Chandan Singh (Air Vice Marshal) Explained

Honorific Prefix:Air Vice Marshal
Chandan Singh Champawat
Honorific Suffix:MVC, AVSM, VrC
Birth Date:1925 8, df=yes
Birth Place:Bagawas, district paliJodhpur State
Allegiance: (1941–1947)
India (1947–1980)
Branch:Jodhpur Lancers (1941–1947)
(1947–1980)
Rank: Air Vice Marshal
Commands:Jorhat Air Force Station
Battles:Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
Sino-Indian War
Awards: Maha Vir Chakra
Ati Vishisht Seva Medal
Vir Chakra
Spouse:Junu Kumari (m.1963)

Air Vice Marshal Chandan Singh, MVC, AVSM, VrC (18 August 1925 – 29 March 2020) was an Air Officer in the Indian Air Force. A highly decorated officer, Singh was awarded the Vir Chakra during the Sino-Indian War and the Maha Vir Chakra during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.

Early life

Singh was born in Jodhpur State, district pali in a Rathore Rajput family[1] [2] to Colonel Bahadur Singh, OBI, who commanded the famous Jodhpur Lancers.[3]

Military career

Early career

Singh joined the Jodhpur Lancers in 1941, following in his father's footsteps, as a Second Lieutenant. After the Independence of India, the Jodhpur Lancers was amalgamated into the President's Bodyguard and the 61st Cavalry. Singh, then a Captain, joined the Indian Air Force.[4]

Singh was serving in the No. 43 Squadron IAF, when in 1961, he was awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (then called Vishisht Seva Medal Class II). He was awarded the AVSM for "devising new procedures for training and selecting new safe routes."[5] [6]

Vir Chakra

At the outbreak of the Sino-Indian War, Singh was a pilot in the No. 44 Squadron IAF. He saw action in the Chip Chap area in Ladakh, where he was awarded the third-highest war-time gallantry award, the Vir Chakra.

The citation for the Vir Chakra reads as follows:[7] [8]

Maha Vir Chakra

Singh was promoted to the rank of Group Captain in late 1969 and took over command of the Jorhat Air Force Station in early 1970. He commanded the Air Force base through the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. Singh planned and executed the Sylhet air-lift, when two companies of troops of the IV Corps were air-lifted.[9] For this operation, Singh was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra, the second-highest war-time gallantry award.

The citation for the Maha Vir Chakra reads as follows:[10] [11]

Post-war career

After the war, Singh attended the Royal College of Defence Studies in the United Kingdom.[12] Singh was promoted to Air Commodore in 1973 and to the rank of Air Vice Marshal in 1977. He then took over as the Senior Air Staff Officer (SASO) of the Central Air Command in Allahabad.[13]

After a three-year stint as SASO, Singh retired in 1980.

Awards and decorations

Ati Vishisht Seva Medal
Vir ChakraGeneral Service Medal (Naga Hills)Samar Seva Star
Poorvi StarRaksha MedalSangram MedalSainya Seva Medal
Indian Independence Medal25th Independence Anniversary Medal20 Years Long Service Medal9 Years Long Service Medal
1939–45 StarBurma StarDefence MedalWar Medal 1939–1945

Notes and References

  1. Web site: PM pays tribute to IAF's Chandan Singh – Remembering the legacy of the gallant Maha vir Chakra holder.
  2. https://m.tribuneindia.com/news/features/brilliant-unconventional-fearless-group-captain-chandan-singh-seniormost-iaf-officer-to-be-awarded-mvc-250238
  3. Web site: PM pays tribute to IAF's Chandan Singh – Remembering the legacy of the gallant Maha Vir Chakra holder . www.timesnownews.com . en.
  4. Web site: PM pays tribute to IAF's Chandan Singh – Remembering the legacy of the gallant Maha Vir Chakra holder . www.timesnownews.com . en.
  5. Web site: Service Record for Air Vice Marshal Chandan Singh 3460 F(P) at Bharat Rakshak.com . Bharat Rakshak . en-gb.
  6. Web site: REPUBLIC DAY AWARDS . pibarchive.nic.in . 25 January 1961.
  7. Web site: SQUADRON LEADER CHANDAN SINGH Gallantry Awards . gallantryawards.gov.in.
  8. Web site: Vir Chakra (VrC), Awardee: AVM Chandan Singh, MVC, AVSM, VrC (retd) @ TWDI . twdi.in.
  9. Web site: Defenceindia : Special Feature : Battle of Sylhet . https://web.archive.org/web/20070810211600/http://www.defenceindia.com/defenceind/battle_sylhet.html . dead . 10 August 2007 . 10 August 2007.
  10. Web site: GROUP CAPTAIN CHANDAN SINGH Gallantry Awards . gallantryawards.gov.in.
  11. Web site: Vir Chakra (VrC), Awardee: AVM Chandan Singh, MVC, AVSM, VrC (retd) @ TWDI . twdi.in.
  12. Web site: AVM Chandan Singh, MVC, AVSM, VrC (retd) @ TWDI . twdi.in.
  13. Web site: Service Record for Air Vice Marshal Chandan Singh 3460 F(P) at Bharat Rakshak.com . Bharat Rakshak . en-gb.