Date of Birth : April 15, 1919
Birth Place : Lyallpur, Punjab
Service: Air Force
Last Rank: Marshal of the IAF
Years of Service : 1938–1970
Battles/Wars: Indo-Pak War-1965
Awards: DFC
Date of Demise: Sep 16, 2017
Marshal of the IAF Arjan Singh, DFC
Marshal of the IAF Arjan Singh was born on April 15, 1919, in a military family in Lyallpur in Punjab of undivided India. His father, grandfather and great grandfather too had served in the Army. Patriotism ran in his family as his father was a Lance Daffadar in the Hodson’s Horse at the time of his birth, and retired as a full Risaldar of the Cavalry. His grandfather Risaldar Major Hukam Singh and great-grandfather, Naib Risaldar Sultana Singh had also served in Army.
Military Career
MIAF Arjan Singh was selected to the Empire Pilot training course at RAF Cranwell when he was 19 years old. His first assignment on being commissioned was to fly Westland Wapiti biplanes in the North-Western Frontier Province as a member of the No.1 Royal Indian Air Force Squadron. He was promoted to the rank of Squadron Leader in 1944 and led the squadron against the Japanese during the Arakan Campaign — flying close air support missions during the crucial Imphal Campaign and later assisting the advance of the Allied Forces to Rangoon.
For his role in successfully leading the squadron in combat, then Sqn Ldr Arjan Singh was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) in 1944. After his promotion to the rank of a Wing Commander, he attended the Royal Staff College in Britain. Immediately after Independence, he commanded Ambala Air Force Station in the rank of Group Captain. In 1949, he was promoted to Air Commodore and took over as Air Officer Commanding of an operational command that later came to be known as Western Air Command.
Then Air Cmde Arjan Singh had the distinction of having the longest tenure as the AOC of an Operational base, initially from 1949-1952 and then again from 1957-1961. After his promotion to Air Vice Marshal, he was appointed as the AOC-in-C of an Operational Command. Towards the end of the 1962 war, he was appointed as the Deputy Chief of Air Staff and became the Vice Chief in 1963.
On August 1, 1964, in the rank of Air Marshal, he took the reins of the IAF at a time when the force was still rebuilding itself and was gearing up to meet new challenges. Marshal of the IAF Arjan Singh was a WWII hero and won our nation’s gratitude for his military leadership in 1965 war. He led a young Air Force into the war against Pakistan in 1965 when he was 45. With careful planning, unmatched insight and wisdom, Arjan Singh, out-foxed Pakistan Air Force which had top of line US jets as against India’s old Gnats and Vampire fighters. After a few initial setbacks, the Indian Air Force outmaneuvered the Pakistani fighters, handing a decisive air superiority to the Indian war effort. He remained the IAF chief from August 1, 1964, to July 15, 1969. He was the first Indian Air Chief to be elevated to the rank of Air Chief Marshal on January 16, 1966. He retired from the service in 1970 after a glorious service career at the age of 50.
Post Retirement Period
After his retirement from the air force, MIAF Arjan Singh was appointed as India’s Ambassador to Switzerland in 1971 and concurrently served as the Ambassador to the Vatican. He was also the High Commissioner to Kenya in 1974. He served as a member of the National Commission for Minorities and was also the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi. In recognition of his lifelong services, the government conferred the rank of the “Marshal of the Indian Air Force” on Arjan Singh on January 28, 2002, making him the first and the only ‘Five Star’ rank officer with the Indian Air Force.
MIAF Arjan Singh left for his heavenly abode on 16 Sep 2017 at the age of 98, owing to natural causes. MIAF Arjan Singh will go down in the military history of India as one of the greatest soldiers and will continue to inspire future generations.
The List of Awards:
- Padma Vibhushan
- General Service Medal 1947
- Raksha Medal
- Indian Independence Medal
- Distinguished Flying Cross
- 1939–1945 Star
- Burma Star
- War Medal 1939–1945
- India Service Medal
On 14 April 2016 at an event to mark the Marshal’s 97th birthday, the then Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha announced that Indian Air Force base at Panagarh in West Bengal would be named after MIAF Arjan Singh in his honor and would be called Air Force Station Arjan Singh.
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Source
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Pravesh Kumar
2017 at 5:45 pmMy dream to salute HIM as an IAF Officer remains unsuccessful dream forever.
RIP Sir.
