Kalengada Muthanna Cariappa (Prakash)

Birth

21^st May 1958

Parents

Father

K N Muthanna.

Mother

 Smt Seetha Muthanna

Spouse

Muccatira  ( Pulikot ) Reena

Siblings

Lt Col K M Ganapathy (Retd).

K Sarojini Muthanna,

K M Madaiah,

 

Awards

• Presidents Police Medal for Distinguished Service in 2018
• Indian Police Medal for Meritorious Service in 2010,
• DG’s Golden Disc in 2017
• DG’s Silver Disc in 2016.

About

Cariappa is the only practicing Phrenologist in the country who divines behavioural patterns of people from the shape of the cranium, in minutes. He analyzed over 30000 people from various walks of life, wrote articles, delivered talks in several important forums including, one at the Defence Institute of Physiological Research for all the Directors of DRDO.

Cariappa is a miniature artist who carves on chalk and has 100 miniature sculpture pieces conveying thought provoking messages including, one with an entry in the ‘Limca Book of Records- 1993 edition’ which is the smallest carving on chalk i.e., a 3 mm elephant. In later years, he made some unsuccessful efforts for an entry into the Guinness Book of Records with a formidable 1.5 mm elephant. The print, audio and video media have extensively interviewed and profiled his hobbies. Many of them were ‘live telecast and broadcast’.

Career

Cariappa served in the ‘first elite Special Force of the country’, Special Service Bureau which was established in 1963 after the Chinese PLA perfidiously gathered intelligence on Indian Army locations, weaponry, deployment, strength, movement, etc., in exchange for sugar, butter and soaps. Before the war, the Indian border population was convinced that they belonged to the Chinese race, as their features and language resembled the Chinese and so sought their help to over throw the enemy (Indian Army) who are foreigners. At that stage, they were unaware that they belonged to India, as no GOI or State official had ever visited or rendered any welfare measures in those areas. The Government of India construed that “Army alone cannot win a war, the assured, strong and active support of border population was an inevitable necessity”. To counter this misdemeanor and create that conducive atmosphere for national security and the Army to operate in, the Special Service Bureau personnel toiled in the international borders.

By virtue of his appointment, as the first Assistant Publicity Officer to the Special Service Bureau (now Sashastra Seema Bal) at their Headquarters, in New Delhi in March 1989, this crucial responsibility of facilitating an enduring atmosphere in the frontier areas came to him. Cariappa became the fountainhead of all presentations, exhibitions, awareness generation material, training material, talking points, posters, brochures, pamphlets, campaigns and workshops too. Apart from preparing the educational material for the frontiersman to comprehend the benign presence of the government, he had the keystone role of enlightening them about the nation vis-à-vis enemy machinations; invigorate their sense of patriotic fervor by widening their perspective, belongingness and security consciousness to finally gird up for the national cause by becoming the eyes and ears of the country. He proactively took on new responsibilities and executed them, dexterously. SSB’s hush-hush role did not inhibit Cariappa. With clarity of thought he successfully changed SSB’s ‘media shy’ secretive policy to project its great ethos, accomplishments and invigorate its frontiersman friendly image. Consequentially, he created the first ever in-house film on the achievements of the Force for presenting to VVIPs, for training purposes and during induction of Senior Officers. He did the script, voice over and direction of the film. After this film production became a routine, for all occasions. He edited the Silver Jubilee Special Issue of the House magazine and also produced four other unpublished pending issues, in two months of his joining.

To enrich Perception Management works he designed Government of India’s first-ever fully loaded Publicity Van with a three gun projector, generator, TV, VCR, VCP, 30 odd publicity equipments and large stocks of allopathic, homeopathic and veterinary medicines for dispensing free during Publicity Campaigns. 54 such vans were deployed all along 15 Border States with China, Pakistan and Bangladesh. These vehicles proved to be a force multiplier and were efficacious deployed in interior areas of Chhattisgarh (Salwa Judum Camps), J&K, NE; in scores of transnational rallies (conceptualized and executed by KMC) and in natural disaster Relief camps. Annually, hundreds of seven day Publicity Campaigns were scheduled, all along the far flung areas of the international borders for which Cariappa facilitated the funds, concepts and materials.

As Assistant Director (Publicity), Cariappa prepared all presentations with archival photographs, data and graphics for the Cabinet Secretary, Special Secretary and the Prime Minister too. He prepared the materials for the Director of SSB to brief the PMs, Governors, CMs, Union Ministers and on scores of occasions he briefed the dignitaries and the media. When SSB was redeployed on Indo Nepal and Indo Bhutan Borders as a Border Guarding Force in 2002 these endeavours continued in an embellished manner. With alacrity, Cariappa conceptualized and established, the first ever Police (SSB) Museum at Faridabad in Haryana in 40 days which was inaugurated by the Shri Shivraj Patil, Union Home Minister.

