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93-587: The former Royal Air Force Far East Air Force , more simply known as RAF Far East Air Force , was the Command organisation that controlled all Royal Air Force assets in the east of Asia ( Far East ). It was originally formed as Air Command, South East Asia in 1943 during the Second World War . In 1946, this was renamed RAF Air Command Far East , and finally Far East Air Force in June 1949. The command

186-549: A monsoon season, and is famous for its Mughlai cuisine. Agra is included on the Golden Triangle tourist circuit, along with Delhi and Jaipur ; and the Uttar Pradesh Heritage Arc , a tourist circuit of Uttar Pradesh, along with Lucknow and Varanasi . The name Agra is explained by different derivations, all of which have low verifiability. The most accepted one is that it had its origin from

279-474: A monsoon season. The Agra district, from its proximity to the sandy Thar Desert to the west, is relatively dry, and has greater extremes of temperature than districts further east. The hot west wind, Loo blows mainly during April, May, and June with great force and can cause fatal heatstrokes. The highest temperature ever registered in Agra was 48.6 °C, on 28 May 2024. The monsoon rains usually begin in

372-416: A 130 km long pipeline laid to bring Ganga water from Bulandshahr's Upper Ganga canal to Agra. The project has been launched, but has faced criticism due to frequent pipeline leakages. Though most of the city uses cylinders for cooking gas, piped natural gas is also available in many localities, including Kamla Nagar , Sikandra and others. The service is provided by Green Gas Limited. Due to

465-517: A GDP of 40.21 billions / 40,210 crores as per the data released by UP Government for the year 2018–19, thus the 3rd rank in the state. In the Swachh Survekshan 2020, Agra ranked 16th nation-wide, and 2nd in the state after Lucknow , which was a big jump after 86th in 2019, 102nd in 2018, and 263rd in 2017. In the Smart city Rankings , which are pan-India rankings for 100 cities which

558-505: A Lieutenant-Governor. Agra was one of the centres of the Indian rebellion of 1857 . During the Indian rebellion of 1857, when East India Company rule across many parts of India was threatened, the news of the mutiny at Meerut reached Agra on 14 May. On 30 May some companies of the 44th and 67th Native Infantry sent to Mathura to bring in the treasury mutinied and carried off the treasury to

651-520: A large amount of space was available for transport aircraft; it had hard standings (all-weather concrete supports for landed aircraft) for about 70 Dakotas. This was fortunate since a great number of transport aircraft was required in the country, despite the low population of POWs. The other aircraft at the airfield were Spitfires of No. 273 Squadron RAF and a detachment of photo-reconnaissance Mosquitoes. The situation in French Indo-China and

744-560: A large portion of the water demand is fulfilled from the Yamuna river, which is a highly polluted river, water quality in Agra is usually poor, with unhealthy levels of chlorine required for purification. The city's groundwater is also unfit for drinking, and is saline and high in fluoride content. Both sources breach CPCB standards. To provide the city with adequate water supply, the Gangajal pipeline project has been initiated. It includes

837-477: A level plain, with hills in the extreme southwest. The rivers in the region include Yamuna and Chambal . The region is also watered by the Agra Canal . Millet, barley, wheat and cotton are among the crops grown in the surrounding countryside. Both Rabi and Kharif crops are cultivated. The deserted city of Fatehpur Sikri is about 40 km southwest of Agra. The sandstone hills near Fatehpur Sikri and on

930-429: A man were in a market. These impressions of Fitch are corroborated by another European traveller, William Finch , who remarked about Agra: It is spacious, large, populous beyond measure, that you can hardly pass the street . . . . Agra continued to expand and flourish during Akbar's successor Jahangir's reign as he wrote in his autobiography Tuzuk-e-Jahangiri : The habitable part of Agra extends on both sides of

1023-530: A more important attraction for the rebels. Despite an uprising by a mob and extreme disorder in the city, the British managed to restore partial order by 8 July. Delhi, in turn, fell to the British in September, following which an infantry brigade led by Brigadier Edward Greathed arrived in Agra on 11 October without any opposition from rebels. But shortly after their arrival another force of mutineers attacked

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1116-400: A new capital city of Fatehpur Sikri , around 35 km from Agra. The new capital city was later abandoned. Before his death, Agra had become probably one of the biggest cities in the east, with huge amounts of trade and commerce happening through its bazaars . The English traveller Ralph Fitch who visited Agra in September 1585 in the life-time of Akbar, writes about the town: Agra is

1209-522: A population of roughly 1.6 million, Agra is the fourth-most populous city in Uttar Pradesh and twenty-third most populous city in India. As per the 2011 Census of India, Agra city has a population of 1,585,704; its metropolitan population is 1,760,285. The sex ratio of Agra city is 875 females per 1000 males, while the child sex ratio is 857 girls per 1000 boys. The average literacy rate of Agra city

