Singhs Going up the Ranks in Lion City

December 1, 2006

Author: Rahul Singh

Source: Hindustan Times

http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1857895,0008.htm

General JJ Singh became the mascot of the Sikh community when he took over the reins of the Army last year. And now the Singhs are roaring out loud in Lion City, Singapore, making their presence felt in the island-nation’s Armed Forces (SAF).

Ravinder Singh has become the first Sikh to rise to the rank of brigadier general and assume the command of a frontline formation — the 6th Singapore Division. This is one of SAF’s three Combined Arms Division that has elements of infantry, armour, artillery, combat engineers, signals and air defence artillery.

“This promotion is really the icing on the cake,” Ravinder Singh is quoted as saying on the SAF’s web publication cyberpioneer. “Work hard, do your best, and the SAF will definitely reward you accordingly — with challenging duties and ample recognition.”

The SAF has a career military force of about 20,000, supplemented by 30,000 personnel on active national service and almost three lakh reservists. The ethnicity in Singapore’s population is sufficiently reflected in the armed forces, which account for almost 8-10 per cent soldiers of Indian origin.