DNA Edit: Soaring like an eagle

It is not every day the voice of a nation finds utterance in the actions of their heroes. Rarely are heroes born who take arms against a sea of troubles, and by opposing end them, thus securing for one and for all, a safe and secure future. The sole Marshal of the Indian Air Force Arjan Singh was one such hero India is proud to claim as its own. A man of few words, his actions spoke for him and his reputation preceded him.

At the age of 44, Singh was tasked with leading the Indian Air Force and it was under his astute leadership that the IAF armed with retrograde fighter jets managed to deliver a crushing defeat on the Pakistani Air Force, whose assault inventory was informed with superior fighter jets like the F-86 Sabres and F-104 Starfighters. It is a testament to his capabilities as a fighter pilot and as a consummate leader that Lord Mountbatten had awarded him the Distinguished Flying Cross for his unparalleled bravery in fighting off the Japanese invasion of Imphal during the Second World War.

His career, initially as a pilot and then as a Chief, was marked with a passion that saw him rise above and beyond the call of duty, time and again. Without him at the helm of the IAF, the number of casualties in the 1965 war would have been unpardonably higher. Indeed, it was for the meritorious discharge of his duties during the war that he was awarded the Padma Vibhushan in 1965.