Rajesh Pilot

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources:  –  ·  ·  · scholar · JSTOR (September 2012) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

Rajesh Pilot
Rajesh Pilot on a 2008 stamp of India
Minister of state Internal Security
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	Nawal Kishore Sharma
Succeeded by	Nathu Singh
In office 1984–1989
Preceded by	Nathu Singh
Succeeded by	Rama Pilot
Member of the Indian Parliament for Bharatpur
In office 1980–1984
Preceded by	Ram Kishan
Succeeded by	Natwar Singh
Personal details
Born	Rajeshwar Prasad Singh Bidhuri (1945-02-10)10 February 1945 Barmandpur near chaprana ki mandiya Gulaothi, United Provinces, British India
Died	11 June 2000(2000-06-11) (aged 55) Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
Nationality	Indian
Political party	Indian National Congress
Spouse(s)	Rama Pilot
Children	Sachin Pilot (Son) Sarika Pilot (Daughter)
Military career
Nickname(s)	Neta Ji
Allegiance	India
Service/branch	Indian Air Force
Years of service	1966–1979
Rank	Squadron Leader
Battles/wars	Indo-Pakistani War of 1971

Squadron Leader Rajeshwar Prasad Singh 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. He died in a road accident, a few days after filing a nomination to contest as the president of the Congress party.

Early life and air force career[]

Rajeshwar Prasad Singh Bidhuri was born in Baidpura Village of now Greater Noida and belonged to the Bidhuri clan or gotra of Gurjar caste. He was respected from an early age as he was admitted to Indian Air Force, which was an outstanding achievement in rural India. 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]

In late 1979, Prasad resigned his commission while posted in Jaisalmer to join politics, under the influence of his friend Rajiv Gandhi, who later became the Prime Minister of India. He contested the 1980 Lok Sabha elections as an INC candidate from Bharatpur, changing his surname to Pilot at the same time.^[4]

In politics[]

Pilot emerged as a prominent Gurjar leader in India.^[8] In his first election as a candidate, Pilot defeated the former queen of Bharatpur.

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 first line of Congress leaders.

Rajesh Pilot died on 11 June 2000 in a car accident near Jaipur.^[9][10]

India Post has issued a commemorative postage stamps of ₹5.00 on 11 June 2008.

In New Delhi and Gurgaon, a road has been named in his honour. In Rewari, a roundabout has been named after him in his honour.

Political career[]

Medals[]

References[]