pTsS INEOFMATIO BURALT(DFNC WIUG) G0itMNT .F INDIA
JLSS NO
NEW CHIEF OF AIR STAFF
The Chief of the Air Staff9 Air Marshal A.M.Engineer, DFC9 will
proceed on four nonths' leave with effect from Anust 1 9 1964
preparatory to retirement. Government have decided to appoint
Air Vice-IUrstLal Arjan Singh9 DFC9 Vice Chif of the Air Staff
to succeed Ai2 laLrsha1 ngineer as the Chief of the Air Staff.
Ministry of Deince9 N e w Delhi9 Jj94 Vj;cha 239 1336
Air Marshal bngineer: Air Marshal Aspy Nerwan ingineer, DFC, who
retires s ChIf O f the Air Staff with effect from December 19 19649
has heiN thU eNtice since December 1, 1960
tN the jJ:e of 1 before he joined, the Air Fo2ce9 Air Marshal
ngirieer won Us ga Khi prize for being the first Indian to fly solo
both way. hetvn India and England within one month in a Gipsy-I'2oth.
This was in "he year 1930 when aviation was still in its infancy in
India and international air routes and navigational aids were almost
non- en S tent
Urn en DeCember 159 191 29 Air Marshal ngineer was commissioned in
1933 Thilo under training at Cranwell in ngiand, he won the Grove's
memort aI pii zo for the Thest all-round pilot of the term". In 19429
he was awardeh the Distinguished Flying Cross for gallantry and,
leadership in the Nrth Nest Frontier Province(now in Nest Palistan)
while servi :i with the N. 1 Squadron of the Indian h' r Force. He was
also rnontic'ee in despatchos more than once. In September 19489 he
took over,.,...2
ON
took over comnind of tht, No 1 Hpera:.nal Lroup, later known as the
Operational Coamand, in he rank of Air Comniedore and., as head of this
major formaii.en 9 plamied SUCCCSSPUI air operations in support of ground
troops in Jamma P Kasiin- Li whichovontualig led to the Zoji La break—through,
the capture of Kergil en(i, the anrnterrujieci airlift to far—flung outposts
in Jaxnmu P Kashali,
He took c'er as Lc3at Chili cf Air Staff in 1952 in the rank of
Air Vice—larsha1 He led t. 1.. F. eod.vill aIssion to Indonesi a, ard
also paid goodwill visits t U,S.i$h, in 1963 and U.A.R, in January9 1964.
He served as Dcput-,r Cai0f of Air Siafi until ay 1958, eiaen his
services were leaned to Hi ioias Aircraft LInited, as 1 enaging Director,
a post ha held fr cvcr two pears. The proj cot to manufacture HF-24
aircraft was launche,1 d.iring this IDeriod, In 1959 9 while he was still
anaging Director of d.h lindat1 Aircraft Limited 5 he was granted the
rank of Air arshai,
Air Vice—Marshal j SAigb? Ai Yoe-1iarshai Arjan Siagh, DFC 2 vrhoe appointment as the new Chief of the rar St 0ff nas been announced 5 was born on April 1.59 1919.
ComrujssjonAi in 1939, 1c saw aC Lion on the North Fest Frontier,
where he began his servjcn with No.1 I.,F. :Soaad.roit. Later, ho
commanded and led th Same squadron in the rrakan and burma operations.
He was awarded the Distinauishi Nlyin.g 010 ee in 1944 for he:in a
'fearless and exceptional pilot vnth a perfect knowledge of his
specialiseci branch of taCt]eal reoennaassance and as an inspired
squadron commander".
At the end of 6For ld 7cr 119 he led. the IfF. display flight which toured In cli a.
In 1 949 9 he eras anise ted. to at: end a Course at the Joint :Sanvices
Staff College, Leiimor., ng2 and Soon alien his return from the 40
UnjtE,d. Icinsdorn...3 - -3—
United Kingdom, he was promoted to the rank of Air Commodore and appointed Air Officer Commandin', Operational Command,
In 1956, while Air Officer Commanding, Operational Command, he led a squadron of Toofani jet fighters to Burma on a goodwill mission.
He graduated from the Imperial Defence College in the United Kingdom in 1960. From May 19619 he worked as Air Officei'.-in-Gharge,
Administration, at the Air Headquarters in the rank of Air Vice-Marshl
and took over as the Deputy Chief of Air Staff wL th effect from
January 1 9 1963. On August 5 the same yeV he was appointed as the Vice Chief of the Air Staff.
Air Vice-Marshal Arj an Singh is a well-known sportsman. In 1937,
while a student of the Government College at Lahore, he was captain of the college swimming team and had to his credit four Punjab and
four University records in swimming, winning the all-India
one-mile swimming event in 1938. Later in the same year, while he was
training as a pilot at Cranwell in the United Kingdom, he was appointed
Vice-President of the swimming and athletic team. He was Chef-do-Mission
of the Indian Contingent for the 1956 Olympiad at Melbourne.
Air Vice-Marshal Arj an Singh was the overall commander of the
joint air trai -iing exercises held in India in November 1963 with the
United States Air Force, the Royal Air Force and the Royal kistralisfl
Air Force.
Air Vice-Marshal Arjan Singh is a member of the Indian Defence
team now in Washington for talks with the United States Defence
offici als.
GG/NRB/OD