Background
Singh was born at a small Village - Kusumdesar (Moda) in Churu district of Rajasthan on 14.7.1919 to Honorary
Singh was born at a small Village - Kusumdesar (Moda) in Churu district of Rajasthan on 14.7.1919 to Honorary
Eldest among three brothers and six sisters he completed his schooling from Walter Nobles High School at Bikaner in 1936.
He held many prestigious command and staff appointments throughout his military career. Initial Lieutenant General Captain Brijlal Singh Rathore of Kusumdesar and Jadao Kanwar of Hadla.
He joined Doongar College at Bikaner but was enrolled as a Naik in Bikaner Ganga Risala after his intermediate exam in 1938.
Later, he was promoted to Jamadar (Nd Subedar) and commissioned as 2/Lieutenant in Bikaner Ganga Risala which was sent to Sindh in 1941 to deal with Hoor rebellion. Later it was sent to Jubair in Iraq and Ahwaz in Iran during the war.
He was selected for the 12th War Staff course at Quetta from May to November 1945. On amalgamation of the State Forces in 1950, he joined Third Gorkha Rifles.
He commanded the Second and Third Battalions of the Third Gorkha Rifles.
In September 1961, He was promoted to the rank of Brigadier and posted as the Brigade Commander of India’s only Parachute Brigade, the 50th Parachute Brigade. The Parachute Brigade led by him played a prominent part in liberation of Goa and his men were the first to enter Panjim on 19 December 1961. As a Major General, he commanded a Mountain Division and later a Communication Zone where he played a pivotal role in taking counter insurgency operations in Mizoram.
In December 1970, he took over the command of Headquarters IV Corps as a Lieutenant General.The Corps made the famous advance to Dacca over the River Meghna during Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971.
He witnessed in Dacca, the signing of the surrender instrument by General Niazi. Foreign his leadership and command for the race to Dacca, the Government of India honored Lieutenant
General Sagat Singh with the third highest civilian award of Padma Bhushan.
Lieutenant General Sagat Singh is the only other Corps commander besides Lieutenant General (later General and COAS) T North Raina and Lieutenant
General Sartaj Singh to be so awarded in 1971.
Lieutenant general Sagat Singh retired from the army on 30 November 1976. He had a personal tragedy in 1976.
Lieutenant General Sagat Singh died at the Army Hospital Research & Referral, New Delhi on 26 September 2001.