Whether it’s a political fight or a routine flight, turbulence can take you by surprise. In both cases, you need a cool, calculative mind to weigh the options and ride out the rough weather. No wonder some Indian politicians also started as top-notch aviators. Some flew bombers and fighter jets, but a vast number are hobby pilots. Like, Congress MP from Rajasthan Sachin Pilot, who holds a private pilots’ licence (PPL) from a flying club in the US. Former Railways Minister and TMC MP Dinesh Trivedi is also a passionate aviator. And last we heard, former BJD MP from Odisha Kalikesh Singh Deo was also earning his wings. The list is longer, but for now, here is a look at five prominent Indian politicians who clocked some serious airtime:
Bhubaneswar’s international airport is appropriately named after Odisha’s two-time chief, and a man with some serious flying cred. Bijoyananda Patnaik, an alumnus of the Delhi Flying Club, joined the Royal Air Force in the 1930s. During the World War, Patnaik flew missions for the British campaign against the Japanese in Burma. He even made an appearance in the European theatre, flying sorties during the German siege of Stalingrad. When he returned home, even while he was flying for the RAF, Patnaik remained a nationalist at heart. He supported India’s independence movement by covertly flying leaders of the struggle across the country. Eventually, the British caught on and jailed him from 1942-46. But his story was not to end there. In 1948, Prime Minister Nehru deployed the ace pilot on another rescue mission. He flew Indonesia’s besieged Prime Minister and President out of Dutch hands to India. Both Russia and Indonesia honoured Patnaik for his services. Patnaik eventually went on to set up Kalinga Airlines. You wouldn’t believe who the Chief Pilot was!
Here’s a man who loved flying so much, it went on to become an indelible part of his identity. Rajeshwar Prasad Singh Bidhuri was drafted into the Indian Air Force as a pilot in 1966. In the 1971 war against Pakistan, Flight Lieutenant Bidhuri flew several missions as a bomber pilot in a modified de Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou. In 1977, he went on to become a squadron leader before being talked into active politics a couple of years later. What about the name? It came at the advice of an election officer when he was filing his nomination papers. It would work with the voters, he was told. Not a bad punt—as a Congress leader, Rajesh Pilot went on to hold several ministries at the Centre. But you couldn’t keep a man like that out of the cockpit for too long. Despite health concerns, in 1988, he went on to fly the supersonic F-16, and later, the MiG.
India’s most prominent politician-pilot was former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. A 22-year-old Gandhi earned his wings at the Delhi Flying Club. In 1970, he joined state-owned Indian Airlines as a commercial pilot, where he flew for over 15 years. Gandhi typically flew on the Delhi-Jaipur sector, and drew a monthly salary of Rs5,000. In 1980, when brother Sanjay—also a pilot—died in a plane crash, Rajiv was advised by a seer to give up flying and take up active politics. Gandhi gave up his job as a pilot, but continued flying every now and then to keep his flying permit alive.
On 25 May, when domestic flights resumed after a two-month lockdown, the first IndiGo flight from Delhi to Patna had a VIP in the cockpit: BJP MP and first officer Rajiv Pratap Rudy. Though his political work doesn’t let him fly full time, Rudy has been flying regularly for the past 10 years, usually with IndiGo on an honorary basis, as a way to keep his credentials active. Earlier in May, he also flew medical cargo to Dhaka. His experience in the cockpit must have helped when he served as the Minister for Civil Aviation in the early aughts.
This BJP leader from Odisha has a serious passion for the skies. Skydiving stints apart, he is qualified to fly aircraft and helicopters–and has clocked over 1,800 hours in a chopper. Panda also reportedly owns his own bird, which he flies for work and pleasure and sometimes, to surprise his followers, as one man from Rourkela found out. In 2017, when a Twitter user said he’d love a chopper ride but couldn’t afford one, Panda took him for a spin in his “personal chopper”. A politician generous with seats? Commendable.
14/07/20 Conde Nast Traveller
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Bhubaneswar’s international airport is appropriately named after Odisha’s two-time chief, and a man with some serious flying cred. Bijoyananda Patnaik, an alumnus of the Delhi Flying Club, joined the Royal Air Force in the 1930s. During the World War, Patnaik flew missions for the British campaign against the Japanese in Burma. He even made an appearance in the European theatre, flying sorties during the German siege of Stalingrad. When he returned home, even while he was flying for the RAF, Patnaik remained a nationalist at heart. He supported India’s independence movement by covertly flying leaders of the struggle across the country. Eventually, the British caught on and jailed him from 1942-46. But his story was not to end there. In 1948, Prime Minister Nehru deployed the ace pilot on another rescue mission. He flew Indonesia’s besieged Prime Minister and President out of Dutch hands to India. Both Russia and Indonesia honoured Patnaik for his services. Patnaik eventually went on to set up Kalinga Airlines. You wouldn’t believe who the Chief Pilot was!
Here’s a man who loved flying so much, it went on to become an indelible part of his identity. Rajeshwar Prasad Singh Bidhuri was drafted into the Indian Air Force as a pilot in 1966. In the 1971 war against Pakistan, Flight Lieutenant Bidhuri flew several missions as a bomber pilot in a modified de Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou. In 1977, he went on to become a squadron leader before being talked into active politics a couple of years later. What about the name? It came at the advice of an election officer when he was filing his nomination papers. It would work with the voters, he was told. Not a bad punt—as a Congress leader, Rajesh Pilot went on to hold several ministries at the Centre. But you couldn’t keep a man like that out of the cockpit for too long. Despite health concerns, in 1988, he went on to fly the supersonic F-16, and later, the MiG.
India’s most prominent politician-pilot was former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. A 22-year-old Gandhi earned his wings at the Delhi Flying Club. In 1970, he joined state-owned Indian Airlines as a commercial pilot, where he flew for over 15 years. Gandhi typically flew on the Delhi-Jaipur sector, and drew a monthly salary of Rs5,000. In 1980, when brother Sanjay—also a pilot—died in a plane crash, Rajiv was advised by a seer to give up flying and take up active politics. Gandhi gave up his job as a pilot, but continued flying every now and then to keep his flying permit alive.
On 25 May, when domestic flights resumed after a two-month lockdown, the first IndiGo flight from Delhi to Patna had a VIP in the cockpit: BJP MP and first officer Rajiv Pratap Rudy. Though his political work doesn’t let him fly full time, Rudy has been flying regularly for the past 10 years, usually with IndiGo on an honorary basis, as a way to keep his credentials active. Earlier in May, he also flew medical cargo to Dhaka. His experience in the cockpit must have helped when he served as the Minister for Civil Aviation in the early aughts.
This BJP leader from Odisha has a serious passion for the skies. Skydiving stints apart, he is qualified to fly aircraft and helicopters–and has clocked over 1,800 hours in a chopper. Panda also reportedly owns his own bird, which he flies for work and pleasure and sometimes, to surprise his followers, as one man from Rourkela found out. In 2017, when a Twitter user said he’d love a chopper ride but couldn’t afford one, Panda took him for a spin in his “personal chopper”. A politician generous with seats? Commendable.
14/07/20 Conde Nast Traveller
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