Aiyappa MBE | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1913-09-02)2 September 1913 Kodagu, British India |
| Died | 1983 (aged 69–70) |
| Allegiance |  IndiaBritish India |
| Branch |  Indian ArmyBritish Indian Army |
| Rank | Lieutenant General |
| Unit | Indian Army Corps of Signals |
| Battles / wars | World War II |
| Other work | Chief ofBharat Electronics Limited |
Lieutenant GeneralApparanda Chengappa Aiyappa,MBE (2 September 1913 – 1983), better known asA. C. Iyappa was an Indian Army officer and decoratedWorld War II veteran. He was the first Indian Signal officer in chief (Head of theIndian Army Corps of Signals). Iyappa was also the first chief of theBharat Electronics Limited (BEL).
Iyappa was born on 2 September 1913 during theBritish Raj,[1] into the wealthy and influential Apparanda family which belonged to theKodava community ofKodagu. He studied atBishop Cotton Boys' SchoolBangalore, and later atStamford School, Lincolnshire inEngland. After college, he went on to join theIndian Military Academy, and from there got an Admission into theBritish Indian Army.
When the post World War I re-organization of the Indian Army was carried out, the Indian Signals Corps was formed as a separate corps on 17 April 1920.[2]
On 7 July 1935 he was commissioned fromIndian Military Academy on to the Indian Land Forces, Special List and on 12 August 1935 he was attached to the 1st battalion 7th Rajput Regiment and the Indian Signal Corps. He was promoted Lieutenant, Indian Land Forces, Special List on 2 December 1936. He was appointed to the Indian Army 23 November 1937. In early 1939 he was permanently appointed to the Indian Signal Corps.[3][4][5]
Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) was set up at Bangalore, by the Government of India under the Ministry of Defence in 1954 to meet the specialised electronic needs of theIndian Defence Services. Over the years, it has grown into a multi-product, multi-technology, multi-unit company serving the needs of customers in diverse fields in India and abroad. BEL is among an elite group of public sector undertakings which have been conferred the Navratna status by the Government of India. When it was first set up, the Government of India made Iyappa its first chairman; he remained in this position for 18 years.[6]
Iyappa was married to Sita Achaya. Iyappa died from cancer in 1983, and his wife died in 1993.[7]
Today there is a park named after him (General Iyappa Park), near BEL circle in Bangalore.[8]