Harsh Choubey
2017 at 6:09 pmThank you for your service to our nation. We will always be in-debt of it. RIP
Omkar pandey
2017 at 7:03 pmYou are the ideal for every ctizen of India our country, really it is very bad news that u(gaurdian of our sky)are no more…expressing grief.we r very sad to lost you sir. A big salute to you sir,from me and from our country…..
Jai Hind…
Gurarmaan sandhu
2017 at 9:37 pmYou’ll be always my inspiration sir!
RIP.
Jai hind!
Kunal Joshi
2017 at 1:49 amYou have played an important role in ensuring our skies are safe.
Thank you for your service to India.
RIP
Jai Hind!
Paulson Chacko
2017 at 12:31 pmMAF Arjan Singh DFC, Padma Bhushan, was a soldiers soldier, an inspiration to young military personnel. The discipline and patriotism he learned in Air Force never left him. At 96 , confined to a wheel chair he made it a point to pay his respects to his former Supreme Commander Presdient APJ AbdulKalam. He rose from the wheel chair stood ram rod straight and presented faultless air force salute.
Leaders like MAF Arjan Singh never really dies. They continue to shine and inspire millions of admirers allover the nation. I join his family in this hour of grief. The fact that his was a life well lived might lighten their grief.
Paulson Chacko
Trivandrum.
Viplavesh rajendra kothari
2017 at 12:41 amJay hind
Nived K M
2017 at 10:06 pmJammu and Kashmir
1st September,1965
Pakistans Operation Grand Slam begins its thrust into India
Its objective,a massive strike into the town of Akhnoor
Cut of the Akhnoor bridge which forms the lifeline for the Indian Army in the North…………
War had been raging between India and Pakistan for a month…….
Either side was fighting at its fiercest……….Pakistan having understood that they could not bring the Indian Army down in Kashmir decides that what the cannot destroy by force they will destroy it by isolation….the will destroy it by starvation……..
Beyond the Radcliffe line lies the town of Akhnoor …….
Through it run the lifeline for the Indian Army…….
Though it runs the road to Jammu……..
Through it runs the way for Pakistan’s takeover of Jammu and Kashmir……….
0500 hrs,1st September 1965
Pakistans M47 and M48 Patton tanks slammed into the sector……Pakistan’s largest millitary assault in the war moved into action……..An assault where Pakistan had a 6 to 1 advantage over India…India’s infantry which was deployed there was no match for the monstrous equipped mordern tanks of the DIctatorship……As Pakistans artillery begins to bring down the sector it seems that the link to the north is about to fall to the Enemy………….
1624hrs,1st September 1965
As Pakistan tries to sever India the news has reached the IAF base…….the Air Marshal was asked how long would it take to launch a counter strike……he said…”within the hour”……….
1719hrs,1st September 1965
India’s 45th Air Squadron devestates the Pakistani offensive into our motherland……..the plane that led the offensive …piloted by the Air Marshal himself……..the following days ensured that India’s victory was within reach……….
the Air Marshal ,this great war hero went to recieve the Padma Vibhushan,To become one of the greatest IAF Chiefs of all time,To become one of the greatest stratergists India had ever seen,To become the third war hero to be a 5 star commander and finally the Marshal of the Air Force of the Republic of India……..
Four days ago,our Guardian of the Skies passed away………
Four days ago,an Era ends in the Indian Air Force……..
Four days ago,Air Marshal Arjan Singh passed away…….
I mourn,We mourn,India mourns the passing of one of the greatest sons of the motherland………. we lay to rest the greatest air chief India had ever seen……
But no…….We need not mourn or feel sad about his death……For Air Marshal Arjan Singh is not dead………
Air Marshall Arjan Singh will never die…….He still lives…….He like Karriappa and Manekshaw before him still lives within the hearts and minds of all Indians……….he will never die…….he has not passed on into the long list of legends this country had seen……He has just moved on to the list of sons this country will never forget……..His source of valour and bravery will always be a source of inspiration for us………
Rest your Wings Sir……..
We are here for u………
We will ensure that the sacrifices u made will never go in vain………
We will ensure that OUR motherland is forever protected from the enemies who lurk beyond her borders………..
For Air Marshal Arjan Singh………..
BHARATH MATHA KI JAI……………..
ABHISHEK KUMAR RAI
2017 at 6:42 pmA true soldier till the very last breath !
Salute to you,Sir !
Dr. Deepak Meena
2017 at 11:15 amJay HInd