Mehar Singh (commodore)


Mehar Singh

Nickname(s)Mehar Baba
Born(1915-03-20)20 March 1915
Lyallpur, Punjab, British India
Died11 March 1952(1952-03-11) (aged 36)
Delhi, India
Allegiance British India (1936-1947)
 India (from 1947)
Branch Royal Indian Air Force (1936-1947)
 Indian Air Force (1947-1952)
Years of service1936 – 1948
Rank Air Commodore
UnitNo. 1 Squadron IAF
Commands
Battles / warsWorld War II
Indo-Pakistani War of 1947–1948
Awards Maha Vir Chakra
Distinguished Service Order

Air Commodore Mehar Singh, MVC, DSO, (20 March 1915 – 11 March 1952) was a fighter pilot in the Indian Air Force. He was affectionately known as 'Mehar Baba', a sobriquet coined by Aspy Engineer. Considered a Legend of the IAF, he last served as the Air Officer Commanding No. 1 Operational Group.

In the 1940s, Flt. Lt. Asghar Khan, later Chief of Air Staff of the PAF stated, “with the solitary exception of Squadron Leader Mehar Singh, a pilot of exceptional ability, no one was able to inspire confidence among us.”