NEW DELHI: The Indian Air Force on Wednesday remembered the legacy of war hero Air Marshal Arjan Singh on his 107th birth anniversary, describing him as an icon of exceptional leadership, courage and vision, whose service to the nation continues to inspire generations of air warriors.
Arjan Singh is a prominent figure in the country’s military history and was the first and only Indian Air Force officer to be awarded the rank of Field Marshal in 2002.
Born on April 15, 1919 in Lyallpur in undivided Punjab, his father, grandfather and great-grandfather served in the cavalry.
Singh commanded the fledgling Indian Air Force in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 when he was in his 40s. He died in September 2017 at the age of 98.
On Wednesday, the IAF and the Ministry of Defense paid tribute to the officer and recalled his legacy and contribution to the nation.
“On the 107th birth anniversary of Air Marshal Arjan Singh, DFC, the #IAF pays tribute to one of the country’s most respected air warriors. He is an icon of exceptional leadership, courage and vision, and his service to the nation continues to inspire generations of air warriors.”
“The only officer in the history of the Indian Air Force to be awarded the distinguished five-star rank, his legacy remains etched in the annals of military history,” the Indian Air Force said in a post on X.
She also shared a poster with photos of Arjan Singh taken during his career, with the caption: “Remembering Air Force Marshal Arjan Singh – an enduring legacy of courage, leadership and service.”
The Ministry of Defense also paid tribute to Arjan Singh and shared some highlights of his career on X.
“The Ministry of Defense pays tribute to the legendary air warrior, Air Marshal Arjan Singh DFC, on his 107th birth anniversary.
“On this day, we remember the contribution made by the Field Marshal to the nation and the Indian Air Force. His dynamic personality, professionalism, leadership and strategic vision mark him out as an icon of the Indian Air Force,” the ministry said.
According to his brief profile published by the ministry, Arjan Singh was the first officer to be appointed as Air Chief of the Indian Air Force.
Singh was a highly decorated officer who was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in 1944 for his leadership during the Burma Campaign of World War II.
On his 106th birth anniversary last year, the IAF remembered him as a commander who “led from the cockpit” and “not just from the cockpit.”
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