1302-542: A quantity of jewels and precious stones as a token of homage. Among these was the famous diamond Koh-i-nur . Babur went on to lay out the first formal Mughal garden in India, the Aram Bagh (or Garden of Relaxation) on the banks of the river Yamuna. Babur was determined to establish the seat of his government at Agra, but was almost dissuaded by the desolate appearance of the region, as clear from this quote from his memoir Baburnama : It always appears to me, that one of

1395-602: A state owned entity of UPPCL. The control of power distribution in Agra was handed over to Torrent Power from the state-owned UP Power Corporation Ltd in 2010, in an effort to move towards power reforms and cutting the massive distribution losses in the state. This was the first time power distribution was privatised in Uttar Pradesh, except for Noida-Greater Noida falling under the NCR . Agra has three primary sources for municipal water supply: water treatment plants at Sikandra and Jeoni Mandi, and groundwater using tubewells. Since

1488-1008: A time with the Royal Pakistan Air Force and the Indian Air Force . Air Headquarters Malaya (AHQ Malaya) was disbanded on 31 August 1957. No. 222 Group RAF was raised to command status as AHQ Ceylon on 16 Oct 1945. This was in turn disbanded on 1 November 1957. Its stations, including RAF Negombo , 22 miles north of Columbo , had been handed over to the Royal Ceylon Air Force in the course of 1955–56. Commanders included: ? (1933–1938) Air Vice Marshal John Tremayne Babington (1938–1941) later known as Sir John Tremayne . Air Vice Marshal C. W. H. Pulford (1941– 1942) died of malaria on active service Air Vice Marshal Paul Maltby (1942) captured; POW Command (military formation) The relevant definition of "command" according to

1581-421: A very great city, and populous, built with stone, having fair and large streets with a fair river running by it . . . . Agra and Fatehpur Sikri are two very great cities, either of them much greater than London, and very populous. Between Agra and Fatehpur are twelve miles ( kos in reality) and all the way is a market of victuals and other things as full as though a man were still in a town, and so many people as if

1674-439: Is SP Singh Baghel , from Bharatiya Janata Party . Ahead of the election the for 2022 Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly, it was announced that two more districts, including Agra, could become a police commissionerate before the elections. The electricity power distribution and bill collection in Agra is the responsibility of Torrent Power , a private sector company as well as DVVNL (Dakshinanchal Vidhyut Vitran Nigam Limited),

1767-484: Is 73.11% of which male and female literacy rates are 77.81% and 67.74% respectively. Hinduism is the most followed religion in Agra city with 80.68% of its population adhering to it. Islam is second most followed religion in the city of Agra with 15.37% of the population following it. These are followed by Jainism, Sikhism, Christianity and Buddhism at 1.04%, 0.62%, 0.42% and 0.19% respectively. Approximately 1.66% stated 'No Particular Religion'. Agra district comes under

1860-582: Is develops new housing, infrastructure and colonies in the city. Vote share of Parties in 2019 Agra Lok Sabha. Incumbent MP Satyapal Singh Baghel of BJP won the Agra Lok Sabha constituency with a margin of 2,11,546 votes by defeating Manoj Kumar Soni of BSP. Satyapal Singh Baghel secured 6,46,875 votes. Agra district has two Lok Sabha constituencies, Agra and Fatehpur Sikri , and nine Uttar Pradesh Vidhan Sabha ( Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly ) constituencies. The MP for Agra constituency

1953-596: Is named after S.K.D Paliwal , who brought out the Hindi daily Sainik . Post India's independence, Agra has been a part of Uttar Pradesh and has gradually developed into an industrial city, with a significant contribution to Uttar Pradesh's economy. The city is now a popular tourist destination and hosts tourists from across the world. The Taj Mahal and Agra Fort received UNESCO World Heritage Sites status in 1983. The Taj Mahal witnesses tourists, photographers, historians and archaeologists in massive numbers all around

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2046-588: Is the birthplace of the now extinct religion known as Din-i-Ilahi , which was founded by Akbar and also of the Radhaswami Faith , which has around two million followers worldwide. Agra is included on the Golden Triangle tourist circuit, along with Delhi and Jaipur ; and the Uttar Pradesh Heritage Arc, a tourist circuit of Uttar Pradesh, along with Lucknow and Varanasi . The region around Agra consists almost entirely of

2139-577: Is the trade centre of Agra. There are about 12 major and medium scale industries, producing electrical goods, pipes, leather goods etc. There are about 7,200 small scale industrial units. Above 1.5 lakh pairs of shoes per day are manufactured in Agra by the various footwear units. Agra city is also known for its leather goods, the oldest and famous leather firm Taj Leather World is in Sadar bazar . The carpets, handicrafts, zari and zardozi (embroidery work), marble and stone carving and inlay work. Agra amassed

