sign in sign up
<<
Home , Arjan Singh

20 February, 2020

SPPU to establish Chair of Excellence in the name of Marshal of the Arjan Singh - First Chair of its kind in entire country

Pune -

Savitribai Phule Pune University’s (SPPU) Department of Defence & Strategic Studies and the Indian Air Force Headquarters, New , are signing a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a Chair of Excellence in the name of Marshal of the Indian Air Force Arjan Singh and Resident Scholar Programme (RSP) for Air Force Officers, Department of Defence & Strategic Studies, SPPU. Through this MOU, Air Headquarters is providing a grant of Rs. 1 crore for the Chair of Excellence.

This is a first kind of Chair in the country which is going to be established in the University in the name of Marshal of the Indian Air Force Arjan Singh.

The Department of Defense and Strategic Studies (DDSS), SPPU was established in 1963 and it has been engaging in teaching and research, focusing primarily on ’s national security and encompasses aspects like geopolitics and military geography, science and technology, economics of defence, conflict management and conflict resolution, etc. The Department has also developed linkages with the with the institution of several programmes. The Indian Army has instituted the Chhatrapati Shivaji Chair in Policy Studies and Scholars in Residence Programme.

Marshal of the Indian Air Force Arjan Singh DFC, known for his Professional Competence, Leadership and Strategic vision, is a colossus in the IAF. Arjan Singh was born on 15 and since his early days as a student, he has been an

achiever. An ace swimmer, he held an all-India record in free style swimming in one mile and half mile events. Arjan Singh was 19 years of age when he was selected for training at RAF Cranwell in 1938. He topped the course among his batch of Indian Cadets He was the vice-captain of swimming, athletics and hockey teams during his training at College Cranwell. For displaying outstanding leadership, great skill and courage in Burma Campaign during World War II. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) in 1944. Beginning Aug 1945, Wg Cdr Arjan Singh was selected to undergo the RAF Staff college at Bracknell in the UK. On 15 Aug 1947, he had the unique honour of leading the flypast of over a hundred IAF aircraft over the and on the same day, he assumed the command of Air Force Station, Ambala in the rank of Group Captain.

In addition to the high standards of Arjan Singh set in flying and training, he stabilised the administration, with a fair hand and enabled it to recover from the triple shock of demobilisation, partition of the country and the Air Force, and communal riots of unprecedented scale.

In 1949, Arjan Singh took over as the Commanding of Operational command, which later came to be known as Western Air Command. Arjan Singh had the distinction of having the longest tenure as the AOC of Operation Command, from 1949-1952 and again from 1957-1961. Promoted to , he was the AOC-in-C of Operation command. Towards the end of the 1962 war, he was appointed the DCAS and became the VCAS in 1963. He was the overall commander of the joint air training exercises “Shiksha” held between the IAF, RAF and RAAF thus laying the foundation of acquisition of new RADAR systems for IAF and training of IAF officers in USA for advanced gunnery course. He was also instrumental in planning and setting up of Armament Training Wing at Jamnagar, and later the Air Force Academy in 1967. As Chief of Air Staff, Arjan Singh led the IAF in the 1965 War against , wherein the IAF was able to blunt the Pakistani armoured thrust at Chamb, gained air superiority over the PAF and helped the Indian Army score Strategic victories. Arjan Singh was awarded the for leading Indian Air Force during 1965 war. Subsequently, in recognition of the Air Force’s contribution in the war, the rank of CAS was upgraded to that of and Arjan Singh became the first Air Chief Marshal of the Indian Air Force. On completion of five years as the Chief of the Air Staff in two ranks, Arjan Singh retired on 16 Jul 1969. In his career, Arjan Singh flew more than 60 different types of aircraft ranging from Pre-World War II era bi planes to the supersonic MIG-21. He flew his first solo on MIG-21 as Chief of the Air Staff and remained a flyer to the end of his tenure in the IAF, visiting forward squadrons & units and flying with them. In 1971, Arjan Singh was appointed as India’s Ambassador to . Three

years later, he was appointed as the country’s High Commissioner to . He also served as a member of the minorities commission in 1978 and later, as the Chairman of Indian Institute of Technology in , an Institute of great repute, which he served with great distinction till 1983. In 1989, he was appointed the Lt Governor of Delhi.

The MOU signing ceremony will be held on Saturday, 29th February, 2020 at 11:30 a.m., at the Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor’s Office, SPPU. Hon’ble Vice Chancellor, SPPU, Prof.(Dr.) Nitin Karmalkar, Hon’ble Pro-Vice-Chancellor, SPPU, Prof.(Dr.) N.S. Umarani, Registrar, SPPU, Prof.(Dr.) Prafulla Pawar, other University officials and a team of Indian Air Force delegates led by Air Marshal Amit Dev, AVSM, VSM, Air Officer in-charge Personnel, Air Headquarter (VB), New Delhi will be present for the MOU signing ceremony.

…………………......

Quotes:

“The Chair of Excellence will set the tone to enhance further collaborations between the armed forces and the academia.”

- Prof. (Dr.) Vijay Khare HOD, Department of Defence and Strategic Studies ….

“Establishing a Chair of Excellence in the name of Marshal of the Indian Air Force Arjan Singh at DDSS, is a historic moment for SPPU. The Chair will bridge the gap between the Armed Forces and academia. DDSS has already set up strategic linkages with the Indian Army and is also in the process of developing linkages with the .”

- Prof. (Dr.) Nitin Karmalkar Vice Chancellor, SPPU