News & Update

The opening preparations for India’s most magnificent run, the Super Sikh Run 2016 took place on Sunday. July 10, 2016. On this occasion, a “Super Sikh Flying Squad” comprising of 26 of the finest runners from Delhi participated in a 13 km run from Amar Jawan Jyoti to Gurudwara Rakabganj Sahib.

Super Sikh Run is India’s first Sikh-inspired run. The mission of the Super Sikh Run is to perpetuate universal brotherhood, boldly communicated through the tag line “One race, Human race”. The run is inspired by 3 tenets of the Sikh philosophy – oneness of God & man, the spirit of selfless ‘sewa’ and personal everyday heroism.The Super Sikh Run 2016 is scheduled to take place on Dec 11, 2016 in New Delhi.

In order to launch & announce the event, 26 Delhi runners participated in a 13 KMs run from India Gate to Gurudwara Rakabganj Sahib as the Super Sikh Flying Squad.The squad was headed by Major D P Singh, India’s first blade runner and Kargil war hero and consists of Sikhs as well as Non-Sikhs who believe in the concept of “One race, Human race”.The mission of the Super Sikh Run is to create India’s most inspiring running platform to encourage running for a healthy body and mind.

The “Super Sikh flying squad” was headed by Major D P Singh, Inda’s first Blade Runner. Maj Devender Pal Singh, is a Kargil war veteran. Injured badly in war to the tune of being declared dead, Maj Singh survived to shine as India’s only amputee marathon runner, famous as India’s Blade runner, he has successfully completed 8 half marathons till date.

A double Limca record holder, the only Indian to run on artificial limb inspite of so many under mentioned severe disabilities:- Amputation right leg- Partial hearing loss of both ears- Twice operated stomach and partial removal of intestine- Left knee derangement owing to ligament implant- Around 40 shrapnels embedded still inside various body parts- Urinary bladder operated for tumour- Cervical Spondylosis-

His half marathon timings has improved from 3hrs 40 min in 2009 to 2hrs 26 min in 2012 (personal best)Once a fighter for the motherland, Maj Singh now aspires to not only win laurels for India in sports at personal level but also motivate other physically challenged (whom he calls “The Challengers”) to change their attitude from feeling helpless to fight out and shine in sports and adventure fields.

He aims to train more challengers towards sports and bring medals in Paralympics for India.Maj Singh is an avid speaker on motivation and has been admired by companies like Infosys, Ernst and Young, SAP, Bharti Walmart, TED Talk, Intuit India, CPOs meet at AIIMS, University of Binghamton etc.The Super Sikh Flying Squad also consist of other veteran runners like Tarun Valecha, who is a marathoner and leads a popular Running Group in Delhi called “Runextreme”. Runextreme provides free training to Runners at various locations in Delhi.

Manjeet Singh, ultra marathoner who can complete 35K within 5:30hrs, and many other renowned runners from Delhi.

Source- Sportskeeda

Bhai Maharaj Singh, the spiritual leader and fervent Sikh nationalist, after the defeat of the Sikhs.

First freedom fighter of India who took up weapons against the British rule in 1847, ten years before the First war of Independence of 1857.

He was the first freedom fighter of India who took up weapons against the British rule in 1847, ten years before the First war of Independence and fought fervently till he was arrested on December 29, 1849 and imprisoned in Outram Jail Singapore where he died on 5th July 1856.

Bhai Maharaj Singh(d. 1856), a saintly person turned revolutionary who led an anti-British movement in the Punjab after the first Anglo-Sikh war, was born Nihal Singh at the village of Rabbon, in Ludhiana district. He had a religious bent of mind and came under the influence of Bhai Bir Singh of Naurangabad. After the latter’s death in 1844, he succeeded him as head of the Naurangabad dera and was held in high esteem by a vast following, including most of the Sikh chiefs and courtiers.

Maharaj Singh’s revolutionary career started with the Prema conspiracy case involving him in a plot to murder the British resident, Henry Lawrence, and other pro-British officers of the Lahore Darbar. Maharaj Singh, whose movements were restricted to Naurangabad by the British, went underground. The government confiscated his property at Amritsar and announced a reward for his arrest.

