Marshal of the Indian Air Force Arjan Singh, who died on Saturday, will be honoured with state funeral in Delhi on Monday. The national flag will fly at half-mast in all government buildings, the Union Home Ministry said on Sunday.
His funeral will be held at Brar Square at 10 am on Monday. “As a mark of respect to the departed dignitary, a state funeral will be accorded and national flag will fly half-mast on the day of the funeral in Delhi on all buildings where it is flown regularly,” said a home ministry spokesperson.
On Sunday, Singh’s mortal remains will be kept at his Kautilya Marg residence for people to pay their respects. Many people, including Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat, President Ram Nath Kovind and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, visited the house to pay their tribute. His mortal remains will be carried to the funeral site in a gun carriage procession. He will be accorded a gun salute and fly past before the final rites are performed, reported The Hindu.
Born in 1919, the Padma Vibhushan recipient was the only Air Force officer to have been promoted to a five-star rank. He was promoted to the lifelong rank in 2002. Singh was chief of air staff from 1964 to 1969.
Singh was only 45 years old when he was appointed Chief of the Air Staff. He became the first Air Chief Marshal of the Indian Air Force, upgraded from the rank of Chief of the Air Staff in recognition of his Air Force’s contribution in the 1965 war.
Condolences continued to pour in on Sunday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India would never forget his leadership in the 1965 war. “India mourns the unfortunate demise of Marshal of the Indian Air Force Arjan Singh. We remember his outstanding service to the nation,” he said on Twitter.
Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar called Singh the father of IAF’s modernisation efforts. “His dedication to our nation and his exemplary leadership capabilities will continue to inspire our armed forces,” Parrikar said on Twitter.
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