 He served in various staff capacities at various unit and command headquarters (HQ) and also at the General HQ, New Delhi.Before taking over as the C-in-C of the Indian Army, Cariappa served as the commander of the Indian Army's Eastern and Western Commands.Cariappa was born on 28 January 1899, in Shanivarsanthe, Kodagu (Coorg), to a family of farmers belonging to the Kodandera clan.