India Untold: Legendary Colonel Prithipal Singh Gill, the only Indian to serve in Army, Navy, Air Force

Colonel Prithipal Singh Gill, the only Indian to serve in the Army, Navy, and Air Force, lived a legendary life of service and honour, spanning decades and wars. He passed away peacefully at 100.

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In the long and proud history of India’s armed forces, few names stand out quite like that of Colonel Prithipal Singh Gill. A man of grit, discipline, and honour, Col Gill remains the only Indian to have served in all three branches of the military – the Indian Air Force, Indian Navy, and the Indian Army. His life was one of quiet courage and extraordinary service, a rare story of dedication spread across decades and wars.

Born in 1920 in Patiala, which was then a princely state in pre-Independent India, Prithipal Singh came from a family with deep Army roots. From an early age, he was drawn to the skies. Without informing his family, he joined the Royal Indian Air Force in 1942 at the age of 22. As a young pilot during World War II, he trained in Karachi and flew aircraft as part of the British Empire's war effort. However, his stint in the Air Force was short-lived. His father, an Army officer himself, was deeply worried about the dangers of flying and urged him to switch services.

Respecting his father's wishes, Gill joined the Royal Indian Navy in 1943. For the next five years, he served on minesweeping vessels, including the INS Teer. His ship escorted cargo vessels across the seas during wartime, a crucial but risky assignment. The Navy years shaped him further, but health complications, including water in his lungs, forced him to reconsider life at sea.

In 1951, Col Gill transitioned to the Indian Army, fulfilling not just his father’s hope but also finding his most enduring role. As a Gunner Officer in the Regiment of Artillery, he found his true calling. Over the next two decades, he served with distinction. He commanded the 71 Medium Regiment during the 1965 India-Pakistan war in the fierce Sialkot sector, a vital and intense battlefield. Later, he was also posted as a Sector Commander with the Assam Rifles in Manipur.

He finally retired in 1970 as a Colonel, having served the nation for nearly three decades across land, sea, and sky. After his retirement, he moved to Chandigarh, where he led a peaceful life on farmland, enjoying his hobbies – hunting, farming, and sports like tennis, squash, and badminton.

Col Gill was not just a soldier but a symbol of service beyond limits. Even in his later years, he remained cheerful and full of life. In interviews, he often chuckled when asked about the secret to his long life. “It’s a secret,” he would say with a smile. His wife, 94 years old, their son, three grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren survive him.

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In January 2021, on Veterans Day, he was honoured with a silver salver from Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat. His family, including son Dr Ajaipal Singh Gill, often described him as a man who lived life on his own terms. “He was perfectly alright, but age caught up with him,” said Dr Gill about his peaceful passing at the age of 100, just a week before his 101st birthday in December 2021. “My father had a good life. He lived the way he wanted to.”

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Col Gill’s last rites were held at Chandigarh’s Sector 25 cremation ground, attended by friends, family, and officers of the Army’s Western Command. Justice HS Bedi (retd), a close friend of the family, described him as not just a great soldier but a wonderful human being.

Col Prithipal Singh Gill was a man who touched every corner of India’s defence system with honour. His was a life well lived, as peaceful as the smile he always wore.