Major-General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

Sir Hiraji Jehangir Manekji Cursetji, KCIE, CSI, DSO (14 August 1885 – 26 July 1964) was an Indian

military surgeon ''Military Medicine'' is a monthly peer-reviewed medical journal covering all aspects of medicine in military settings. It is published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Association of Military Surgeons of the United States. It was est ...

and general in the

British Indian Army The British Indian Army, commonly referred to as the Indian Army, was the main military of the British Raj before its dissolution in 1947. It was responsible for the defence of the British Indian Empire, including the princely states, which co ...

during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

Biography

Born in

Mumbai Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the second- ...

(then Bombay), to a prominent

Parsi Parsis () or Parsees are an ethnoreligious group of the Indian subcontinent adhering to Zoroastrianism. They are descended from Persians who migrated to Medieval India during and after the Arab conquest of Iran (part of the early Muslim conq ...

family, Cursetji initially aspired to a cavalry commission in the

due to his fondness for riding, but ultimately opted for the Indian Medical Service. He studied at Gonville and Caius Colleges at

Cambridge University , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

and at

London Hospital The Royal London Hospital is a large teaching hospital in Whitechapel in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is part of Barts Health NHS Trust. It provides district general hospital services for the City of London and Tower Hamlets and sp ...

before entering the

Indian Medical Service The Indian Medical Service (IMS) was a military medical service in British India, which also had some civilian functions. It served during the two World Wars, and remained in existence until the independence of India in 1947. Many of its officer ...

as a lieutenant on 27 January 1912. During the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, he served in Egypt, Gallipoli and Mesopotamia. He was promoted to captain on 27 January 1915. In October 1916, he was appointed a Knight of the Order of the White Eagle of

Serbia Serbia (, ; Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe, Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Bas ...

(5th Class, with swords). As a medical officer attached to the

14th King George's Own Ferozepore Sikhs The 14th King George's Own Ferozepore Sikhs was a regiment of the British Indian Army; they can trace their origins to the ''Regiment of Ferozepore'' formed in 1846. The regiment had a number of different titles over the following years: the 14th ...

during the

Mesopotamian campaign The Mesopotamian campaign was a campaign in the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I fought between the Allies represented by the British Empire, troops from Britain, Australia and the vast majority from British India, against the Central Powe ...

, Captain Cursetji was awarded the DSO on 26 May 1919 for his service at the battles of Mushaq (26–27 October 1918) and Sharqat (29 October 1918): Cursetji was promoted to major in the IMS on 27 January 1924, and was

brevetted In many of the world's military establishments, a brevet ( or ) was a warrant giving a commissioned officer a higher rank title as a reward for gallantry or meritorious conduct but may not confer the authority, precedence, or pay of real rank. ...

to the rank of lieutenant-colonel in the Indian Army on 1 January 1931. On 8 January of that year, he was appointed a deputy assistant director of medical services, and was promoted to the substantive rank of lieutenant-colonel on 27 July. In 1938, he was appointed as the Officer-in-Charge of Hospitals, Lucknow District. He was promoted to colonel on 1 December 1938 (with seniority from 1 January 1934). On 23 February 1941, Cursetji was appointed an Honorary Surgeon to the King (KHS). On 12 July, he was promoted to major-general, the first Indian to achieve a substantive

general officer A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". OED O ...

rank in the British Indian Army. During the Second World War, the IMS was integrated with the Indian Army Medical Corps. In September, Cursetji was appointed as Deputy Director of Medical Services, Northern Command, and transferred to the North-Western Army in the same role in April 1942. He was appointed a Companion of the

Order of the Star of India The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1861. The Order includes members of three classes: # Knight Grand Commander (GCSI) # Knight Commander ( KCSI) # Companion ( CSI) No appointments ...

(CSI) in the 1943 New Year Honours list, and was knighted as a Knight Commander of the

Order of the Indian Empire The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria on 1 January 1878. The Order includes members of three classes: #Knight Grand Commander (GCIE) #Knight Commander ( KCIE) #Companion ( CIE) No appoi ...

(KCIE) in the 1946 New Year Honours list. He retired on 1 June 1946, and settled in England, where he lived until his death in an automobile accident on 26 July 1964. His estate was assessed for probate on 23 October, with a valuation of £10,641 (equivalent to £ in ).

Awards and decorations

Ribbon bar (as it would look today): Order of the Indian Empire Ribbon

King George V Silver Jubilee Medal ribbon

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cursetji, Hiraji Indian Army generals of World War II Indian Medical Service officers Indian knights Knights Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire Companions of the Order of the Star of India Companions of the Distinguished Service Order Indian surgeons 1885 births 1964 deaths 20th-century Indian medical doctors Medical doctors from Mumbai