Bhai Maharaj Singh intensified his activities against the British when he came to know that Diwan Mul Raj had in April 1848 raised a standard of revolt against them at Multan. He left for Multan with 400 horsemen to join hands with Mul Raj. But soon differences arose between the two leaders, and Maharaj Singh left Multan for Hazara in June 1848 to seek Chatar Singh Atarivala’s assistance in his plans to dislodge the British.

In November 1848, he joined Raja Sher Singh’s forces at Ramnagar and was seen in the battlefield riding his black mare and exhorting the Sikh soldiers to lay down their lives for the sake of their country. Thereafter he took part in the battles of Chelianvala and Gujrat, but, when Raja Sher Singh surrendered to the British at Rawalpindi on 14 March 1849, he resolved to carry on the fight single-handed.

He escaped to Jammu and made Dev Batala his secret headquarters. In December 1849, he went to Hoshiarpur and visited the Sikh regiments to enlist their support. Bhai Maharaj Singh, who carried on his head a price of 10,000 rupees was arrested on 28 December 1849 at Adampur.

Bhai Maharaj Singh’s other name was Bhai Nihal Singh. His belonged to a line of Sikh revolutionaries who wanted to return to the creed of the Gurus. The pinions of this movement were Baba Bhag Singh of Pothohar, his worthy and more popular disciple Bhai Bir Singh of Naurangabad in Amritsar and the latter’s successor Bhai Maharaj Singh.
Bhai Maharaj Singh plan of action against the vastly superior British was framed in the jungles of the Chumb Valley.

1. To rescue Maharajah Dalip Singh from Lahore Fort.
2. To organize a United Front of all anti-British forces.
3. Organized disruption by subversion and suprise attacks on British treasuries and cantonments.

When Bhai Maharaj Singh learned that Maharaja Dalip Singh was being removed from Lahore, he thought it would be a setback to the freedom struggle. Therefore, he sent to Lahore six persons where Mian Ganesh was to assist the party in the project. The plan was to bring the Maharaja to Jammu hills, from where they would start regular operations relating to the freedom struggle. These five or six persons always resided near the palace walls with a view to abduct the Maharaja.

Bhai Maharaj Singh himself set out to make arrangements for the general rebellion. From July to October, 1849, he stayed at Sajuwal (Batala district), where he decided to attack the cantonments at Hoshiarpur and Jalandhar. It was also decided to persuade people to give men and money for this plan. Some men were sent to Kabul and Kandahar. Amir Dost Mohammad Khan and Sultan Mohammad Khan, the Afghan rulers, were contacted to implement the plan.

In the Punjab hills, Bedi Bikrama Singh, son of Bedi Sahib Singh, joined the movement. A descendant of Kangra rulers along with some other families were to supply 1,000 matchlockmen, Rs 10,000-20,000, and nearly 10,000 maunds of grain for the cause. After this arrangement, Bhai Maharaj Singh left Sajuwal and went to Hoshiarpur district, where he contacted influential people. They told him that in accordance with the plan, arrangements were made to loot the government treasury at Bajwara and attack the New Hoshiarpur cantonment.

Bhai Maharaj Singh personally visited Sikh Lions and secured promises of assistance from the officers of the regiment — Prem Singh, Sukha Singh, Fateh Singh, Zai Singh Havildar, etc. In the meantime, information was received that arrangements were complete for assembling nearly 4,000 men at Datarpur near Hajipur and similar preparations were also complete in Majha, Malwa and Hazara.

The date of rising and attacking the cantonments of Hoshiarpur and Jalandhar was fixed as January 3, 1850. As the day of attack drew near, Maharaj Singh paid hurried visits to many centres in Jalandhar Doab, where his agents were secretly working.

After completing the survey, he reached Adampur on December 28, 1849, where on the report of a Muslim informer, he was arrested in a sugarcane field along with his followers by Mr Vansittart. He was kept in the Jalandhar jail and then sent to Allahabad along with followers.

Within a month or so, he was shifted to Calcutta. From there, the Governor General, Lord Dalhousie, issued orders to shift him to Singapore. The party reached Singapore on June 14, 1850. Bhai Maharaj Singh was lodged in one of the upper rooms. Two windows in his cell were walled up and a strong iron gate was put up in the verandah. He was the first Indian freedom fighter to be sent to Singapore jail.

