Marshal of Indian Air Force Arjan Singh, who passed away at the age of 98 on Saturday following a cardiac arrest, was cremated here on Monday with full state honours including a fly past and a 17-gun salute. Several senior political leaders including former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, BJP leader lK Advani, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and three Services chiefs besides former top military officers were present at the last rites amid chanting of Sikh hymns.
The national flag flew at half mast at all Government buildings in the national Capital as a mark of respect to Singh who led the IAF during the 1965 war with Pakistan. In fact, he was the youngest IAF chief at the age of 44 and retired in 1969 after five years at the helm. He also had the credit of leading a fly past over the Red Fort on August 15, 1947 when Indian gained Independence.
The legendary air warrior’s body was consigned to flames at the Brar Square crematorium in Delhi Cantonment. His son Arvind Singh, based in the US, lit the funeral pyre. A 17-gun salute was given to the departed while three SU-30 MKI fighter jets carried out a fly past in the ‘missing man formation’ signifying the loss of a fallen comrade. MI-17 helicopters flew past in Vic formation carrying IAF colours.
Earlier, Singh’s body, wrapped in the Indian tricolour, was taken to the Brar Square crematorium from his residence 7 Kautilya Marg in central New Delhi on a gun carriage. Prime Minister Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Singh’s residence on Sunday and paid glowing tributes to him.
Born in 1919 in lyallpur in Pakistan, Singh joined Royal Air Force in 1938 as a pilot after graduating from Government College, lahore. He was an accomplished swimmer, kabbadi player and an athlete during his college days and later during his service in RAF and IAF. lord Mountbatten awarded him gallantry medal Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) for his daring feats during the World War two in Burma against the advancing Japanese forces. During his service, Singh flew more than 60 types of planes ranging from fighter jets to transport planes.
He was the only officer to be made Marshal of the Air Force in 2002 for his stellar role during the 1965 war and laying the foundations of a modern and agile IAF. Marshal of the Air Force is a ceremonial five-state rank equivalent to the Army’s Field Marshal. Two officers including SH FJ Manekshaw and KM Cariappa were honoured with this position.
Post retirement, Singh served a stint as envoy to Switzerland, chairman of National Minorities Commission and lt Governor of Delhi. He was awarded Padma Vibhushan for his role in the 1965 war. In 2016, the Panagarh air base in West Bengal was renamed Air Force Station Arjan Singh. He also donated Rs 2 crores from his life time savings including selling his farm for the welfare of troops some years back.