Marshal of the Indian Air Force Arjan Singh has been admitted to the Research and Referral Hospital in New Delhi on Saturday. He is 98. He was promoted to the five-star rank in 2002.
Arjan Singh is the only officer of the Indian Air Force to be promoted to five-star rank, equal to a Field Marshal, to which he was promoted in 2002.
He was Chief of the Air Staff from August 1, 1964 to July 15, 1969, and was awarded the Padma Vibhushan in 1965.
He became the first Air Chief Marshal of the Indian Air Force to be upgraded to the position of Air Chief Marshal from the rank of Chief of the Air Staff in recognition of his Air Forces contribution in the 1965 war.
He took retirement from services in 1970 at the age of 50.
Image: Marshal of the Indian Air Force Arjan Singh greets then US President Barack Obama at Rashtrapati Bhavan, January 26, 2015. Photograph: Pete Souza/The White House