The man and the legend

MIAF Arjan Singh DFC would have been 107 years old today. Born on 15 April 1919, in Lyallpur (now Faisalabad, Pakistan), the Indian Air Force’s only five-star officer was known for his distinguished leadership during the 1965 Indo-Pak War, his lifelong dedication to the IAF and its personnel, his diplomatic assignments, and his public service. He passed away on 16 September 2017. He was 98.

In 2004, he and his wife, Teji Singh, set up the Marshal of the Air Force and Mrs Arjan Singh Trust, which supports serving and retired IAF personnel and their dependents. They had sold their personal farm near Delhi to fund the trust, and their children had given them full support to do so.

Arjan Singh, DFC, Marshal of the Indian Air Force, was my first book, published by Rupa and Co in 2002 and released by then Defence Minister George Fernandes. I am proud to have known MIAF Arjan Singh, an exemplar whom we looked up to and remember still.

I am posting some pictures of the man I looked up to. Our families interacted with each other too, and we all have fond memories of the man who never retired.