The Odisha government has already started the process of bringing back Biju Patnaik’s legendary plane. The plane is currently parked in a neglected condition at Kolkata’s Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose (NSCB) International Airport.
In July 1947, Biju Patnaik flew his favorite plane to rescue former Indonesian Vice President Muhammad Hatta and Prime Minister Sutan Sjahrir from enemies. Odisha Transport Minister Padmanabha Behera stated the process has already begun and that PDW has been assigned to float the tender.
After being returned to Bhubaneswar, the aircraft will be displayed next to the Biju Patnaik statue in front of the airport for public view. “The State government has written to the Centre seeking permission for the installation of the plane near Biju Patnaik’s statue at Bhubaneswar airport. It will be kept there for public view in the memory of legendary leader,” Behera said.
The DC-3 aircraft has been lying as scrap in an ignored part of Kolkata’s NSCB International Airport. The Dakota aircraft is not only a treasure of Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik’s father, but it is also significant to the state’s citizens.
According to experts, bringing back Biju Babu’s favorite craft would be a worthy monument to his piloting ability. According to reports, the plane was part of Kalinga Airlines’ fleet of 18 Dakota planes, formed by him.
During the Kashmir Operation in 1947-48, all of Kalinga Airlines’ planes were utilized to ferry troops to Srinagar and transport army equipment. In 1953, Kalinga Airlines merged with Indian Airlines. Patnaik was a leading figure in the Indian freedom struggle. For Indian soldiers fighting against Myanmar as part of the British Indian military forces, he had airdropped leaflets of the Quit India Movement.
During the independence struggle, he also aided in moving freedom fighters from one location to another. Patnaik received Indonesia’s ‘Bintang Jasa Utama’ award for his valorous actions during the Dutch colonialists’ attempt to take control of the country in 1947.
After the country was freed from the Dutch in 1945, Indonesia’s first Prez Sukarno, and PM, Sutan Sjahrir, formed an independent government. The Dutch began invading Indonesia again the next year, in 1946 and launched a full-fledged attack in July 1947.
Sujan Sjahrir was put under house arrest in Jakarta by the Dutch troops.
Indira Gandhi, who took over the Congress Party in 1967, was a close friend of Biju Patnaik. In 1969, however, they had a clash over the presidential election. He left the Congress and founded the Utkal Congress, a regional political party.
Biju Patnaik remained in Odisha politics for four decades. He became CM of Odisha twice within a gap of 27 years. Dakota aircraft was a dream for him and hence the Odisha govt. is making efforts to preserve the Pride.
