Pemmanda K Monnappa-Indian Police

Rao Bahadur Pemmanda K. Monnappa was born and brought up in Kodagu, India was one of the first kodava to join the Indain Police. He joined as a Police Inspector in Madras service in the 1920s and served in various levels until he rose up to the position of Inspector-General of Police in Madras province in 1948.

Family

Son

Pemmanda Belliappa

Achievements

• He was made Inspector-General of Police, the highest position in the police of Hyderabad State, after Operation Polo.
• He served in many parts of Andhra Pradesh, Monnappa was instrumental in suppressing the Razakars rebellion in Andhra Pradesh as the Inspector-General of Police. The then Union Home Minister, Sardar Vallabbhai Patel, had chosen Monnappa to quell the mutiny in Hyderabad.
• He served in three Southern states, Madras (before its disintegration), Hyderabad (Andhra Pradesh) and Mysore (Karnataka). He is best remembered for his contributions towards the integration of Hyderabad into the Union. Monnappa had a career in the Public Service reflected by his titles and medals.
• He was the Inspector-General of Andhra state from 1953 and of Mysore from 1956.
• After the re-organisation of the States in the country in 1956, Monnappa became the first Inspector General of Police of Karnataka State, which was then called the Mysore State.
• P.K. Monnappa was the State’s first Inspector General of Police and also State’s first IP (Imperial Police) Officer. He had also been the first Police Chief of the States of Madras and of Hyderabad before his tenure in Mysore.
• In 1959-60, after his retirement, he served as President of the Kodava Samaja. Along with Field Marshal Cariappa he was instrumental in setting up the present Kodava Samaja, the forum of the Kodava (Coorg) community, building in Bangalore.

Title

• Rao Bahadur was a title of honour accompanied by a medal, During the British Raj, Mr. Monnappa became a police inspector, was made an officer of the IP (Imperial Police) cadre, and eventually he became the Director General of Police of Madras State. The Raj, in recognition of his meritorious service, conferred on him the title ‘Rao Saheb’, at first, and, later, ‘Rao Bahadur’.
• Known for his simplicity and integrity, he was a disciplined and efficient administrator. Monnappa became an inspiration for generations of police officers. By the year 1959 he retired from police service.
• P.K. Monnappa probably held a record of sorts, nine years as an Inspector General of Police, heading the Police in three States: After his retirement in 1958 he lived in Bangalore. Memorials of Mr. Monnappa’s was built in Chennai and Hyderabad.
• Legend has it that during his recruitment interview, which he attended dressed in the traditional Kodava robed costume (the Kuppya Chele), the British officers were awed by his personality.
• Later his son Pemmanda Monnappa Belliappa (P. M. Belliappa) became an IAS officer and was posted as district officer in Tamil Nadu. . He established the Pemmanda Monnappa scholarship fund in 2010 for South Indians studying in Cambridge University. P. M. Belliappa was honored as Coorg person of the year.