2232-680: The Diwan-i-Am , the Diwan-i-Khas , the Moti Masjid , etc., inside the fort were planned and executed under his orders. Shah Jahan later shifted the capital to Shahjahanabad (now known as Delhi ) in the year 1648, followed by his son Aurangzeb (reigned 1658–1707 ) moving the entire court to Delhi in 1658. With this Agra began rapidly declining. Nevertheless, the cultural and strategic importance of Agra remained unaffected and in official correspondence it continued to be referred to as

2325-604: The Indian subcontinent and the capital of the Mughal Empire under Mughal emperors Babur , Humayun , Akbar , Jahangir and Shah Jahan . Under Mughal rule, Agra became a centre for learning, arts, commerce, and religion, and saw the construction of the Agra Fort , Sikandra and Agra's most prized monument, the Taj Mahal , constructed between 1632 and 1648 by Shah Jahan in remembrance of his wife Mumtaz Mahal . With

2418-610: The Lodhis and the Tomaras of Gwalior in the First Battle of Panipat in 1526. Babur's connection with Agra began immediately after the battle of Panipat. He sent forward his son Humayun , who occupied the town without opposition. The Raja of Gwalior, slain at Panipat, had left his family and the heads of his clan at Agra. In gratitude to Humayun, who treated them magnanimously, and protected them from plunder, they presented to him

2511-493: The North Western Provinces was shifted from Agra to Allahabad in 1858. Gradually, Agra declined to the position of a mere provincial town, and its prosperity declined: But in the economy of the administration of British India Agra is nothing more than a district town; its size, proportions and manifold activities have come down to its present requirements, and continued life in this city does not come above

2604-685: The United States Army , the acronym MACOM is used for Major Command. Within the United States Air Force , the acronym MAJCOM is used. There are several types of Major Commands in the United States Armed Forces : Agra Agra ( / ˈ ɑː ɡ r ə / AH -grə ; Hindi: [ˈaːɡɾaː] ) is a city on the banks of the Yamuna river in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh , about 230 kilometres (140 mi) south-east of

2697-489: The United States Department of Defense is as follows: (DOD) 3. A unit or units, an organization, or an area under the command of one individual. Also called CMD. See also area command; combatant command ; combatant command (command authority). Major Command or Major Commands are large formations of the United States Armed Forces . Historically, a Major Command is the highest level of command. Within

2790-654: The Afghan ruler of the Delhi Sultanate , rebuilt Agra and made it the seat of government. Sikandar Lodhi appointed a commission which inspected and surveyed both sides of the Yamuna from Delhi to Etawah and finally chose a place on the left bank, or the east side of the Yamuna, as the site for the city. Agra on the left bank of the Yamuna grew into a large flourishing town with royal presence, officials, merchants, scholars, theologians and artists. The city became one of

2883-624: The Agra Police Zone and Agra Police Range, Agra Zone is headed by an additional director general (ADG)-ranked Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, and the Agra Range is headed by a deputy inspector general (DIG)-ranked IPS officer. The district police is headed by a senior superintendent of police (SSP), who is an IPS officer, and is assisted by six superintendents of police or additional superintendents of police for city, east, west, crime, traffic, and protocol, either from

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2976-904: The Air Ministry (Lee Eastward 65-69, Appendix B, 261). No. 223 Group was disbanded at Peshawar by being redesignated No 1 (Indian) Group on 15 August 1945; No. 225 Group disbanded at Hindustan near Bangalore by being redesignated No 2 (Indian) Group on 1 May 1946; No. 226 Group disbanded at Palam on 31 July 1946, with its units being transferred to No.2 (Indian) Group; No. 227 Group disbanded at Agra on 1 May 1946 by becoming No. 4 (Indian) Group . In May 1945 No. 228 Group had moved to Barrackpore and absorbed No. 230 Group, and then on 1 May 1946 becoming No. 3 (Indian) Group . No. 229 Group disbanded on 31 March 1947 and its responsibilities were taken over by No. 1 (Indian) Group ; and No. 231 Group ceased operations on 1 August 1945, with by that time no units assigned, and disbanded on 30 September. In 1946, ACSEA

3069-693: The French colony of French Indo-China up to the 16th parallel , and most of the Dutch colony of the Dutch East Indies . After the completion of the re-occupation duties, SEAC was disestablished in November 1946. However, the benefits of a supreme commander were not forgotten, and a tri-service headquarters was revived in 1962, when the Far East Command was formed. The Far East Command

3162-478: The Hindi word agar meaning salt-pan, a name which was given to it because the soil in the region is brackish and salt used to be made here once by evaporation. Others derive it from Hindu History claiming that the Sanskrit word agra ( अग्र ) which means the first of the many groves and little forests where Krishna frolicked with the gopis of Vrindavan . The term Agravana hence means grove forest. Agra

