The Federation of Indian Pilots has written to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi requesting him to declare the anniversary of JRD Tata’s first flight as National Aviation Day and to name the next major airport after him, in his honour.
With Air India taking to the skies once again as a Tata enterprise, many are recalling the contributions of the man who heralded civil aviation in the country – Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata or JRD Tata – India’s very first licensed pilot and the founder of India’s first commercial airline in 1932 – Tata Airlines, which was later rechristened ‘Air India’, in 1946.
With the airline JRD Tata founded, back in his company’s fold, millions wish to pay tribute to India’s ‘Father Of Civil Aviation’, as he has been known. The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP), a body of commercial pilots, has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking him to declare the anniversary of JRD Tata’s first flight as ‘National Aviation Day’ and the name of the next major airport, in honour of India’s first commercial aviator.
President of FIP (Rtd) Capt Surinder Mehta wrote, “The Late Bharat Ratna Air Vice Marshal JRD Tata is considered the father of civil aviation in India as it was his first flight in October 15, 1932, which heralded the dawn of airmail services in our country. Sir, it would be only appropriate that October 15 be declared as the National Aviation Day of India.” The letter cites the United States of America, which celebrates August 19 as National Aviation Day every year, being the birthday of Orville Wright, the first person to accomplish powered flight.
The FIP is hopeful that this year itself, October 15 will be declared National Aviation Day, as it will be the 90th anniversary of JRD Tata’s first flight.
In his letter, Capt. Mehta added that throughout the world, it is common practise to name airports after famous aviators and other aviation pioneers. These include Wilbur Wright Field in Dayton, USA after Wilbur Wright and Sabiha Gocken International Airport in Istanbul named after Sabiha Gocken, the first Turkish female combat pilot, among others.
On 8th October, 2021, when the government announced Tata Sons as the successful bidder for Air India, Tata Sons’ Chairman Emeritus – Ratan Tata had tweeted a photo of JRD Tata disembarking from an Air India flight, when it was still within the Tata fold, saying “Welcome back, Air India.”
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