Ram Nath Chawla
Ram Nath Chawla | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Wing Commander Indian Air Force | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1 December 1903 British India |
| Died | 23 February 1986 |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  British India (1933–1947)  India (from 1947) |
Ram Nath Chawla (1 December 1903 – 23 February 1986) was an Indian
He was later commissioned into the equipment branch of the Indian Air Force, becoming its senior officer, before he retired in 1953.
Early life
Ram Nath Chawla was born 1 December 1903.[1] After completing High School in Kasur,[2] he studied civil engineering at the University of Nottingham[3] and took flying lessons at the nearby Hucknall Aerodrome. In 1928, he received his flying licence from the Aero Club of London.[2][4]
Family
Ram Nath Chawla was fourth among five brothers. His family consisted of his wife, one daughter, Bimla Khetarpal (Chawla being her maternal surname), and two sons, Jung Bahadur Chawla and Avtar Chawla. He lived in small town called, Kasur, now in Pakistan before partition of India but had to leave all their belongings in Pakistan (like millions of others) when the partition of India took place.[citation needed]
Early flying career
In November 1929, keen on promoting aviation, the Aga Khan, 48th Iman of the Ismailai sect of Muslims,[5] announced a £500 prize[5] for the first Indian to fly solo between India and England, in either direction, within a one-month time frame.[6]
Unable to cover the cost of participating, Chawla teamed up with 17-year-old Aspy Merwan Engineer, who had recently received his flying licence and a
On 27 March 1930, The Wallington and Carshalton Times captured the arrival at Croydon with a photograph of both pilots and the headline "From India's coral strand". Under the image were the words "Victor’s laurels".[11]
A reception was held on 10 April 1930.[12] Aspy Engineer shortly returned to Karachi and won the prize, beating J. R. D. Tata by a few hours and winning over Man Mohan Singh due to a technical issue.[8]
The 1965 Who's Who of Aviation Directory of Asia describes Chawla as "the first Indian to pilot an aircraft from Karachi to Croydon, UK in 1930".[2]
The Aga Khan Award
He won the Aga Khan Award for the first Indian to make a flight to and from England to India. Source: https://www.britishpathe.com/video/from-india-in-17-days.
Later flying career
In 1934, Chawla flew from India to England, solo, in a de Havilland Puss Moth.[2]
On 1 August 1940, following training at
Death
Chawla died on 23 February 1986.[1]
References
- ^ a b "Service Record for Flight Lieutenant Ram Nath Chawla 1626 EQPT at Bharat Rakshak.com". Bharat Rakshak. Retrieved 19 February 2019.
- ^ ISBN 9789383649259.
- ^ a b "Flashback of first flier who flew farthest in 1930". The New Indian Express. 19 March 2017. Retrieved 19 February 2019.
- ISBN 9780074601204.
- ^ ISBN 9781788037983.
- ISBN 9788128017438.
- ^ Singh, Farida. "Brothers-in-Arms : The Flying Engineer Brothers". www.bharat-rakshak.com. Retrieved 8 March 2019.
- ^ a b c "Aspy Engineer (1912–2002) – SP's Aviation". www.sps-aviation.com. Retrieved 16 February 2019.
- ^ "1930 | 0519 | Flight Archive". www.flightglobal.com. Archived from the original on 21 February 2019. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
- ^ Burge, Cyril G. (1930). The Air Annual of the British Empire. Gale & Polden.
- ^ OCLC 16475697.
- ^ "1930 | 0464 | Flight Archive". www.flightglobal.com. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
- ^ Engineer, Air Marshal Aspy. "Air Marshal Aspy Engineer's Recollections". www.bharat-rakshak.com. Retrieved 19 February 2019.
External links
- From India In 17 Days 1930, Movie footage of arrival at Croydon with Aspy Engineer, March 1930
- Chawla, Flight Journal