New Delhi, Jun 26 (PTI) Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh was an “exceptional soldier and a statesman”, and across the different roles he assumed during his illustrious career, there remained a striking consistency in his professionalism and commitment to service, Delhi Lt Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu said on Friday.
Delivering the Arjan Singh Memorial Lecture hosted by the IAF at Subroto Park here, he also underlined that the legendary military officer had also “served with distinction” as Delhi’s LG, and this legacy carries a special significance.
“As we remember him today, we honour not only an exceptional soldier and a statesman, but also the values he embodied throughout his life — professional excellence, humility, integrity, and unwavering
commitment to service,” the LG said.
Extolling his distinguished career, in uniform and beyond, Sandhu said that few individuals in independent India’s history have had careers that intersected so fluidly with the defining transition of the Indian State.
His life traversed British India, the Second World War, India’s Independence, military modernisation, diplomacy and institutional building, the LG said.
“Across these different roles, there remained a striking consistency in his approach, seriousness of purpose, professionalism and a quiet commitment to service,” he asserted.
An iconic figure in the country’s military history, Arjan Singh was the first and only officer of the Indian Air Force to be awarded the rank of Marshal in 2002.
Born on April 15, 1919, at Lyallpur in undivided Punjab, his father, grandfather and great-grandfather had served in the cavalry.
Singh led a fledgling IAF in the 1965 India-Pakistan war when he was in his 40s. He died in September 2017 at the age of 98.
In his address, the Delhi LG also mentioned that his own grandfather’s life was associated with a social movement in Lyllapur (now Faisalabad in Pakistan).
“Arjan Singh came of age during a period of enormous critical and strategic change,” the LG underlined, adding he excelled in swimming and team games.
“Aviation was not a pre-determined path, but during his studies in Lahore, he came across an opportunity to train at Royal Air Force, Cranwell, and chose to pursue it,” Sandhu said.
During his initial training, his flying assessments were “described as average”, yet through persistence and sustained practice, he improved steadily and emerged as “one of the strongest performers of his cohorts”.
“The broader lesson is clear, excellence is rarely immediate. It is a cumulative outcome of discipline, curiosity and consistency over time,” the LG asserted.
Arjan Singh’s career mirrored the evolution of the IAF, and his leadership during the 1965 war remains “one of the defining moments” in the institutional history of the Service, he said.
His contribution to India did not end with military service, as he moved into diplomacy and public life.
He later also served as the Lt Governor of Delhi. That transition showed service to a nation is “not confined to a single institution or a profession”, Sandhu added.
“The finest tribute we can pay to his memory is to uphold these enduring ideals in our institutions and in our conduct,” he said. PTI KND MNK MNK
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