King's Commissioned Indian Officer Article Index for
King's
Website Links For
Kings
 

Information About

King's Commissioned Indian Officer




KCIOs were introduced in the early 20th Century under the Indianisation process. They were equivalent in every way to the British King's Commissioned Officer s (KCOs), held the same ranks, and unlike VCOs had authority over British troops. In fact, most KCIOs served on attachment to a British unit for a year or two early in their careers.

Many officers who later held high rank in the post-independence Indian Army and Pakistan Army began their careers as KCIOs. Kodandera Madappa Cariappa , Kodendera Subayya Thimayya , S.P.P. Thorat , B.M. Kaul , and Ayub Khan were a few of the Sandhurst trained officers.

The last of the KCIOs in Indian Army Service was General P.P. Kumaramangalam , who retired in 1969.