Cariappa’s assignments included monitoring and promptly countering anti India propaganda from across the border and the media. To overcome the rigid restrictions of not going outside office for printing propaganda and counter-propaganda materials, he established a printing press, photo & video studio, flex printing facility within the Headquarters to generate perception management and secret materials under the guise of producing training materials and forms. His talking points were echoed all along the border areas by field Officers. He assigned teams for this work in all operational areas. In the early nineties, when private transporters feared separatists looting unit stores due to unrest in the NE, Cariappa got tones of publicity materials and equipments airlifted in an AN-32 aircraft and distributed them personally on a runway somewhere in the North East to five Divisions to ensure that we were not found wanting in ground zero, on this count. On another occasion, Cariappa went on a Special Assignment to photograph scores of terrorist harbourers in the frontier areas of Jammu & Kashmir. With an alibi of surveying and identifying spots for installing Solar equipments free of cost in the villages by Government of India, he approached villagers and took intrusive pics of harbourers, suspected facilitators of terrorists in safe houses of separatists and mosques which even surprised MHA. In this pedagogical work no weapon is authorized even when confronted by separatists or when searching for our stolen vehicle or halting in Paresh Baruah’s (ULFA Chief) village.

When SSB donned the border guarding role on Indo Nepal and Indo Bhutan borders he handled Director’s General and I’sG Press Conferences, interviews and media coverage for all activities from seizure, ambush, study tours, Publicity campaigns, civic action and welfare programmes held for the benefit of frontiersmen. For decades, he proactively stalled negative stories against SSB. As Editor of two different SSB magazines, he wrote scores of well researched articles, produced scores of commemorative issues and trend setting brochures. He also produced several formation signs of SSB, Force songs, training and corporate films. For several occasions and years, he drafted speeches of Union Home Ministers apart from DG, ADG and other VVIPs. Cariappa digitalized 43 years of SSB News/ Samachar, 3.80 lakh pictures for posterity and finally, authored the cloak & dagger role of SSB. Three of his books were released by the Union Home Minister, Shri Rajnath Singh and four others are awaiting declassification procedures.

Further as Assistant Director (Development), Cariappa liaisoned successfully with two dozen Ministries of the Central Government to dovetail their schemes with SSB. As a result, the flow of funds increased manifolds thus enabling the Force to build infrastructure like, strategic roads, community halls, ponds, schools, playgrounds (to be used as helipads, water points and camping grounds by Army in exigencies). SSB also provided the villagers with non conventional energy devices, aids and appliances; conducted women emancipation, empowerment programmes and awareness generation programmes in health and nation building endeavours; provided multi-gyms, mobile libraries, dispensaries, vocational training to ensure our trained frontiersman became self reliant and did not migrate to cities, in search of employment. To build that sense of pride about the Nation and to stand up unwaveringly to the cause of the Nation, the border youth were taken on study tours across the country to make them understand the enormity, might, achievement and other developments in the Nation. Cariappa not only changed the way Perception Management, even the Civic Action Programmes were conducted in the Divisions and frontiers, on Indo Nepal and Indo Bhutan borders by facilitating materials and crores of rupees for works through 100’s of welfare programmes, annually. All funds relating to Welfare measures were released by Cariappa to field units. He thanks his destiny for blessing him with an opportunity to contribute towards Nation Security.

Cariappa also had the opportunity to be on deputation with Ircon International Limited-2002-05, as Dy General Manager (PR) and as Joint General Manager (PR) in the Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation-2010-11. He did some path breaking works, wrote articles on technical subjects on behalf of the MD’s of the PSU. He embellished the house magazines, produced exhibition kits for International Trade Fairs, film production and during the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, he prepared IRCTC’s image building displays in the Stadiums and city and all Public Relations work.

Education

Cariappa completed his schooling from St. Patrick, Intermediate from Tagore’s Home Junior College and completed his Bachelor in Arts from Railway Degree College, in Secunderabad. Cariappa recollects his dad’s sterling advice, “To go a long way in life, one needs to be swift, disciplined, diligent and competitive.” His proactive multi-faceted mother ensured he read the Ramayana & Mahabharata and got him involved in Chinmaya Mission activities. This made him spiritually ingrained and proactively responsible to stand up to causes. He was exposed to character and nation building endeavours in the Rashtriya Swayam Sewak Sangh and mastered unarmed combat, stick fight and sword fight and was anointed ‘the demonstrator’ for all VVIP visits. By the time he finished his Intermediate exam, he became the Mukhya Shikshak (In-charge) of the Padmarao Nagar RSS Branch (Shaka) in Secunderabad. As a result, his leadership, organizing and man management skills were honed. On the advice his elder brother Cariappa joined the ‘Air Force wing’ of the National Cadet Corps in school and in Degree college, he adorned the Senior Under Officer’s rank in ‘Army wing’ and represented the State of Andhra Pradesh in Advance Leadership with Rock Climbing Course (Manali), Army Attachment Camps, CATC, adjudged ‘Best Cadet for the year 1979-80’ and was later short listed for the Republic Day Parade in New Delhi, in 1983. His elder sister got him involved in Young Orators Club, where he learnt the onions of oratory.

After completing MA (Political Science) in Bangalore University in 1983, he earned an M Phil degree in ‘Parliament and National Security Policy of India -1965 War’ from Bangalore University by 1986. Here too, he was proactive in studies and participated in seminars, literary & sports competitions and organized several noteworthy blood donation and awareness programmes on campus.

