Meet Arjan Singh: The Only Five-Star Officer in Indian Air Force History

Marshal of the Indian Air Force Arjan Singh, DFC, Padma Vibhushan, remains the sole officer in the history of the Indian Air Force (IAF) to attain the prestigious five-star rank of Marshal of the Indian Air Force, equivalent to the rank of Field Marshal in the Indian Army. Conferred upon him in January 2002 in recognition of his unparalleled service to the nation and the Air Force, this honour underscores a career spanning over three decades of distinguished operational command, strategic leadership, and unwavering commitment to professional excellence.

Born on 15 April 1919 in Lyallpur (now Faisalabad, Pakistan) into a Punjabi Jat Sikh family of the Aulakh clan, Arjan Singh belonged to the fourth generation of his family to serve in the British Indian armed forces. His father served as a Lance Daffadar and later retired as a Risaldar in Hodson’s Horse, while his grandfather and great-grandfather had served in the Guides Cavalry. Educated initially in Montgomery (now Sahiwal, Pakistan) and subsequently at Government College Lahore, he excelled as a sportsman, captaining the swimming team, setting multiple Punjab and university records, and winning the All-India one-mile swimming event in 1938.

At the age of 19, Singh was selected for the Empire Pilot Training Course at the Royal Air Force College Cranwell, England. He graduated in 1939, topping the course among Indian cadets and serving as vice-captain of the swimming, athletics, and hockey teams. Commissioned as a Pilot Officer in the Royal Indian Air Force on 23 December 1939, he joined No. 1 Squadron at Air Force Station Kohat in the North-West Frontier Province, initially flying Westland Wapiti biplanes in operations against tribal forces.

During the Second World War, Singh’s operational prowess came to the fore. Promoted to acting Squadron Leader in 1943, he assumed command of No. 1 Squadron and led it into the Arakan Campaign in 1944 against Japanese forces, providing close air support during the Battle of Imphal and supporting the Allied advance toward Rangoon. For his outstanding leadership, skill, and courage in challenging terrain, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) in June 1944, presented by Lord Mountbatten at Imphal. Reflecting on the honour, Singh later remarked, “For a young man to get such a medal in front of his own squadron is a great satisfaction. I was a part of the squadron, and they were my part.” He relinquished command in December 1944 and was promoted to Wing Commander in February 1945.

On 15 August 1947, as acting Group Captain, Arjan Singh had the singular honour of leading the fly-past of over one hundred IAF aircraft over the Red Fort in Delhi on the day of India’s Independence. In the immediate aftermath of Partition, he commanded Air Force Station Ambala during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947–48. His subsequent career included key staff and command appointments: Director of Training at Air Headquarters (1948), attendance at the Joint Services Defence College, Latimer (1949), and two extended tenures as Air Officer Commanding-in-C (later Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Air Command) from 1949–1952 and 1957–1961—the longest such tenure on record.

Promoted through the ranks with distinction, Singh served as Air Officer in Charge of Administration during the Sino-Indian War of 1962, Deputy Chief of the Air Staff (1963), and Vice Chief of the Air Staff. On 1 August 1964, at the age of 45, he assumed office as the third Chief of the Air Staff in the rank of Air Marshal.

His tenure as Chief of the Air Staff coincided with the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965. When Pakistani forces launched Operation Grand Slam targeting Akhnoor and Chhamb, Defence Minister Y.B. Chavan sought immediate air support. Arjan Singh responded with characteristic composure: the Air Force would be ready “in an hour.” Within that timeframe, IAF aircraft struck Pakistani armoured columns, blunting the offensive, achieving air superiority despite the Pakistan Air Force’s initial technological edge, and providing critical close air support to Indian ground forces. The IAF flew thousands of sorties, contributing decisively to strategic victories before the ceasefire on 23 September 1965. For his distinguished leadership, Singh was awarded the Padma Vibhushan. In recognition of the Air Force’s contribution, the rank of Chief of the Air Staff was upgraded to Air Chief Marshal on 15 January 1966; he became the first officer to hold this rank.

Arjan Singh retired on 15 July 1969 after the second-longest tenure as Chief of the Air Staff. Post-retirement, he continued to serve the nation in diplomatic and civilian capacities: Ambassador to Switzerland, the Holy See, and Liechtenstein (1971–1974), High Commissioner to Kenya (1974–1977), Member of the National Commission for Minorities (1978–1981), Chairman of the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (1980–1983), and Lieutenant Governor of Delhi (December 1989–December 1990).

On 25 January 2002, the Government of India announced the conferment of the rank of Marshal of the Indian Air Force upon him, effective 26 January 2002—the first and, to date, only such elevation in IAF history. President K.R. Narayanan presented the Marshal’s baton to him at Rashtrapati Bhavan on 23 April 2002.

In his personal life, Singh married Teji Singh in 1948 in an arranged match; the union lasted 63 years until her passing in 2011. The couple had three children: Amrita (b. 1949), Arvind (b. 1952), and Asha (b. 1955). An accomplished pilot who flew more than 60 types of aircraft and accumulated over 4,400 flying hours, Singh remained deeply committed to the welfare of IAF personnel and veterans. He personally contributed substantially to the Marshal Arjan Singh and Mrs Arjan Singh Trust, supporting ex-servicemen and their families.

Marshal Arjan Singh passed away on 16 September 2017 at the age of 98 in New Delhi following a cardiac arrest. He was accorded a state funeral with full military honours, including an IAF fly-past.

His legacy endures as a father figure to the Indian Air Force. Air Force Station Panagarh was renamed Air Force Station Arjan Singh in 2016. The IAF Sports Control Board organises the annual Marshal Arjan Singh Memorial All India Hockey Tournament, and the United Service Institution of India, in collaboration with the IAF, instituted the Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh Annual Lecture. Described by contemporaries as “a jewel of a person, quietly efficient and firm, unexcitable but a very able leader,” Marshal Arjan Singh exemplified the highest ideals of military leadership, professionalism, and national service. His life and career continue to inspire generations of Indian airmen and women, serving as a benchmark of excellence in the annals of the Indian Armed Forces.