3255-907: The IPS or the Provincial Police Service . Each of the several police circles is headed by a circle officer in the rank of deputy superintendent of police . Agra Municipal Corporation or Agra Nagar Nigam (AMC or ANN) is the Municipal Corporation responsible for the civic infrastructure and administration of the city of Agra. This civic administrative body administers the city's public services. The mayor and municipal councillors are elected to five-year terms. The Agra Municipal Corporation oversees four zones (Hariparvat, Lohamandi, Tajganj and Chhata) which are further subdivided into 100 wards. The AMC boundary encompasses an area of 121 square km. The Agra Development Authority (ADA),

3348-643: The National Sample Survey Organization, in 1999–2000, 431 of every 1,000 employed males were self-employed in the city, which grew to 603 per 1,000 in 2004–05. Tourism has a significant role in the economy of Agra, with upwards of 9.5 million tourists visiting Agra and surrounding monuments in 2019. The city is home to Asia's largest spa called Kaya Kalp – The Royal Spa, at the ITC Hotel Mughal in Agra. Other hotels include Taj Hotel and Convention Centre. Sanjay Place

3441-743: The Netherlands East Indies was particularly tricky because of the hostility of the locals to the returning colonial powers. French Indo-China was handed back to French control a great deal faster than the Dutch East Indies reverted back to Dutch control. This meant that in French Indo-China RAF aircraft did not have to get involved in suppressing any revolts in the area, apart from one occasion when Spitfires attacked enemy forces with cannon fire to support French ground troops. The RAF provided some spare Spitfires in

3534-843: The Photographic Reconnaissance Force ( No. 171 Wing RAF and U.S. 8th Photographic Reconnaissance Group ); and No. 293 Wing RAF . By January 1945 ACSEA's subsidiary Base Air Forces South East Asia, under Air Marshal Sir Roderick Carr , comprised No. 223 Group RAF on the North West Frontier at RAF Peshawar , No. 225 Group RAF (responsible for the "air defence of southern India and the whole coastline from Bengal to Karachi," by January 1943 controlling Nos 172 and 173 Wings ), No. 226 Group RAF , No. 227 Group RAF , and No. 230 Group RAF , carrying out maintenance, training, and administration. The four major RAF formations under HQ ACSEA in India and Ceylon at

3627-631: The RAF, the stoppages were not formally treated as mutinies. Had they been so, punishments up to and including execution by firing squad could have been imposed on those responsible. Other mutinies occurred in Ceylon , elsewhere in India and Singapore. They also spread to units of the Royal Indian Air Force for a short while. The easiest of the occupation tasks was in Siam . Unlike elsewhere in

3720-657: The Strategic Air Force ( 7th Bombardment Group USAAF and No. 231 Group RAF , under Brigadier General Howard C. Davidson of the United States Army Air Force); the U.S. Tenth Air Force ( 80th Fighter Group , 311th Fighter Group , and 443rd Troop Carrier Group ); the RAF Third Tactical Air Force ( Nos 221 and 224 Groups , No. 177 Wing RAF , 3d Combat Cargo Group USAAF, and 12th Bombardment Group USAAF);

3813-922: The Sur Sarovar Bird Sanctuary is the Agra Bear Rescue Facility , which is India's first sanctuary for 'dancing' bears . Operated by Wildlife SOS , Free the Bears Fund and others, the facility has rehabilitate over 620 sloth bears , which were exploited by a nomadic tribe known as the Kalandars as 'dancing bears', despite the practice being illegal since 1972. Agra has been ranked 3rd best “National Clean Air City” (under Category 1 >10L Population cities) in India according to 'Swachh Vayu Survekshan 2024 Results' https://prana.cpcb.gov.in/ncapServices/robust/fetchFilesFromDrive/Swachh_Vayu_Survekshan_2024_Result.pdf With

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3906-466: The Taj Mahal such as 'Attacks by Bugs and their Green Slime', foul stench and corrosion of Taj Mahal's foundation. The river has as many as 90 nalas or drains opening into it. Though the municipality has claimed to stop 40 of these drains, the bigger ones, Bhairon , Mantola , Balkeshwar nalas continue to discharge huge quantities of untreated waste water without any check. Activists say that

3999-474: The Yamuna river bed between Itmad-ud-Daula and the Taj Mahal has become a dumping ground for pollutants. Polythene, plastic waste, leather cuttings from shoe factories, construction material, are all thrown into the river. Less than 7% of the Agra district is under forest cover. The only major wildlife sanctuary near Agra is Keetham Lake , also known as Sur Sarovar Bird Sanctuary. The lake has nearly two dozen varieties of migratory and resident birds. Within

4092-495: The airport, stopped over on trips to and from French Indo-China, and evacuated prisoners of war and internees who had been imprisoned in Siam at the end of the war. The job in Siam was completed very quickly, with almost all of the RAF personnel at Don Muang being gone by January 1946. Burma was also relatively straightforward to deal with, although more complicated than Siam. Much of the colony had been conquered several months before

