https://indianpedia.org/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=K.A.S._RajaK.A.S. Raja - Revision history2026-07-31T14:54:31ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.45.4https://indianpedia.org/index.php?title=K.A.S._Raja&diff=365013&oldid=prevBot at 02:19, 26 October 20222022-10-26T02:19:29Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>'''Kottimukula Alagaraja Singaparaja Raja''', known as '''K.A.S. Raja''', was an Indian military officer.<br />
<br />
== Early life ==<br />
K.A.S. Raja was born to a politically prominent family from [[Madras]], India. He was a nephew of [[P. S. Kumaraswamy Raja]], who served as the [[Chief Minister]] of [[Madras Presidency]] and Governor of [[Odisha|Orissa]].<ref name= NYT/><br />
<br />
== Military career ==<br />
On the 17th June 1940 Raja enlisted in the ranks of the 11th (Madras) battalion, Indian Territorial Force then on the 28th July 1940 was granted a [[Viceroy's commissioned officer|viceroy's commission]] in the rank of [[Jemadar]] in the same unit.<ref>January 1941 Indian Army List. Defence Department, Government of India, 1941</ref> The battalion was converted to a regular battalion of the [[British Indian Army]] on 15th September, 1941 titled the 1st Battalion, 3rd Madras Regiment.<ref>October 1941 Indian Army List. Defence Department, Government of India, 1941</ref> On the 21st December 1941 Raja received an emergency commission as a second lieutenant in the 3rd Madras Regiment in the [[British Indian Army]].<ref>July 1942 and April 1943 Indian Army List. Defence Department, Government of India, 1942 & 1943</ref><br />
<br />
Raja fought in the [[Burma campaign]] and qualified as a paratrooper, choosing to wear a [[parachutist badge]] throughout the rest of his career. Following the end of the war, he studied at a military staff college in India.<ref name= NYT/> In 1946 he was granted a regular Indian Army commission. <ref>October 1946 Indian Army List. Page 269c. Defence Department, Government of India, 1946</ref> Following India's independence in 1947, he was made commander of a battalion in the [[Indian Army]].<ref name= NYT>{{cite news| title = U.N. Military Chief K.A.S. Raja| newspaper = The New York Times| page = A2| date = 7 December 1961}}</ref> He commanded the 1st Battalion of the [[Madras Regiment]] with the rank of lieutenant colonel during the [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1947–1948]].<ref>{{cite web| url = https://indianarmy.nic.in/Site/FormTemplete/frmTempSimple.aspx?MnId=vZImvgrrgDHltgY0tQarUg==&ParentID=pViOCVVotGARvLx44V/shA==| title = Jammu and Kashmir War| website = Official Indian Army Web Portal| publisher = Indian Army| access-date = 19 May 2021}}</ref><br />
<br />
In the spring of 1961 Raja led a 4,500 strong contingent,<ref name= NYT/> the Indian Independent Brigade Group, to the [[Republic of the Congo (Léopoldville)|Republic of the Congo]] to serve as a peacekeeping force in the [[United Nations Operation in the Congo]] (ONUC).<ref>{{cite web| url = https://indianarmy.nic.in/Site/FormTemplete/frmTempSimple.aspx?MnId=JW8MPijJ6LLvj59K5HV83g==&ParentID=d5oIWNXoMOLPT2epmIfr1Q==| title = UN Missions| website = Official Indian Army Web Portal| publisher = Indian Army| access-date = 19 May 2021}}</ref> On 5 August 1961 ONUC created an independent Katanga Command under Raja headquartered in [[Lubumbashi|Élisabethville]].{{sfn|Mockaitis|1999|p=27}} On 28 August he led ONUC forces in conducting [[Operation Rum Punch]], and action to detain and deport mercenaries and foreign military personnel serving in the [[Katangese Gendarmerie]].{{sfn|Colvin|1968|p=73}} He returned to India with his brigade in April 1962.<ref>{{cite news| title = Jawans come home from Congo| newspaper = Forum: The Indian Monthly Magazine| page = 17| date = 1962| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=eoyVhw0kuQwC}}</ref><br />
<br />
== Legacy ==<br />
In the 2016 film ''[[The Siege of Jadotville (film)|The Siege of Jadotville]]'', based on the events of the [[Siege of Jadotville]] and concurrent [[Operation Morthor]] in September 1961, Raja's role is portrayed by the character General Raja.<ref>{{cite news| url = https://www.livemint.com/opinion/columns/indias-under-appreciated-role-as-sword-arm-of-the-un-11619546965882.html| title = India's under-appreciated role as sword arm of the UN| last = Nayudu| first = Swapna Kona| date = 28 April 2021| newspaper = [[Mint (newspaper)|Mint]]| access-date = 19 May 2021}}</ref><br />
<br />
== References ==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
<br />
== Works cited ==<br />
* {{cite book| last = Colvin| first = Ian Goodhope | title = The rise and fall of Moise Tshombe: a biography| publisher = Ferwin| date = 1968| location = London| isbn = 9780090876501 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=FtpyAAAAMAAJ| oclc = 752436625}}<br />
* {{cite book| last = Mockaitis| first = Thomas R.| title = Peace Operations and Intrastate Conflict: The Sword Or the Olive Branch?| publisher = Greenwood Publishing Group| edition = illustrated| date = 1999| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=THalVADg3EkC| isbn = 9780275961732}}<br />
<br />
{{Authority control}}<br />
<br />
{{DEFAULTSORT:Raja, K.A.S.}}<br />
[[Category:People from Tamil Nadu]]<br />
[[Category:British Indian Army officers]]<br />
[[Category:Paratroopers]]<br />
[[Category:Possibly living people]]<br />
[[Category:Year of birth missing]]<br />
[[Category:Indian generals]]<br />
[[Category:Indian Army personnel of World War II]]<br />
[[Category:People of the Congo Crisis]]</div>Bot