The correct answer is option 2, Gen. K.M. Kariappa. The first Indian Commander-in-Chief was appointed after India gained independence from British rule. Gen. K.M. Kariappa was chosen for this role and he served as the Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army from 1948 to 1955. He played a crucial role in the integration of princely states into the Indian Union and in shaping the structure and organization of the Indian Army. Option 1, Gen. K. S. Thimayya, is not the correct answer as he served as the Chief of Army Staff but not as the Commander-in-Chief. Option 3, S.H.F.J. Manekshaw, also known as Sam Manekshaw, was the first Indian Army officer to be promoted to the rank of Field Marshal, but he did not hold the position of Commander-in-Chief. Option 4, None of the above, is not the correct answer as there was indeed a first Indian Commander-in-Chief.