After passing out from the Air Force Academy in 1984 with a Sword of Honour, Singh had previously flown his last fighter‑jet sortie aboard an indigenous Tejas on Oct. 12 during Exercise Tarang Shakti at Jodhpur Air Force Station.
The water‑cannon salute that greeted him as he landed was a fitting tribute to a 42‑year career that began and ended on the same basic trainer.
Wing Commander (retired) V S Kochchar, who first taught Singh in a Kiran in 1984, said the flight was a "dream come true" for both of them.
Singh’s final sortie underscores a rare continuity—he is the only chief to retire on the very aircraft that launched his flying journey—and he will officially step down from service later this month.