Timeline of the life of IAF Marshal Arjan Singh

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

Vice President Dr Zakir Hussain in conversation with Smt Indira Gandhi, Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting and Air Marshal Arjan Singh, Chief of the Air staff at the Air force Day reception in New Delhi on 1.4.65. (Express archive photo)

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

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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

Producer BR Chopra and Balraj Sahni with Air Marshal Arjan Singh at the premiere of their film WAQT. (Express archive photo)

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

Air Chief Marshal Arjan Singh, FC Mehra, Yash Johar and Defence Minister Sardar Swaran Singh on 12.11.1968. (Express archive photo )

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.

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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.