File Picture Courtesy : Zee News
The 1965 War hero Marshal Arjan Singh, who led the Indian Air Force during the 1965 India-Pakistan conflict, died on Saturday evening after suffering a cardiac arrest. He was 98.
According to News 18 report, Singh, the only officer of the IAF to be promoted to five-star rank, equal to a Field Marshal in the Army, was admitted to the Army’s Research and Referral hospital this morning after he suffered a cardiac arrest, the defence ministry said.
The team of doctors monitoring him said he breathed his last at 7.47pm.
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and the three Service chiefs – General Bipin Rawat, Admiral Sunil Lanba and Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa – visited Singh at the hospital.
Soon after the news of his demise Prime Minister tweeted his condolences and paid his rich tributes
India mourns the unfortunate demise of Marshal of the Indian Air Force Arjan Singh. We remember his outstanding service to the nation. pic.twitter.com/8eUcvoPuH1
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 16, 2017
India will never forget the excellent leadership of Marshal of the IAF Arjan Singh in 1965, when the IAF saw substantial action.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 16, 2017
Marshal of the IAF Arjan Singh’s determined focus on capacity building in the IAF added great strength to our defence capabilities.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 16, 2017
Home Minister Rajnath Singh tweeted
Marshal of the IAF, Arjan Singh lived his life like a soldier. The tales of his courage will remain immortal. Deeply pained at his demise.
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) September 16, 2017
Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley too mourned the loss in his tweet
My thoughts & prayers are with the family of Marshal of the IAF Arjan Singh ji. A grateful nation will miss him.
— Arun Jaitley (@arunjaitley) September 16, 2017
Tributes from across party lines are coming in . Congress leaders Shashi Tharoor, Jyotiraditya Scindia , Sachin Pilot, Randeep Surjewala tweeted their tributes
I had the privilege of meeting the great Air Marshal. His courage lives on in the thousands of brave airmen he inspired. RIP https://t.co/Dj0Lodp1cD
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) September 16, 2017
Saddened by the demise of the Marshal of the IAF Arjan Singh, a distinguished solider & gentleman – heartfelt condolences to his family.
— Jyotiraditya Scindia (@JM_Scindia) September 16, 2017
My late father was always proud that he was commissioned into the IAF by AirMarshal Arjun Singh in1966.We’ve lost one of our finest soldiers
— Sachin Pilot (@SachinPilot) September 16, 2017
Deeply saddened by the passing away of @_IndianAirForce Marshall #ArjanSingh ji. India has lost a great soldier and a fine diplomat today ?? pic.twitter.com/rn2byrGDfB
— Randeep S Surjewala (@rssurjewala) September 16, 2017
An icon in the country’s military history, Singh had led a fledgling IAF in the 1965 Indo-Pak war when he was just a 44-year-old.
As Pakistan launched its Operation Grand Slam with an armoured thrust targeted at the vital town of Akhnoor in Jammu and Kashmir, he led the IAF through the war with courage, determination and professional skill.
The fighter pilot, who inspired the IAF despite constraints on the full-scale use of air combat power, was awarded the Padma Vibhushan, the second highest civilian honour, in 1965.
Born on April 15, 1919, in Lyallpur in Punjab in undivided India, his father, grandfather and great grandfather had served in the cavalry.
Educated at Montgomery, British India (now in Pakistan), he had joined the RAF College, Cranwell in 1938 and was commissioned as a Pilot Officer in December the following year.
Singh had led an IAF squadron into combat during the 1944 Arakan Campaign and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) that year.
He was the IAF chief from August 1, 1964 till July 15, 1969.
Field Marshals Sam Manekshaw and K M Cariappa of the Army were the two other officers with a five-star rank.
After his retirement from the air force, Singh was appointed as the 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. Singh served as a member of the National Commission for Minorities and was also the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi. He was made Marshal of the Air Force in January 2002. The fighter aircraft base at Panagarh in West Bengal was named in his honour on his birthday last year.
