New Delhi Television Limited (NDTV), an Indian media company, published a heart-warming story regarding the 100th birthday of the oldest fighter pilot alive of the Indian Air Force (IAF), Squadron Leader Dalip Singh Majithia (Retd). The story of Dalip Singh Majithia was so soul-stirring therefore Baaghi TV has decided to reproduce it.
According to media reports, the veteran IAF pilot who served in World War II and was the first pilot to land a plane in Nepal’s Kathmandu, turned 100 on July 27, 2020 (Monday). A profile that featured in NDTV listed his exceptional achievements, and highlighted the life of one of the most accomplished Indian fighter pilots in history.
On August 5, 1940, a young Sikh pilot Dalip Singh, along with two of his British instructors, flew his first training flight in a Tiger Moth aircraft from Walton airfield in Lahore. However, just 17 days later, at the age of 20, Dalip Singh Majithia made his first solo flight, a flight that cleared the way for a lifetime in the aviation.
First served in the Air Force and then flew as a private pilot, Majithia landed an aircraft in the Kathmandu Valley several decades later becoming the first person to do so. He was a part of the World War II as a fighter pilot flying the legendary Hawker Hurricane on the Burma front. He retired as a squadron leader in the Indian Air Force in August 1947 and currently the oldest living fighter pilot in India.
“I still feel that I’m in it, when I meet [Indian Air Force] officers, my batch people aren’t there anymore, we used to have our meetings on the first of August every year for some time,” says Squadron Leader Majithia (retd.)
At that time, Coast Defense Flights were initially assigned where he flew maritime patrols over the Bay of Bengal. Moreover, he was reassigned to the Indian Air Force’s No. 6 Squadron which was shortlisted to operate one of the world’s most advanced aircraft of that time, the legendary Hawker Hurricane. The fighter aircraft had the capability to go beyond the 300 mph in level flight and was extremely versatile.
“It was a lovely aircraft. The Hurricane is very well known as it won the Battle of Britain and we had great respect for them as it had a great engine. I used to love this aircraft. It was very tough. They used to say, ‘you can hit a tree’ and still come back,” says Squadron Leader Majithia.
Dalip Singh Majithia served the East India and flew over the Burma front under the command of Baba Meher Singh, who was honored with a Distinguished Service Order during the Second World War. Flying missions over some of the densest jungles on Earth was an incredible challenge for the Squadron.
After retiring from the force, Majithia married Joan Sanders, daughter of a British-Indian army officer, however, he continued flying well into the 1970s. He made his last recorded flight on January 16, 1979, again in a Beechcraft Bonanza. Though, these days, he prefers to spend his time playing golf, the squadron leader told NDTV.
“I’m very thankful to God for letting me play a lot of golf. I got a hole in one a number of times, and my last hole in one was last year in the golf course in Nainital,” said Majithia while talking to NDTV.
NDTV presented an awe-inspiring story of sheer determination and courage of Squadron Leader Dalip Singh Majithia (Retd). It is a story about strong-willed and dedicated patriot who simply refused to accept the notion that he was unfit to share in the joys of his national pastime.
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