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Squadron Leader Rajeshwar Prasad Bidhuri (10 February 1945 – 11 June 2000), also known as Rajesh Pilot (UK: /ˈrɑːdʒɪʃ pɑːɪllʌtə/) was an Indian politician, a minister in the Government of India and a former Indian Air Force officer. He belonged to the Indian National Congress party and represented the Dausa constituency in Lok Sabha. His original name was Rajesh Bidhuri. Rajesh Pilot died on 11 June 2000 in a car crash near Jaipur.
Rajesh Pilot | |
|---|---|
 Rajesh Pilot on a 2008 stamp of India | |
| Minister of state Home affairs | |
| In office 1993–1995 | |
| Prime Minister | P. V. Narasimha Rao |
| Minister of Telecommunications | |
| In office 1991–1993 | |
| Prime Minister | P. V. Narasimha Rao |
| Minister of Surface Transport | |
| In office 1995–1996 | |
| Prime Minister | Rajiv Gandhi P. V. Narasimha Rao |
| In office 1985–1989 | |
| Member of the Indian Parliament for Dausa | |
| In office January 1991 – 11 June 2000 | |
| Preceded by | Nathu Singh |
| Succeeded by | Rama Pilot |
| In office 1984–1989 | |
| Preceded by | Nawal Kishore Sharma |
| Succeeded by | Nathu Singh |
| Member of the Indian Parliament for Bharatpur | |
| In office 1980–1984 | |
| Preceded by | Ram Kishan |
| Succeeded by | Natwar Singh |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Rajeshwar Prasad Bidhuri 10 February 1945 Vedpura, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India |
| Died | 11 June 2000 (aged 55) Jaipur, Rajasthan, India |
| Political party | Indian National Congress |
| Spouse | Rama Pilot |
| Children | 2, including Sachin Pilot |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |  India |
| Service |  Indian Air Force |
| Years of service | 1966–1979 |
| Rank |  Squadron Leader |
| Battles / wars | Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 |
Early life
editRajeshwar Prasad Bidhuri was born in Vaidpura village in present-day Greater Noida (West) and was a member of the Bidhuri Gurjar community.
Military career
editHe enlisted in the Indian Air Force.[citation needed] Rajeshwar Prasad, was commissioned in the General Duties (Pilot) branch of the Indian Air Force as a pilot officer on 29 October 1966.[1] He was promoted to flying officer on 29 October 1967 and to flight lieutenant on 29 October 1971.[2][3] He fought in the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971 as a bomber pilot,[4] flying a modified de Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou.[5] He was promoted to squadron leader on 29 October 1977.[6] On 8 August 1978, he was seconded to the Ministry of Agriculture.[7]
Local residents claimed that Prasad was one of the pilots, along with Suresh Kalmadi, who bombed Mizo insurgents in March 1966 during Mizo National Front uprising.[8] This issue was mentioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Parliament in Lok Sabha in August 2023.[9][10] Sachin Pilot, son of Rajesh Pilot denied his father's involvement.[11]
In late 1979, Prasad resigned his commission while posted in Jaisalmer to enter politics, under the influence of his friend Rajiv Gandhi, who later became the Prime Minister of India.
In politics
editHe contested the 1980 Lok Sabha elections as an INC candidate from Bharatpur, changing his surname to Pilot at the same time.[4] Pilot emerged as a prominent Gurjar leader in India.[12] In his first election as a candidate, Pilot defeated the former queen of Bharatpur State.
On an official visit to the Netherlands in 1988, his Dutch counterpart, learning Pilot was a former IAF officer, arranged for him to fly a RNLAF F-16; the IAF subsequently invited Pilot to test a new MiG-29 following his return to India.[5]
He sent Chandraswami to prison when he was the Internal Security Minister. Later, he lost the election for the post of Congress president to Sitaram Kesri, but remained in the front line of Congress leaders.
Rajesh Pilot died on 11 June 2000 in a car crash near Jaipur.[13][14]
India Post has issued a commemorative postage stamp of ₹5.00 on 11 June 2008.
In New Delhi and Gurgaon, a road has been named in his honour. In Rewari, a roundabout was named after him.
Political career
edit| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1980 | Won Lok Sabha elections from Bharatpur, Rajasthan |
| 1984 | Won Lok Sabha elections from Dausa, Rajasthan |
| 1985–89 | Minister for Surface Transport |
| 1987 | Set up the Jai Jawan Jai Kisan Trust |
| 1991–93 | Minister for Telecommunication, Government of India |
| 1993–95 | Minister for Internal Security, Government of India |
| 1995–96 | Minister for Surface Transport |
| 1996 | Won Lok Sabha elections from Dausa, Rajasthan |
| 1999 | Won Lok Sabha elections from Dausa, Rajasthan |
Medals
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| Poorvi Star Special Service Medal | |||
| Sangram Medal | Sainya Seva Medal | 25th Anniversary Independence Medal | 9 Years Long Service Medal |
References
edit- ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Air Branch)". The Gazette of India. 29 April 1967. p. 343.
- ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Air Branch)". The Gazette of India. 4 May 1968. p. 373.
- ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Air Branch)". The Gazette of India. 13 May 1972. p. 697.
- ^ a b Josy Joseph (12 June 2000). "Rajesh Pilot: Baidpura mourns the death of a legend". Rediff.com. Archived from the original on 12 April 2020. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
- ^ a b "Rajesh Pilot flies F-16 during official visit to Holland". India Today. 31 August 1988. Archived from the original on 12 April 2020. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
- ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Air Branch)". The Gazette of India. 15 July 1978. p. 703.
- ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Air Branch)". The Gazette of India. 17 November 1979. p. 1014.
- ^ Buhril, David (5 March 2016). "50 years ago today, Indira Gandhi got the Indian Air Force to bomb its own people". Scroll.in. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
- ^ "Modi reminds Congress of Indira's aerial bombing of Mizoram". The Times of India. 11 August 2023. ISSN 0971-8257. Archived from the original on 16 August 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
- ^ "Air attacks in Mizoram, 1966 - our dirty, little secret". The Economic Times. 19 February 2013. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
- ^ "Sachin Pilot denies his father flew the IAF plane that bombed Mizoram". The Times of India. 16 August 2023. ISSN 0971-8257. Archived from the original on 16 August 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
- ^ R. R. Nair (14 February 1998). "BJP seeking to thwart Pilot on non-Gujjar votes". Rediff.com. Archived from the original on 3 November 2007. Retrieved 30 May 2007.
- ^ "Rajesh Pilot killed in road accident". The Hindu. 11 June 2000. Archived from the original on 18 August 2013. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
- ^ Kamla Bora (11 June 2000). "Rajesh Pilot dies in road mishap". Rediff.com. Archived from the original on 29 January 2012. Retrieved 2 May 2012.