4185-550: The average of that monotonous muffasil life in India which has been so often and so vividly described by many gifted Anglo-Indian writers. Agra has become of late years a large railway centre, and its commercial prosperity seems to be reviving. Agra's role in the Indian Independence movement is not well documented. However, in the years between the mutiny and independence Agra was a major centre of Hindi and Urdu journalism. Paliwal park (formerly Hewitt park) in Agra

4278-524: The brigade by surprise, but was defeated and routed. This minor victory for the British was named the Battle of Agra . It is to be said that, the uprising in Agra was relatively minor compared to Delhi , Jhansi , Meerut and other major rebellious cities and regions. After this British rule was again secured, and the British Raj ruled the city till the independence of India in 1947. The capital of

4371-489: The chief defects of Hindustan is the want of artificial watercourses. I had intended, wherever I might fix my residence, to construct water-wheels, to produce an artificial stream, and to lay out an elegant and regularly planned pleasure ground. Shortly after coming to Agra I passed the Jumna with this object in view, and examined the country to pitch upon a fit spot for a garden. The whole was so ugly and detestable that I repassed

4464-428: The clean-up immediately postwar, came the task of preparing Burma for independence. AHQ Burma moved out of Rangoon to Mingaladon on 1 January 1947. The headquarters was disbanded on 31 December 1947, and three months later Burma became independent. The most prickly tasks in the entire command were the temporary occupations of the colonies of other European powers. One was the occupation of part of French Indo-China , and

4557-584: The climate of Agra is classified as BSh by the Köppen-Geiger climate classification system . This is the tropical and subtropical steppe climate , a major climate type of the Köppen classification that occurs primarily on the periphery of the true deserts in low-latitude regions, forming a transition between the desert climate ( BW ), and the more humid subtropical and tropical climates . The city features warm winters, sweltering and dry summers and

4650-555: The code name Operation Claret . In 1965 there were several Indonesian operations into West Malaysia, but without military success. By August 1966, following Indonesian President Suharto 's rise to power, a peace agreement finally took effect as Indonesia accepted the existence of Malaysia. RAF units and forces in Burma, the Dutch East Indies , French Indochina , and Siam /Thailand left in 1945–1947. Forces in India departed in 1947, though many RAF officers and other personnel stayed on for

4743-575: The command retreated to India , there receiving the name Air Headquarters Bengal. The true ancestor of the postwar Far East Air Force was formed on 16 November 1943, under Lord Louis Mountbatten , Supreme Allied Commander, South East Asia Command (SEAC). It was initially called South East Asia Air Command, but became Air Command, South East Asia (ACSEA) on 30 December 1943. On 1 July 1944 ACSEA comprised No. 222 Group RAF , No. 225 Group, No. 229 Group RAF , and Eastern Air Command, under U.S. Lieutenant General George E. Stratemeyer , itself being made up of

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4836-469: The command to French Air Force pilots who were being sent to the colony, and more Spitfires were sent from Europe. The main RAF presence was withdrawn in mid-February 1946, when the Air Headquarters was disbanded. However, a small RAF presence was retained for a few more months to help direct military transport aircraft using the airfield. The Indonesian–Malaysian Confrontation during 1962–1966

4929-671: The decline of the Mughal Empire, the city came under the influence of another post-Mughal Empire power, the Marathas , before falling into the hands of the British East India Company in 1803. In the years 1834–1836, Agra was the capital of the short-lived Presidency of Agra , administered by a Governor . It was then the capital of the North-Western Province from 1836 to 1858, governed by

5022-600: The decline of the Mughal empire in the late 18th century, the city fell successively first to Marathas and later to the East India Company . After Independence, Agra has developed into an industrial town, with a booming tourism industry, along with footwear, leather and other manufacturing. The Taj Mahal and the Agra Fort are UNESCO World Heritage Sites . The city features mild winters, hot and dry summers and

5115-583: The end of the war were HQ BAFSEA; AHQ Burma; HQ 222 Group at Columbo, controlling all operational squadrons in Ceylon, largely carrying out maritime duties; and 229 Group, a Transport Command group located in New Delhi. 222 Group disbanded by being renamed AHQ Ceylon on 15 October 1945; it inherited six Liberator squadrons (Nos 99, 356, 203, 8, 160, and 321 RNLAF); four Sunderland squadrons (205, 209, 230, and 240); and No. 136 Squadron with Spitfires. After HQ BAFSEA

5208-660: The first week in July; and generally end in mid-September. However, the monsoons , though substantial in Agra, are not quite as heavy as the monsoon in other parts of India. The weather moderates by the middle of October. The region around Agra, the northwest Indo-Gangetic plain is prone to extreme fog in the winter months, which is caused due to natural factors like low winds, low temperatures, availability of moisture apart from air pollution. This phenomenon often leads to big delays and sometimes cancellation of trains due to poor visibility. Agra has high levels of air pollution and one of

