Marshal of the Indian Air Force

Marshal of the Indian Air Force

Arjan Singh breathed his last today.

Here is a timeline of his life.

April 15, 1919 - Born in Lyallpur, present day Faislabad in Pakistan

1938- At 19 years was selected for a pilot training course at Royal Air Force College, Cranwell

1939- Training cut short by World War II. Joined Sqdn 1 in Ambala

1943- Became Commanding Officer Sqdn 1

1944- Led his squadron to Imphal against the Japanese during the Arakan Campaign.

1944- Received the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) for leading the squadron during Imphal Campaign by Lord Mountbatten

August 15, 1947- Led the fly-past of over a hundred IAF aircraft over the red fort.
 

August 1, 1964- Arjan Singh took over as the Chief of Air Staff in the rank of Air Marshal

1965 - Arjan Singh was awarded the Padma Vibhushan for his leadership of IAF during the '65 war with Pakistan

August 1969- Retired from the Indian Air Force after serving for three decades

1971- Appointed India's Ambassador to Switzerland.

1974- Appointed Indian High Commissioner to Kenya.

1980s- At the height of militancy in Punjab he was part of a 5-member committee that would go door to door in the state and try to bridge the differences between Hindus & Sikhs.

1989- Janata government appoints Arjan Singh as the L-G of Delhi as an attempt to apply balm to the wounds of the Sikh community

2002- Conferred with the rank of the Marshal of the Air Force making him the first and the only 'Five Star' rank officer with the Indian Air Force.

April, 2011- Wife Teji Singh passes away at the age of 80.