Farewell Marshal Arjan Singh: With 17-gun salute, fly past, last rites held

Mortal remains of Marshal Arjan Singh being taken in a gun carriage to Brar Square for the last rites ceremony.

With a 17-gun salute and a fly past, Marshal of the Indian Air Force Arjan Singh was on Monday laid to rest at Brar Square in Delhi's Cantonment area.

The national flag to fly at half-mast in Delhi as a mark of respect to the late five-star ranked air force officer. Hero of 1965 India-Pakistan war Marshal Arjan Singh passed away on Saturday evening.

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman laid wreath and paid tributes to Marshal of Air Force Arjan Singh at Brar Square. Also, IAF Chief BS Dhanoa and Chief of Naval staff Sunil Lamba paid homage.

Singh's mortal remains were carried on a gun carriage to Brar Square for the state honours and the last rites. The funeral procession from his Kautilya Marg residence to Brar Square included an Air Force band.

President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Singh's residence yesterday and paid glowing tributes to the war hero.

Arjan Singh died at 7.47 pm on Saturday after suffering a heart attack. He was 98. Singh, 98 India's oldest, five-star ranked air force officer, was admitted to the Army's Research and Referral hospital on Saturday morning.

Born on 15 April 1919 in Lyallpur, Punjab (now in Pakistan), Arjan Singh entered the distinguished Royal Air Force College at Cranwell at the age of 19 and graduated as a pilot officer the following year. Singh was the only officer of the IAF to be given a distinction equal to that of a Field Marshal.

Known as a man of few words, he was not only a fearless fighter pilot but had profound knowledge about air power which he applied in a wide spectrum of air operations. He was awarded the Padma Vibhushan, the second highest civilian honour, in 1965.

OneIndia News