5301-428: The latter continued to be the first city of the realm. It was, however, Shah Jahan (reigned 1628–58 ) whose building activity raised Agra to the pinnacle of its glory. Shah Jahan, known for his keen interest in architecture, gave Agra its most prized monument, the Taj Mahal . Built in loving memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal , the mausoleum was completed in 1653. The Jama Masjid and several other notable buildings like

5394-415: The main occupation forces were slow to arrive. Thus Mountbatten had to use Japanese forces still in the area for internal security duties for a short while. One aspect of the occupation that was smaller in magnitude than in other areas of the command was the prisoners of war. Only about 5,000 prisoners of war were in French Indo-China, and thus that part of the repatriation problem was small. At Tan Son Nhut,

5487-562: The most important centres of Islamic learning in India. The sultan founded the village of Sikandra in the northern suburbs of the city and built there a Baradari of red sandstone in 1495, which was converted into a tomb by Jahangir, and now stands as the Tomb of Mariam-uz-Zamani , Akbar's empress. After the Sultan's death in 1517, the city passed on to his son, Sultan Ibrahim Lodi (reigned 1517–26 ). He ruled his sultanate from Agra until he

5580-497: The mutineers to Agra, some 6000 Europeans and associated people moved into the Agra Fort for safety on 3 July. On 5 July, the British force stationed there attempted to attack an approaching force of Mutineers, but was defeated, and the British retreated back into the fort. The Lieutenant-Governor, J.R. Colvin , died there, and was later buried in front of the Diwan-i-am . The mutineers, however, moved over to Delhi , it being

5673-467: The national capital Delhi and 330 km west of the state capital Lucknow . With a population of roughly 1.6 million, Agra is the fourth-most populous city in Uttar Pradesh and twenty-third most populous city in India. Agra's notable historical period began during Sikandar Lodi 's reign, but the golden age of the city began with the Mughals in the early 16th century. Agra was the foremost city of

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5766-478: The nearby Yamuna river. The white-marble Taj Mahal is turning yellow and green because of filthy air in the world's eighth-most polluted city. The Taj Mahal flanks the garbage-strewn Yamuna river and is often enveloped by dust and smog from smokestacks and vehicles. The Yamuna River is one of the most polluted rivers in the world. Agra is the second largest contributor to River Yamuna's pollution, after Delhi. The river's pollution has caused several problems for

5859-415: The occupation, No. 20 Squadron RAF with Spitfire VIII aircraft, No. 211 Squadron RAF with de Havilland Mosquito VI aircraft, and a detachment of No. 685 Squadron RAF with Mosquito photo- reconnaissance aircraft. The airfield was defended by No. 2945 Squadron RAF Regiment . In addition to the resident forces, Douglas Dakota transport aircraft were frequent users of Don Muang. They made supply runs to

5952-470: The other was the occupation of part of the Dutch East Indies . The easier of the two was French Indo-China. Resentment against the French was strong, with Ho Chi Minh 's Viet Minh movement beginning to become a real problem. British forces were responsible for the southern part of the country, south of the 16th parallel, while Chinese forces dealt with the north. An RAF headquarters was set up near Saigon on 8 September, at Tan Son Nhut airfield . However,

6045-501: The people is so great that moving about in the lanes and bazars is difficult. Akbar's successor Jahangir (reigned 1605–27 ) had a love of flora and fauna and laid many gardens inside the Red Fort. Akbar's mausoleum at Sikandra was completed during Jahangir's reign. The Jahangiri Mahal in Agra fort and the tomb of Itmad-ud-daulah were also constructed during the reign of Jahangir. Jahangir loved Lahore and Kashmir more than Agra, but

6138-417: The presence of the Taj Mahal and other historic monuments, Agra has a booming tourism industry as well as royal crafts like Pietra Dura , marble inlay and carpets. 40% of the population depends largely on agriculture, and others on the leather and footwear business and iron foundries. Agra was the second most self-employed in India in 2007, behind Varanasi, followed by Bhopal, Indore and Patna. According to

6231-424: The rebels in Delhi. With the fear of the rebellion spreading to Agra as well, the rest of these native infantry battalions, which were part of the garrison at Agra, were successfully disarmed by the British on 31 May. However, when the Gwalior contingent mutinied on 15 June, all other native units followed. On 2 July the rebel force of the Nimach and Nasirabad contingents reached Fatehpur Sikri . Fearing advance of

6324-415: The region came back down to earth with a bump a few days later. Instead of the end to operations that a great many of the conscripts had naively thought would occur, if anything, operations in some parts of the forces increased in tempo. South-East Asia Command had been increased in size from the day after the surrender, taking in south French Indo-China , and much of the Dutch East Indies . The command

6417-476: The region, Siam had retained a functioning civil government throughout the war, and thus British troops did not have to deploy to restore order over most of the country. RAF forces set a headquarters in Bangkok , at Don Muang airfield, under Group Captain D O Finlay on 9 September 1945. The headquarters was from No. 909 Wing RAF . The Wing left its previously controlled aircraft, Republic P-47 Thunderbolts in Burma. Three squadrons were represented in Siam during

