Gen Thimayya: A distinguished life

A rocket launcher is just one of the many weapons on display at the museum. Photos by author

The entrance to the General Thimayya museum. Photos by author  

A photo of the General on his scooter at the museum. Photos by author 

Field Marshal K M Cariappa and General K S Thimayya, both from Kodagu, broke down several barriers for Indians in the army. The General Thimayya Memorial Museum commemorates the life of the Indian General and is meant to inspire the younger generation to join the armed forces.

The museum was originally called Sunnyside and was the family home of Gen Thimayya. But not many people know that it was his mother Cheppudira Cheethavva (aka Seethamma) who inherited the house from her father.

Thimayya’s two brothers went on to serve in the army as well. Thimayya himself had a four-decade-long career in the armed forces from 1926 to 1961. A distinguished combat officer, he saw action in the Second World War, then in the 1948 war against Pakistan and went on to serve as Army Chief from 1957 to 1961.

After his retirement, he was sent on a peacekeeping mission to Cyprus, where he passed away in 1964.

But his illustrious career in the armed forces could have turned out differently. At one point, as a young lieutenant, he wanted to quit the army and join the Indian freedom movement, but was dissuaded from doing so by Motilal Nehru.

“Nothing will please the British more than your resignation. For 30 years we have fought for Army Indianisation. We are now winning the fight. If you give up, we shall have lost it,” Nehru told him. “We are going to win independence. Perhaps not this year or the next, but sooner than later the British will be driven out. When that happens, India will stand alone. We will have no one to protect us but ourselves. It is then that our survival will depend upon men like you.”

Nehru’s prescient words led Thimayya to stay on in the army. The rest is history, and is on display at Thimayya’s family home.

For some years, the Sunnyside House served as the RTO office in Madikeri. This was until the Field Marshal K M Cariappa and General Thimayya Forum, whose president Col (retired) Kandrathanda C Subbaiah and convener Major (retired) Biddanda Nanda Nanjappa renovated and converted it into a museum.

This museum is spread over 2.6 acres and located on G T Road in Mahadevpet in Madikeri, and was inaugurated in February 2021 by the President of India Ram Nath Kovind.

An old-style building, many rooms in the house have been dedicated to various members of Thimayya’s family. One room has been dedicated to General Thimayya’s wife Codanda Nina. Another room is dedicated to Thimayya’s brother Freddie, the painter, while a third has been dedicated to General Thimayya’s home regiment, the Kumaon.

One room also displays Kodava culture: there is a Kuppya Chele (traditional male costume) on display accompanied by a hand-wound, Pani-katt, white turban.

The house itself has several pictures from Thimayya’s life, along with a video film. There is a famous photo of the General riding a Lambretta scooter. There are also pictures of Thimayya during his wedding.

Besides this, a replica of his uniform and medals are on display.

The museum also houses 24 weapons donated by General Bipin Rawat. Outside the house, near the entrance, stands a battle tank called Himmath, donated by the Army training centre in Pune, a decommissioned MIG21 supersonic fighter jet and interceptor aircraft, a 24-feet INS Shivalik ship model, a Sindhughosh submarine and a Navy gun mount (anti-aircraft gun).

Both the tank and the jet were used during the 1971 war.