The Defence Services Staff College (DSSC) was shifted from Quetta in the present day Pakistan to Wellington, Coonoor, only after Independence in 1947. However, more than 150 years ago, the British had sent their regiments to convalesce in the Nilgiris mountains, away from the dry, hot climate of the plains. A depot was established in 1862 to treat up to 500 convalescent soldiers every year, with the land for the barracks acquired from the Todas and the Badagas.
Reverend Phillip K. Mulley, a long-time chronicler of the Nilgiris, who spoke to The Hindu about the history of the Wellington Cantonment, said much of the land on which the barracks stand was acquired from the Inkity clan of the Todas and the rest was acquired from the Badagas. “Interestingly, when the land was acquired by the British, their move to cut down two Nilgiri elm trees (Celtis tetrandra), which were sacred to the Badagas, led to a riot in 1855. This stopped the British from cutting the second tree for 50 years,” said Reverend Mulley.
Named after Wellington
Before the construction of the barracks in 1862, the area was named Wellington to commemorate the Duke of Wellington, Arthur Wellesley, who had advocated for a sanatorium to be opened in the hills, added Reverend Mulley.
Till 1947, 27 British regiments had been stationed at Wellington, which had a race course, a cricket pavilion, a polo ground, and an 18-hole golf course for the recreation of soldiers. Following Independence, the DSSC was relocated to the Nilgiris. The Madras Regimental Centre at Madukkarai in Coimbatore district, too, was shifted to Wellington on the eve of Independence. Since then, more than 30 officers from the DSSC have gone on to become the Chiefs of Army Staff, Air Force Staff, and Naval Staff, said Reverend Mulley.
One of the most instantly recognisable landmarks in Wellington is the imposing War Memorial. “Known as the Madras Regiment War Memorial, it was first erected in memory of the soldiers of the regiment who laid down their lives during the Second World War and the Jammu and Kashmir operations of 1947. Today, it bears the names of all the soldiers who laid down their lives in the line of duty from 1941. It was unveiled by the first Indian Colonel of the regiment, Lt. Gen. (later General) S. M. Sriganesh, on October 1, 1951,” said P.J. Vasanthan, a history-enthusiast of the Nilgiris.
Mr. Vasanthan said that at the spot where the war memorial stands was once a fountain, an important landmark in Wellington. “The earliest mention of this fountain is by Grigg in his Manual of 1880, which he describes as the centre point of the cantonment, and calls it the fountain where ten roads met — from Kotagiri, Coonoor, Barracks, and the Commissariat being the most conspicuous.”
“In the 1908 Gazetteer of Sir W. Francis, it is again plainly described as ‘The Fountain’, where six roads met, presumably the roads converging from the Gymkhana, the Officers Mess of the DSSC, the Supply Depot, the Flagstaff House, and from the township of Kotagiri,” he added.
‘Inauspicious’ crest
The crest of the DSSC still showcases its links to its previous iteration in Quetta, where it was represented by the crest of the Staff College in Camberly — a ‘Wise Owl’ with a Latin motto Tam Marte Quam Minerva (By the pen as much as the sword). Following its relocation to the Nilgiris, there were some efforts to change the crest, with the owl being considered inauspicious by officers.
While the army headquarters preferred the owl to be replaced with a falcon, the owl won out after a long battle. “Though the falcon’s looks were martial enough, it lacked the owl’s sage and wise countenance. After much bickering and design changes, the owl, perched on crossed swords against a maroon background, was approved by the Chiefs of Staff in 1963, and the motto Yuddham Pragya (To war with wisdom) was ratified in 1964. The wise old owl finally won the war for its survival after fighting its battles tenaciously for 16 long years,” added Mr. Vasanthan.
Published – September 26, 2025 06:30 am IST
