Archives: history

It isn’t often that one receives the coveted title of ‘Marshal’ of one of the strongest air forces in the world. The Indian Air Force officially has only one veteran fighter pilot who has ever been awarded with this prestigious title, the senior air officer, Arjan Singh. He was the first and the only officer to be promoted to five-star rank as Marshal to the Indian Air Force. An iconic leader who always led his squadron from the very front, Marshal Arjan Singh’s legacy is an indispensable part of modern Indian history. 

Battle ready 

Born on April 15th, 1919 in Lyallpur (present-day Faisalabad), Arjan Singh completed his education from the Government College in Lahore as an all-rounder. He headed the college swimming team and set several university-level records for swimming. His talent and vigour resulted in his acceptance into the Royal Air Force College, Cranwell, in 1938 at just 19 years of age. He carried his athletic prowess even to college where he led the swimming, athletics and hockey team. When war broke out in early 1939, Singh’s training was cut short and he was immediately assigned to Squadron 1 in Ambala. 

Braving World War II

After being assigned his initial squadron, Singh was moved around to different regions in the North-West frontiers. He, however, had the strong urge to overtake the Japanese attacks on the Imphal-Kohima frontiers. It was during this period that he encountered several near-death experiences. 

One of the most significant events that unfolded during the war was during his posting in Imphal in 1943 as squadron commander. When the Japanese laid siege to the Imphal valley, it was under Singh’s leadership and sharp vision that the squadron was able to retaliate against the Japanese troops. For his exemplary leadership skills, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) in June 1944, by Lord Mountbatten. 

Independent India and the Partition

When India celebrated its independence on August 15th, 1947, Singh, who was moved up as Group Captain, led the flight display past the Red Fort in Delhi. As India prepared its troops for the partition that followed, it was Singh who led the airbase at Ambala successfully. He went on to complete his training, not once allowing his vast experience and military expertise stop him from learning more constantly. 

DID YOU KNOW?

 

Singh served as the Chief de Mission or the representative ambassador of the Indian contingent during the 1965 summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia!

Chief of Air Staff & the Indo-Pakistani war (1965) 

Singh’s multi-faceted personality and his strong leadership qualities made him the perfect candidate for the government position as the Chief of Air Staff, a role he took up, officially, in 1964. In the year that followed, Pakistani troops breached the LoC and infiltrated Jammu & Kashmir illegally with their forces. This marked the beginning of the first Indo-Pakistan war, resulting in full-scale conflict between the two countries 

Pakistan launched Operation Grand Slam which was a series of planned airstrikes targeted at specific villages in the Kashmir valley. The Indian Air Force responded successfully to these sudden attacks through several strategic counter-attacks planned on a moment’s notice, despite enduring some losses early on. The IAF avenged the fallen comrades under the calm and decisive leadership of Chief Arjan Singh. The war came to an end when both countries agreed on a ceasefire in the region in the month of September. For this near-impossible feat, Singh was awarded the prestigious Padma Vibhushan. 

Diplomacy and Final Years

After serving as the Chief of the IAF for almost 5 years, Singh retired as the Air Chief Marshal at the age of 50 in the year 1969. Singh was a man who always kept busy and found ways to constantly contribute to his nation. It was during this time, shortly after his retirement, that he was appointed as the Indian Ambassador on several expeditions across the globe, from Switzerland to Kenya, all in a span of ten years. 

In 1989, he was appointed as the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi by the then President K.R Narayan. He served this position for a year till he turned 71 and subsequently retired once again. His health began deteriorating at the wake of the new century and continued to be poor during his final years. 

Despite the several health issues that he faced, he lived up till the age of 98 and succumbed to a cardiac arrest in 2017 at his home in New Delhi. His death was mourned deeply by the IAF and the government at the highest level, including Prime Minister Modi and President Ram Nath Kovind.  A special funeral was conducted with full military honours and IAF fly pasts as the national flag flew at half-mast in New Delhi. 

It was Singh’s legendary leadership, grit and power that helped him survive some of the most tumultuous events in global history, to engage with them successfully, and to lead the nation to safer and stronger frontiers without fear. His life and his legacy will always stand as a powerful testament to the bravery and valour of the brave soldiers and fighter pilots who guard the skies every single day. We salute his wisdom and bravery!

August 12th, 1919, marks the birth date of the legendary physicist and astronomer, Dr Vikram Sarabhai. He established the Indian National Committee for Space Research in 1962 which is now the esteemed Indian Space Research Organization.

