Marshal Arjan Singh visits IAF's Southern Command

Former Chief of Air Staff and Marshal of the Indian Air Force Arjan Singh today arrived here on a visit to the Southern Air Command (SAC). He was received at the airport by Air Marshal R K Jolly, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of SAC, a defence release said. Singh was briefed on the operational preparedness of SAC and the context of growing security challenges emanating in the southern peninsula and the Indian Ocean region, the release said. Various events have been organised in his honour, including an interaction with officers and air warriors, it said. Commissioned into the Royal Indian Air Force in 1938, Arjan Singh took part in various operations in the Second World War. He led number 2 Squadron of the RIAF in various operations against the Japanese during the Arakan Campaign, Imphal Campaign and later resisted the advance of the allied forces to Rangoon, Burma (Myanmar), it said. For his role in successfully leading the squadron in combat, he received the Distinguished Flying Cross in 1944. Arjan Singh's testing time came in September 1965 when Pakistan launched 'Operation Grand Slam'. He was Chief of Air Staff when IAF engaged in action in its first combat in 1965, it said. He was only 44 years of age when entrusted with the responsibility of leading the IAF. He was awarded Padma Vibhushan for his leadership of the Indian Air Force, it said. In recognition of his services, the Government of India conferred on him the rank of Marshal of the Indian Air Force in January 2002.