Three years of solitary confinement later, Bhai Maharaj Singh not only turned blind, but also developed rheumatic pains and was reduced to a skeleton. In view of his ill-health, the Civil Surgeon recommended in 1853 that he be allowed an occasional walk in the open, but unfortunately this suggestion was turned down by the government for security reasons.

Bhai Maharaj Singh’s health continued to deteriorate. This divine patriot’s soul left for its heavenly abode on July 5, 1856. Mr McLeod, Commissioner of Jalandhar division, praised him by saying: “It appears to be certain that the Bhai was in some respects a very remarkable man. He possessed very great sagacity and self-reliance.”

Bhai Maharaj Singh was a pioneer freedom fighter. He continued his efforts to free the country despite adverse circumstances. For his supreme suffering and sacrifices, his memory will ever remain enshrined in the hearts of all — because he had a noble cause for which he fought and died.

पाकिस्तान के साथ 1965 की लड़ाई में वायुसेना का नेतृत्व करने वाले भारतीय वायुसेना के मार्शल अर्जन सिंह 97 वर्ष के हो चुके हैं। वह इस समय देश के इकलौते फाइव-स्टार सैन्य अधिकारी हैं।

न जाने कितने ही युद्ध देख चुके अर्जन सिंह की आंखें आज भी वैसे ही चमकती हैं, जैसे पहला युद्ध लड़ रहे किसी जवान का। जब अधिकारियों, साथियों और अन्य लोगों से मिलते हैं तो वही गर्मजोशी और आत्मविश्वास रहता है, जैसे अभी भी रगों में दुश्मन के छक्के छुड़ा देने का हौसला नस-नस में भरा हो।

मार्शल अर्जन सिंह अजेय रहे। उनकी कूटनीति और रणनीति से वायुसेना को कभी हार का मुंह नही देखना पड़ा। किसान-पुत्र होने के कारण उनको देश की मिट्टी से यह प्रेम ही था, जो मात्र 19 वर्ष की उम्र में उन्हें आरएएफ क्रैनवेल में एम्पायर पायलट प्रशिक्षण पाठ्यक्रम के लिए चुन लिया गया। और फिर उन्होंने कभी पीछे मुड़ कर नही देखा। उन्होंने अपनी उड़ान के साथ भारतीय वायुसेना को उस शिखर पर पहुंचाया की आज वह नौजवानो के लिए मिसाल बन चुके हैं।

देश में पांच स्टार वाले तीन सैन्य अधिकारी रहे हैं, जिनमें से फील्ड मार्शल सैम मानेकशॉ और फील्ड मार्शल के एम करियप्पा अब जीवित नहीं हैं। भारतीय सेनाओं के ग्रैंड-ओल्ड मैन कहे जाने वाले और मार्शल ऑफ एयरफोर्स, अर्जन सिंह के सम्मान में पश्चिम बंगाल के पानागढ़ एयरबेस को ‘अर्जन सिंह एयरबेस’ नाम दिया गया है।

अनुशासन को अपना अंग मानने वाले मार्शल अर्जन सिंह खुद के चार सिद्धांत हैं। उनका मानना है कि इनको अमल कर के एक आदर्श व्यक्ति बना जा सकता है। अर्जन सिंह कहते हैंः

“अपने पेशे के प्रति ईमानदार रहो अपने कार्य का निवर्हन इस तरह करो कि सभी उससे संतुष्ट हों, साथ में अपने अधीनस्थ पर विश्वास रखो और आख़िरी लक्ष्य हासिल करने के लिए ईमानदार और गंभीर प्रयास करो। अगर इन सिद्धांतों पर आप चलते हैं तो आप कभी भी ज़िंदगी में गलती नहीं कर सकते।”

