Monday 5 August 2013

An Air Warrior Flies Away

_______________ Air Cmde Jasjit Singh (Retd) 1934-2013 _____________

I never thought I would write an obit in this blog meant for picture stories! But time and turn of events has necessitated it.


Air Cmde Jasjit Singh (Retd) one of India's foremost strategic thinkers passed away yesterday after a brief illness. Media has carried obituaries on him. Few links are given below:

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/soldier-scholar-institution-builder/1151057/3 bu Uday Bhaska

http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/former-air-commodore-jasjit-singh-passes-away-113080400793_1.html

http://truthdive.com/2013/08/04/Former-IDSA-director-leading-strategic-thinker-Jasjit-Singh-passes-away.html

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/ace-pilot-who-sold-pokhranii-to-foreign-audience/article4989468.ece?homepage=true

Why this piece? Because I had the privilege of interacting with him on numerous occasions. He always made an impression on the audience not only with his style of speaking but also thorough preparation which went with it!

'Fauji' readers of this blog would recall his 'surgical' analyses during invited talks which he regularly delivered at NDC, CDM, War Colleges of A/N/AF, DSSC, and other Universities/Institutes in India and abroad. He inherited the stewardship of famed Institute of Strategic Studies and Analyses (IDSA) from his mentor Mr K Subrahmanyam. He was invited again and again for batches after batches.

He elevated the intellectual status of men in uniform. That I think was his biggest contribution.

As the old saying goes, 'Old soldiers never die, they just fade away'. In the case of Jasjit he never died, he just 'flew' away!

May God rest his soul in peace.

- Harsh the Ghumakkad/ 5th Aug 2013/ Hyderabad
______________________________ Jasjit Singh RIP _______________________________