6510-422: The right bank of the river which is associated with the Mughals , and known throughout the world as the city of the Taj. Of ancient Agra little now remains except few traces of the foundations. It was a place of importance under various Hindu dynasties previous to the Muslim invasions of India , but its history is unclear, and possess little historical interest. The 17th century chronicler named Abdullah said it

6603-493: The river quite repulsed and disgusted. In consequence of the want of beauty and of the disagreeable aspect of the country, I gave up my intention of making a charbagh (garden house); but as no better situation presented itself near Agra, I was finally compelled to make the best of this same spot.... In every corner I planted suitable gardens, in every garden I sowed roses and narcissus regularly, and in beds corresponding to each other. We were annoyed by three things in Hindustan; one

6696-493: The river. On its west side, which has the greater population, its circumference is seven kos, and its breadth is one kos. The circumference of the inhabited part on the other side of the river, the side towards the east, is 2 1 ⁄ 2 kos, its length being one kos and its breadth half a kos. But in the number of its buildings it is equal to several cities of Iraq, Khurasan and Trans-Oxiana put together. Many persons have erected buildings of three or four storeys in it. The mass of

6789-780: The second capital of the empire. The decline of the Mughal empire caused the emergence of several regional kingdoms, and in the late 18th century the control of the city fell successively to the Jats, the Marathas, the Mughals, the ruler of Gwalior, and finally the British East India Company. The Jats of Bharatpur , waged many wars against the Mughal Delhi and in the 17th and 18th century carried out numerous campaigns in Mughal territories including Agra. After

6882-546: The south-eastern borders of the district are offshoots from the Vindhya range of Central India . Agra is about 210 km away from the National capital of New Delhi (via Yamuna Expressway ), about 336 km from state capital Lucknow (via Agra-Lucknow Expressway ), and about 227 km from Kanpur (via Agra-Lucknow Expressway). The city has an average elevation of 170 metres above sea level. Broadly speaking,

6975-410: The transport squadrons saw the largest amount of work, evacuating POWs and internees and supplying garrisons and the civilian population. Second to the transport squadrons in workload were the photo reconnaissance aircraft. The opportunity was taken to complete the process of surveying SE Asia from the air, and using the survey to bring maps up to date. The survey was not completed until August 1947. After

7068-428: The war ended, in the big British offensive of summer 1945. That gave ACSEA crucial breathing space to start getting the colony back on its feet before the massive increase in occupation duties postwar occurred. Air Headquarters Burma was well established under Air Marshal Sir Hugh Saunders . At the end of the war, it had 28 squadrons under its control. This quickly reduced as the demobilisation really kicked in. Again,

7161-473: The worst AQIs in India. In a study conducted by WHO using data from years 2010–2016, Agra ranked as the 8th most polluted city in India, along with other nearby cities including Delhi , Kanpur and Faridabad . Agra has been ranked 3rd best “National Clean Air City” (under Category 1>10L Population cities) in India according to 'Swachh Vayu Survekshan 2024 Results' The Taj Mahal has faced significant damage due to air pollution and sewage discharge into

7254-725: The year. The Taj Mahal has become a symbol of India. Post Independence, Taj Mahal has been visited by world leaders like US Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower (1959), Bill Clinton (2000), and Donald Trump (2020). Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom had visited Taj Mahal in 1961 on her India visit. Taj Mahal has also been visited by Russian President Vladimir Putin (1999), Chinese President Hu Jintao (2006), Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (2018) and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (2018). Agra

7347-488: Was Indonesia 's political and armed opposition to the creation of Malaysia . It is also known by its Indonesian / Malay name Konfrontasi . The creation of Malaysia was the amalgamation of the Federation of Malaya (now West Malaysia ), Singapore and the crown colony / British protectorates of Sabah and Sarawak (collectively known as British Borneo , now East Malaysia ) in September 1963. The confrontation

7440-645: Was a village before the reign of Sikandar Lodi. The king of Mathura had used the Agra fort as a jail. The degradation in the status of the site was a result of the destruction brought upon it by Mahmud of Ghazni . Masud Sa'd Salman claims to have been there when Mahmud assaulted Agra, claiming the Raja Japal surrendered after seeing a nightmare. Mahmud however proceeds to pillage the city. Agra's period of historical importance began during Sikandar Lodi's reign. In 1504–1505, Sultan Sikandar Lodi (reigned 1489–1517 ),

7533-808: Was almost no use of offensive airpower. The British and Malaysian Armed Forces provided a significant element of the effort with assistance from the other member nations ( Australia and New Zealand ) from the combined Far East Strategic Reserve stationed then in West Malaysia and Singapore . Initial Indonesian attacks into East Malaysia relied heavily on local volunteers trained by the Indonesian Army. The main military forces backing Malaysia were British and initially their activities were low key. The British responded to increased Indonesian activity by expanding their own. This included, starting in 1965, covert operations into Indonesian Kalimantan under