Sports

Cariappa joined the Indo-GDR Athletic Club in Hyderabad and became the Under-19 State Champion in Andhra Pradesh in Shot Put, Javelin, Discuss and Hammer Throw. He played cricket for several clubs in city and Railway Degree College where he completed his graduation. He led the College athletic, kabbadi, debate and quiz teams and ran a very popular Wall News Journal, ‘Spark’ in the College. He was elected President of the Degree College and made Coordinator of National Social Service Scheme where he conducted several innovative programmes and camps. With strong leadership, he put an end to gang wars in the college. As a student, he earned enough pocket money from AIR, Yuva Vani Channel, Hyderabad by reporting and reading Sports News, presenting western music programs, talks and plays in commissioned variety entertainment programmes. He also designed and screen printed frolic cards and sold them in ‘Gangarams’ and directly to customers in Bangalore. Cariappa also featured in short roles in Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam movies.

Laurels 

Cariappa was elected the President of ‘Rotaract Club of Bangalore South’ (RCBS) in 1983. Under his leadership, the club which did 12 projects per year conducted 80 odd projects including, the best, biggest and ‘first-of-its-kind projects’ in the year. Out of 32 clubs in city his Club won the Health, Youth, International, Community Service Awards and the Best President Award too, in the Rotaract District Meet of 1983-84. After being re-elected as President, his club conducted 110 projects and won all the awards for the second consecutive year. He was then elected District Secretary of Rotary District-319, in 1985-86. In recognition of his sterling leadership, he became the first-ever Rotaractor to be offered the ‘honorary membership of the Rotary Bangalore East Club’. On his steam, Cariappa did 200 odd programs in the Rotaract Club, in seven years. Several innovative programs were organised in association with Karnataka State Police, IISc, Hospitals of Bangalore, T A Pai Foundation, Kidney Foundation, etc. Later, Cariappa also became the Vice President of the ‘Eye Donors Association Bangalore’ in which eye donation awareness campaigns were pioneered in Bangalore and few eyes extricated too. Cariappa is a founder member and Director of the ‘Bhagyanagar Jaycees Club’ in Secunderabad and was also the founder member of the Rotary Club of Cubbon Park in Bangalore.

In 1988, when Bangalore City Police filed dozens of cases against private blood banks and professional donors for brazenly fleecing the needy and supplying infected blood, Cariappa pioneered a series of Blood Donation Camps in colleges and offices and collected nearly 500 bottles of blood, annually, through Rotaract Club. He maintained a list of 400 committed blood donors with universal and rare blood groups from across city. When relatives of patients contacted Cariappa through hospitals, he would identify, brief and ready the donors to reach the Hospital on their own expense in quick time. Cariappa donated blood on 14 occasions and arranged 350-450 units of blood, annually. On several occasions, for open heart surgery outside Bangalore, 20 donors were provided at a time. In such a scenario, Cariappa’s service was unique and a great facility for patients. Even when the ‘Rotary Blood Bank’ was established by TTK, Cariappa was consulted on methodology and perception management to adopt.    

Cariappa was first employed as Junior Reference Officer at ‘The Times of India’ (TOI) in Bangalore in 1986. He had to be alert and ahead in tracking news and photographs (in the pre-google search days) and compile for the editors. Proactively, he liaisoned with individuals, research institutions, Public Sector Units, State & Central Government Ministries and their Departments for well researched papers, backgrounders, photos and graphics for use in special supplements. He also developed an accurate and swift retrieval system for the benefit of all in the editorial and advertising branches of Times Group of publications across the country. He also prepared graphic designs for Budget and all special supplements and rewarded for conducting the TOI’s prestigious Ashok Jain Awards Exhibition for Public Awareness at Taj Hotel in 1989 with the Governor of Karnataka as the Chief Guest.

When BSF was demobilizing from MM Hills in Karnataka after Veerappan blew up two of their buses in a series of IED blast, in 1993, Shri S C Burman, Director General of Karnataka Police and in-charge of ‘Veerappan Operations’ then stated in the media that the Police had collected enough information about Veerappan but had no way of confirming their authenticity. Cariappa walked into DG’s chamber and offered to help. But DG became reluctant to share Police intelligence about the brigand as Cariappa neither had any personal contact with Veerappan, nor had met him. Unwilling to give up ,Cariappa swiftly prepared an exhaustive Phrenological analysis of Veerappan from a single photograph published, on the cover of ‘India Today’ and sent it to the DG. He called for a meeting in DG’s Office with Cariappa and confided. Several closed door meetings were arranged with the DG to analyze the hunt and movements of Veerappan and his men. Cariappa discussed strategy planning, tactics, offered psy-war and propaganda suggestions which the Chief acknowledged, as very useful.

Cariappa retired from service as Assistant Director in 2018 and has since settled in Yadavgiri in Mysore and enjoys his leisure with his hobbies and trips to Bengaluru and Kodagu. To wear several hats, his advice to the youth is simple, be go-getters, proactive, be a good team member first and leadership will come your way, inevitably.