From heading multiple organisations simultaneously and working on many ground-breaking projects including developing a satellite launching vehicle, to honouring his many other professional commitments as a public speaker and teacher, all the while making ample time for his family, Dr Sarabhai was the ultimate master of time management. He was a scientist par excellence but he was a mentor extraordinaire who had scary faith in his team members. It was to such an extent that even his team would be perplexed from time to time. It was perhaps the greatest gift Dr Sarabhai gave to India, because it was this style of mentorship that was carried forward by many top Indian scientists including Dr Kalam, who was one of his dearest students.

His contributions left an indelible mark in the history of Indian space research and nuclear power. He was conferred with the Padma Bhushan in 1966 and Padma Vibhushan in 1972. His sudden departure on December 30, 1971, left a huge void in India’s intelligentsia. However, his generous sharing of knowledge and vision was such that even after he was gone, every member of his organisations knew exactly what they had to do. Thanks to him, today India stands proudly at the forefront in the space race when it comes to efficiency and economy. From launching India’s very first satellite Aryabhata to successfully putting the Mangalyaan into the red planet’s orbit on its very first try, the Indian Space Research Organisation has followed his vision and created history.

Read the entire life story of the father of the Indian space programme in Amar Chitra Katha’s latest release ‘Vikram Sarabhai’, which will soon be available on the ACK Comics app, Kindle, and all major e-tailers.

Every year, on 17th September, we celebrate the birthday of our founder Anant Pai, our beloved Uncle Pai, on what we call Uncle Pai Day! Here’s a quick snapshot of how he came to start Amar Chitra Katha and Tinkle over half a century ago.

Anant Pai was born on September 17th, 1929, in a small village in Karnataka called Karkala. Throughout his life, Mr Pai was a diligent student. He would score brilliant marks everywhere. Despite not knowing how to speak in English, Anant and his sister, Savita got admission in Orient High School in Mumbai’s Mahim area. After he finished his schooling, he got admission in Wilson College, Mumbai. Later, he went on to study Chemical Engineering at the University Department of Chemical Technology. 

The origins of Amar Chitra Katha

Eventually, Anant Pai started working at Times of India where he was asked to do a market survey for reprints of American comics. That’s when he suggested to his boss if the newspaper can print comics based on Indian mythology or history. However, his request was denied. But the idea never left his mind.

One day, when Anant Pai and his wife were visiting Delhi, they came across a TV shop that was broadcasting a quiz show. He was an avid reader and tried to learn from wherever he could. As he watched the programme, he noticed that the participants knew more about Greek mythology than they knew about Indian mythology. From that day onwards, Anant Pai decided to resign from his job and create comic books on Indian historical and mythological figures. 

He spent days thinking of a name that best represented the company’s essence and something that would connect with Indians in every corner of the country. That’s when he came up with the name Amar Chitra Katha. Amar means eternal and Chitra Katha means comic books. It was a simple yet effective name that is now synonymous with Indian comics. In February 1970, the first-ever Amar Chitra Katha title, Krishna, was printed and ready for sale. The rest is history. 

The Partha Movement

One day, Anant Pai was called by the principal of a school. There, he noticed a child being rejected admission due to the unavailability of seats. The thought of a child going through such a disheartening rejection made Mr Pai come up with a movement for children to boost their self-confidence. It was called the Partha movement. Mr Pai formed Partha Clubs of Personality in different parts of the country. There, they taught children how to believe in themselves, and set realistic goals and work towards them. He even went on to write several books on the very same topic.

Did you know?

There’s another popular club associated with Amar Chitra Katha. It’s called the Anu Club, which takes you on a journey into the wonderful world of science. Anu Club was originally a comic series that used to appear in the pages of Tinkle. Then, in 2019, it was relaunched in a new video avatar on Tinkle’s YouTube channel. Watch all episodes of Anu Club by clicking here! 

Tinkle, Tinkle, Little Star

Amar Chitra Katha’s popularity was soaring through the roof, and kids couldn’t get enough of it. It came to a point where kids were demanding a weekly magazine. Uncle Pai and his team had to find a solution, and that solution was a children’s magazine which would have fun stories, games and much more! 

One day, Anant Pai and Subba Rao were discussing potential names for this children’s magazine when Subba Rao got a call from his marketing manager. Subba Rao said to him, “I’ll give you a tinkle later in the day.” And that was it! Anant Pai had found the perfect name for his children’s magazine! On November 14th, 1980, Tinkle comics was launched! 