मार्शल अर्जन सिंह का जन्म 15 अप्रैल 1919 को लायलपुर (अभी फैसलाबाद,पाकिस्तान) में हुआ था और उन्होंने अपनी शिक्षा मोंटगोमरी (अभी साहिवाल, पाकिस्तान) में पूरी की। वह 19 वर्ष की उम्र में पायलट ट्रेनिंग कोर्स के लिए चुने गए। वर्ष 1944 में उन्होंने अराकन अभियान और इमफाल अभियान में स्कवाड्रन लीडर के तौर पर अपने स्कवाड्रन का नेतृत्व किया। उनके कुशल नेतृत्व के लिए उन्हें विशिष्ट फ्लाइंग क्रॉस से सम्मानित किया गया। आजादी के दिन 15 अगस्त 1947 को मार्शल ने वायु सेना के सौ से भी अधिक विमानों के लाल किले के उपर से फ्लाई -पास्ट का भी नेतृत्व किया।

वायु सेना प्रमुख बनाए जाने के समय उनकी उम्र बमुश्किल 44 साल थी और आजादी के बाद पहली बार लडाई में उतरी भारतीय वायुसेना की कमान उनके ही हाथ में थी। अपने कुशल नेतृत्व और दृढता के साथ स्थिति का सामना करते हुए भारत की विजय में महत्वपूर्ण भूमिका निभाने वाले मार्शल की प्रशंसा करते हुए तत्कालीन रक्षा मंत्री वाई बी चव्हाण ने कहा थाः

“एयर मार्शल अर्जन सिंह हीरा हैं, वह अपने काम में दक्ष और दृढ़ होने के साथ सक्षम नेतृत्व के धनी हैं।“

विंग कमांडर बनने के बाद वह रॉयल स्टाफ कॉलेज ब्रिटेन में प्रशिक्षण के लिए गए। ग्रुप कैप्टन के तौर पर उन्होंने अंबाला क्षेत्र की कमान संभाली। एयर कमोडोर बनने के बाद उन्हें एक संचालन बेस का प्रमुख बनाया गया, जो बाद में पश्चिमी वायु कमान के नाम से जाना गया। चीन के साथ 1962 की लडाई के बाद 1963 में उन्हें वायु सेना उप प्रमुख बनाया गया।

एक अगस्त 1964 को जब वायु सेना अपने आप को नई चुनौतियों के लिए तैयार कर रही थी, उस समय एयर मार्शल के रूप में अर्जन सिंह को इसकी कमान सौंपी गई। वह पहले ऐसे वायु सेना प्रमुख हैं, जिन्होंने इस पद पर पहुंचने तक विमान उड़ाना नहीं छोड़ा था और अपने कार्यकाल के अंत तक वह विमान उड़ाते रहे। अपने कई दशकों के करियर में उन्होंने 60 प्रकार के विमान उड़ाए, जिनमें द्वितीय विश्व युद्ध से पहले के तथा बाद में समसामयिक विमानों के साथ-साथ परिवहन विमान भी शामिल हैं।

पाकिस्तान के खिलाफ लडाई में उनकी भूमिका के बाद वायु सेना प्रमुख के रैंक को बढाकर पहली बार एयर चीफ मार्शल किया गया। उन्हें नागरिक सम्मान पद्म विभूषण से भी सम्मानित किया गया। सेवानिवृत होने पर उन्हें स्विटजरलैंड का राजदूत बनाया गया। वायु सेना में उनकी सेवाओं के लिए सरकार ने उन्हें जनवरी 2002 में वायु सेना के मार्शल के रैंक से नवाजा। यह उपलब्धि पाने वाले वह वायु सेना के एक मात्र अधिकारी हैं।

~ Source – topyaps.com

He spent his prime fighting wars for Britain and later independent India only to realise their futility a century later.

Born in 1911, he got recruited in the army in 1941.

The soldier inside him is still alive. “I never feared, though had a close shave with death several times during the World War II and 1947-48 Indo-Pak conflict.

He is said to have saved the lives of 116 Muslims at Karanpur village in Pinjore when riots broke out after the Partition in 1947. “Villagers wanted to kill Muslim men and violate their women. But I resisted and succeeded,” he says.

He had a gun and gave shelter to Muslims in his house for over a month.

He got late in joining back to unit by 45 days but when he told the reason he was honoured. “Families which migrated to Pakistan later also kept coming to meet him,” said Rajinder Singh, eldest son of Sarup Singh.

Once 45 of his colleagues died but not a single pellet touched him in Java (Indonesia) in World War II.

~ Source: Hindustan Times