President Mukherjee hosts tea for 1965 war veteran

New Delhi, Sept.22 : President Pranab Mukherjee hosted a tea for veterans of 1965 war at the Rashtrapati Bhavan here on Tuesday. On the occasion, President Mukherjee felicitated four veterans of the 1965 war, Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh, DFC; CQMH Abdul Hamid, PVC (Posthumous); Lt Col AB Tarapore, PVC (Posthumous) and Chaman Lal, Ashoka Chakra (Posthumous).Rasoonan Bibi, Zarine Mahir and Asha Rani received the honour in behalf of Late CQMH Abdul Hamid, Late Lt Col A. B. Tarapore and Late Chaman Lal.Marshal of the Indian Air Force Arjan Singh, DFC was chief of Air Staff in 1965. He led the Air Force through the war, demonstrating successful leadership and immense capability. As Squadron Leader, he had led the squadron against the Japanese during the Arakan Campaign in 1944 for which he received the Distinguished Flying Cross in the same year.Arjan Singh was awarded Padma Vishushan for his leadership of the Air Force. In recognition of his services, the Government of India also conferred on him the rank of the Marshal of the Air Force in January 2002 making him the first and the only ‘Five Star’ rank officer in the Indian Air Force.