7626-679: Was also disestablished in 1971. Unlike in Europe , war ended very unexpectedly in the Far East. The dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki , combined with the American blockade of Japan , and the Soviet entry into the war on 9 August 1945 finally shocked the Japanese into suing for peace. Once peace came, there was a period of euphoria within the RAF units, but the forces in

7719-424: Was also known as Akbarabad in the Mughal era. The name was coined by the emperor Shah Jahan , in honour of his grandfather Akbar. Agra has two histories: one of the ancient city on the east, or left, bank of the river Yamuna , going back so far as to be lost in the legends of Krishna and Mahabharata and reestablished by Sikandar Lodhi in 1504–1505; the other of the modern city, founded by Akbar in 1558, on

7812-645: Was an undeclared war with most of the action in the border area between Indonesia and East Malaysia on the island of Borneo (known as Kalimantan in Indonesia). Sabah and Sarawak were ethnically, religiously and politically diverse and there was some local opposition to joining Malaysia that Indonesia attempted to exploit, although with little success. The terrain in Borneo was challenging and there were very few roads. Both sides relied on light infantry operations and air transport, although rivers were also used. There

7905-476: Was at Mauripur in Karachi , India. Enlisted airmen downed tools and refused to work until their grievances about demobilisation had been met. Given the nature of the times, this was impossible, although their complaints were passed up the chain of command. The stoppages were non-violent almost to a fault, and since the personnel involved were hostilities-only conscripts, rather than regular professional members of

7998-545: Was completely defeated at Kanauj in 1539, just nine years after his ascension, by Sher Shah Suri , an Afghan nobleman, who had submitted to Babur, but revolted against his son. In this brief interruption in Mughal rule between 1540 and 1556, Sher Shah Suri , established the short lived Sur Empire , and the region was eventually reconquered by Akbar in the Second Battle of Panipat in 1556. Under Akbar (reigned 1556–1605 ), and followed by his grandson Shah Jahan , Agra

8091-452: Was defeated and killed by Mughal Emperor Babur in the First battle of Panipat , fought in 1526. The golden age of the city began with the Mughals . Agra was the foremost city of the subcontinent and the capital of the Mughal Empire until 1658, when Aurangzeb shifted the entire court to Delhi. Babur (reigned 1526–30 ), the founder of the Mughal dynasty, acquired Agra after defeating

8184-589: Was disbanded on 31 October 1971. The RAF's Far East Command was formed in January 1930 and its first officer commanding, Group Captain Henry Cave-Browne-Cave , was double-hatted as Officer Commanding RAF Singapore . This was upgraded to Headquarters Air Force Far East Command in 1933. During the Second World War , when Malaya , Singapore, Burma and Hong Kong were overrun by the Japanese ,

8277-443: Was immortalised in the history of the world. Akbar built the modern city of Agra on the right bank of Yamuna, where the majority of its part still lies. He converted the city into a great centre of political, cultural and economic importance, connecting it with the various parts of his vast empire. Akbar raised the towering ramparts of the Agra Fort, besides making Agra a centre for learning, arts, commerce, and religion. Akbar also built

8370-421: Was its heat, another the strong winds, and the third its dust. Baths were the means of removing all three inconveniences. Very few vestiges remain of Babur's city, of his fruit and flower gardens, palaces, baths, tanks, wells and watercourses. The remnants of Babur's Charbagh can be seen today at Aram Bagh , on the east side of Yamuna. Babur was followed by his son Humayun (reigned 1530–40 and 1555–56 ), but he

8463-485: Was merged with AHQ India, twelve RAF squadrons (225 Group: Nos 5, 30 at Bhopal, 45 at St Thomas Mount; 227 Group: 298 Squadron at Samungli with a detachment at Chaklala; No. 228 Group RAF : 176, 658 AOP, 355 at Digri, 159 at Salbani; 229 Group: 353 and 232 at Palam; and 10 and 76 with Dakotas at Poona) remained in India after 1 April 1946, and AHQ India was placed under joint command of the Indian Government and

8556-401: Was now half as big again in area as it had been during the war. The strain imposed by the high operations tempo that occupation duties, when combined with the downsizing of the command due to demobilisation and return of American aircraft provided under lend-lease aircraft was very great, and it manifested itself in a series of mutinies around the command in early 1946. The first of these

8649-426: Was renamed RAF Air Command Far East , and finally Far East Air Force in June 1949. The tri-service headquarters remained in place after the war over to coordinate re-occupation of territory within the bounds of the command that had not yet been liberated from the Japanese. That included parts of Burma; the other British colonies of Singapore, Malaya, British North Borneo and Brunei ; the independent nation of Siam ,

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