Discuss the role of Biju Patnaik, the flying ace, who helped Indian and foreign freedom movements with his adventurous ideas. (200 Words)
Refer - The Indian Express
Enrich the answer from other sources, if the question demands
IAS Parliament 5 years
KEY POINTS
· It is well known that Biju Patnaik actively helped freedom fighters in the 1940s.
· It was evident as he actively joined the Quit India movement in 1942 and collaborated with the underground leaders like Jayaprakash Narayan, Aruna Asif Ali and Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia, even while in the British service.
· As an officer in the Royal Indian Air Force in the early 1940s, Patnaik flew innumerable sorties to rescue British families fleeing the Japanese advance on Rangoon, the capital of Burma.
· He also dropped arms and supplies to Chinese troops fighting the Japanese and later to the Soviet army struggling against Hitler’s onslaught near Stalingrad. On the 50th anniversary of the end of the war, Patnaik was honoured by the Russians for his help,” the obit noted.
· Interestingly, Nehru entrusted Patnaik with rescuing Indonesian resistance fighters who were fighting their Dutch colonisers.
· For his services to the cause of Indonesia’s independence, Sukarno, who went on to become president of the archipelago, conferred the title “Bhoomiputra” or son of the soil on Patnaik and gave him an honorary citizenship.
Shivangi 5 years
Please review. Thank you.
IAS Parliament 5 years
Good attempt. Keep Writing.