In time, fan favourite characters such as Suppandi, Shikari Shambu and Tantri The Mantri were conceived. Tinkle has come a long way since then. From producing monthly magazines, Tinkle now has a digital edition out every week and remains very popular among children even today. This year, Tinkle magazine will be completing 40 years!

Read more about Uncle Pai’s life in our Amar Chitra Katha title on him, now available on the ACK Comics app as well as all major e-tailers.

By Samyukhtha Sunil

Known as ‘The Father of Engineering’, Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya left behind a legacy that fast-tracked India’s technological and infrastructural transition, paving the path for a modernised India through sheer perseverance and determination. It is in the celebration of his legacy that India observes September 15th as National Engineer’s Day.

Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya, fondly called Sir MV, was born to a poor Brahmin household on September 15th, 1860, in Muddenahalli near modern-day Mysore. It was believed that his father died when Sir MV was barely 15 years old. From then on, his journey in completing his school and college education was one that was filled with endless obstacles and hardships. He acquired a B.A degree from Central College in Bangalore. He went on to earn a scholarship for a civil engineering course from the College of Science in Pune which he completed as the valedictorian. Sir Visvesvaraya’s dedication towards his education was so strong that he would often study under the light of streetlamps late at night to catch up with his portions. During his time in college, he made a small sum of money by tutoring children after classes while still managing to top his university! He led a constant balancing act between earning for his family and trying to pursue his dreams in the field of engineering.

Soon, he was hired by the Public Works Department for the Government of Bombay where he began to develop a keen interest in water irrigation systems, drainage and water supply. Early in his tenure, he even built a structure he dubbed the ‘syphon’; it could redirect water from the Panjra river into the nearby drought-stricken village of Datari. He was deeply passionate about the water conservation system, and his ideas and thoughts were far ahead of the times that they lived in. They helped bring modern irrigation and conservation systems to developing India.

It is believed that, while Sir MV was working on his syphon project in Datari, there was a night of heavy rainfall that caused the river to breach its banks and overflow. Sir. Visvesvaraya took shelter with some locals in the vicinity for a couple of days, but on the third day, he yearned to get back to work. The man apparently swam back across the river with the help of the local workers! It’s safe to say that he was willing to go to any extent for the passion he had for his work!

Armed with immense experience and ideas aplenty, he was appointed as the Diwan of Mysore in 1909 under the post of a Chief Engineer. His instincts told him to take on larger infrastructure and education projects to ramp up development in Mysore, which the Government gladly agreed to. What followed was a massive transformation that revolutionized the state of Mysore forever.

His most significant project during this tenure was the construction of the famous Krishna Raja Sagara Dam, which is still regarded as an engineering marvel and attracts hordes of tourists every day. Not only was its design par excellence, but it also served many purposes for the people of Mysore and the neighbouring regions. It supplied power to the Kolar Gold Mines, it led through vast expanses of farmlands, providing ample irrigation to regions that did not receive enough rainfall, and it also put Mysore on the map as the location for the largest dam to be built in India at the time!

Sir M. Visvesvaraya’s vision was one that went above and beyond. He desired to leave behind a legacy that the rest of the country and the future generations could constantly resonate with. He constantly visited large scale factories and industries to review their work and share his thoughts and ideas with them. He realized the worth of good education and demanded that it be free to all, irrespective of their social or economic strata. This is why he made immense contributions in the field of academia. During his tenure as the Diwan of Mysore between the years 1912-1918, he almost tripled the number of schools and colleges, from 4568 educational institutions to 11,294! He built technical and engineering colleges across the state and introduced compulsory education for all, which became a fundamental right in the Indian constitution. He also set up the first Government Engineering College in Bengaluru, now known as the University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering.

Sir MV had the creative vigour of a child throughout his life and did not shy away from questioning things and coming up with new ways to do things. It was believed that even at the age of 92, he walked to most places and did not take any assistance to do his own work. He was a man with a large heart and made generous donations to the people who worked under him; this was why he was left with only INR 36,000 in his final days. He was awarded the prestigious Bharat Ratna in the year 1955 for lifelong contributions to the field of science and engineering.

In 1962, at the grand old age of 102, he passed away peacefully at his home. His birthday was declared as National Engineers Day from 1968 onwards, and it continues to be celebrated not only in India but also in Sri Lanka and Tanzania! His innovations continue to ignite the minds of aspiring engineers everywhere, and has made engineering a desirable field of study for many Indians to this very day. His was truly a lifetime of sharing, nurturing and demonstrating that one should always push the boundaries of the ordinary!