Ex-Army Chief General JJ Singh conferred highest French civilian honour

Former Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General (retd) Joginder Jaswant Singh on 12 April 2016 was conferred the highest French civilian honor, Officier de l Ordre national de la Legion d Honneur (Officer of the Legion of Honor).
•    It is the highest civilian award given by the French Republic for outstanding service to France, regardless of the nationality of the recipients. Singh was conferred the honour by French Ambassador to India Francois Richier.
•    He was chosen for the honor in recognition of his stellar role in modernizing the Indian Army. His initiations led to robust exchanges between the Indian and French armies, which in turn created enduring ties and promotion of mutual understanding between the two countries.
•    Legion of Honour is the highest French order for military and civil merits.
•    It was established in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte.
•    The order is divided into five degrees of increasing distinction: Chevalier (Knight), Officier (Officer), Commandeur (Commander), Grand Officier (Grand Officer) and Grand'Croix (Grand Cross).
•    The order's motto is Honneur et Patrie (Honour and Fatherland) and its seat is the Palais de la Légion d'Honneur next to the Musée d'Orsay, on the left bank of the River Seine in Paris.