Flight Lieutenant (later Air Vice Marshal)Jaswant Singh & Mariam Khan
Mariam Khan daughter of Dr. Khan Sahib (brother of Bacha Khan), married Flight Lieutenant Jaswant Singh in 1942. The wedding was conducted by Iskandar Mirza.
A scion of the Kapurthala Royal family, Jaswant Singh was born to Jasbir and Mabel Singh on 19 September 1915 in Budaun (United Provinces) and was nicknamed “Jumper” because of his inability to pronounce his own name.
Jaswant Singh joined the same unit as Sam Manekshaw’s after completing his attachment to the 4/12th Frontier Force Regiment (6FF).
The government was encouraging willing Army officers to be seconded to the Indian Air Force (IAF), which had only had 20-odd officers on its roster at the time. Jumper, ever willing to embrace an adventure, signed up to be transferred to the IAF and was seconded in June 1940 as a Flying Officer; only the fifth Army officer to offer himself for such an assignment. He joined the 3rd Pilot Course at the Initial Training School, Walton, Lahore, to undergo his ground and flying training, and completed his advanced training from the Service Flying Training School, Ambala, at the end of May 1941 having already flown the Tiger Moth, Wapiti, Hart and Audax, while earning his “Wings”. The handful of Army officers who were seconded to the IAF were permitted to wear the Army uniform and ranks along with the IAF wings till they were given Permanent Commission in the IAF, which did not happen until March 1947.