Marshal of the Indian Air Force Arjan Singh has been admitted in a critical condition at the Research and Referral Hospital in New Delhi.

His condition is reportedly critical. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman visited the Marshal at the Delhi hospital.

"We are all praying for the speedy recovery of Marshal of the Indian Air Force Arjan Singh. Doctors are doing their best," said PM Modi.

PM @narendramodi at R&R Hospital to see Marshal of the Indian Air Force Arjan Singh, who is critically ill; PM also met his family members pic.twitter.com/56WqdBlCXB - PIB India (@PIB_India) September 16, 2017

The Marshal was awarded the Padma Vibhushan for his leadership during the war. The Marshal has flown over 60 aircraft and remained a flyer until the end of his career with the IAF.

He retired in August 1969. In 2016, the crucial air base at Panagarh was renamed Air Force Station after the Marshal. Panagarh is also the headquarters of the newly raised 17 Corps - Mountain Strike Corps.

BRAVERY AND GRIT

Singh was born in 1919 in Lyalpur, which is now in Faisalabad province of Pakistan. He joined the Royal Indian Air Force when he was 19 years old. He led his squadron against the Japanese in the Arakan Campaign and in the Imphal Campaign, he flew Close Air Support Missions.

PM Modi visits Marshal of Indian Air Force Arjan Singh PM Modi visits Marshal of Indian Air Force Arjan Singh

He then moved on to fight in the campaign to free Rangoon. For his valour, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC). On August 15, 1947, when India became independent, Singh led the fly-past of over 100 aircraft over the Red Fort.

The Marshal led the Western Air Command after independence and took charge as the Indian Air Force Chief in 1964. The IAF then, as it is now, was on the cusp of a change. While the IAF was adapting itself to modernisation and rebuilding, the 1965 war with Pakistan began.

The IAF was still largely using World War-II era fighters. The first set of Russian-made supersonic Mig-21 had just about arrived. In contrast, Pakistan had US-made modern fighter jets. Despite constraints, the IAF achieved complete air superiority, giving the ground forces the much-needed support.

WATCH VIDEO | Delhi: 5-star Air Force Marshal Arjan Singh hospitalised after cardiac arrest