View source for Rajesh Pilot

{{Short description|Indian politician (1945–2000)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2021}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2021}}

{{More citations needed|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name                = Rajesh Pilot
| birth_name          = Rajeshwar Prasad Bidhuri
| image               = Rajesh Pilot 2008 stamp of India.jpg
| imagesize           = 
| smallimage          = 
| alt                 = 
| caption             = Rajesh Pilot on a 2008 stamp of India
| birth_date          = {{Birth date|df=yes|1945|2|10}}
| birth_place         = Vedpura, [[Gautam Buddha Nagar]], [[Greater Noida]], [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[India]]
| death_place         = [[Jaipur]], [[Rajasthan]], [[India]]
| death_date          = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2000|06|11|1945|2|10}}
| restingplace        = 
| restingplacecoordinates = 
| office1             = [[Minister (government)|Minister of Telecommunications]]
| primeminister1      = [[P. V. Narasimha Rao]]
| term_start1         = 1991
| term_end1           = 1993
| office2             = [[Minister (government)|Minister of Surface Transport]]
| primeminister2      = [[Rajiv Gandhi]]<br/>[[P. V. Narasimha Rao]]
| term_start2         = 1995
| term_end2           = 1996
| term_start3         = 1985
| term_end3           = 1989
| office              = [[Minister (government)|Minister of state Home affairs]]
| primeminister       = [[P. V. Narasimha Rao]]
| term_start          = 1993
| term_end            = 1995
| constituency_MP4    = [[Dausa (Lok Sabha constituency)|Dausa]]
| parliament4         = Indian
| predecessor4        = Nathu Singh
| successor4          = [[Rama Pilot]]
| term_start4         = January 1991
| term_end4           = 11 June 2000
| predecessor5        = [[Nawal Kishore Sharma]]
| successor5          = Nathu Singh
| term_start5         = 1984
| term_end5           = 1989
| constituency_MP6    = [[Bharatpur (Lok Sabha constituency)|Bharatpur]]
| parliament6         = Indian
| predecessor6        = Ram Kishan
| successor6          = [[Natwar Singh]]
| term_start6         = 1980
| term_end6           = 1984
| nationality         = Indian
| party               = [[Indian National Congress]]
| spouse              = [[Rama Pilot]]
| children            = 2, including [[Sachin Pilot]]
| alma_mater          = 
| cabinet             = 
| committees          = 
| portfolio           = 
| footnotes           = 
| date                = 
| year                = 
| source              = 
| module              = {{Infobox military person | embed=yes
   |nickname=
   |allegiance={{flag|India}}
   |branch= {{air force|India}}
   |serviceyears= 1966–1979
   |rank=[[File:Indian IAF OF-3.svg|25 px]] [[Squadron leader|Squadron Leader]]
   |unit=
   |commands=
   |battles=[[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971]]
   |awards= 
   |relations=
   |signature = }}
}}

[[Squadron leader|Squadron Leader]] '''Rajeshwar Prasad Bidhuri''' (10 February 1945 – 11 June 2000), also known as '''Rajesh Pilot''' ({{IPAc-en|UK|'|r|a:|dʒ|ɪ|ʃ|_|p|a:|ɪ|l|l|ʌ|t|ə}}) 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 Lok Sabha constituency|Dausa]] constituency in [[Lok Sabha]]. His original name was Rajesh Bidhuri. Rajesh Pilot died on 11 June 2000 in a car crash near [[Jaipur]].

== Early life ==
Rajeshwar Prasad Bidhuri was born in Vaidpura village in present-day [[Greater Noida]] (West) and was a member of the [[Bidhuri]] [[Gurjar]] community. 

== Military career ==
He enlisted in the Indian Air Force.{{citation needed|date=September 2022}} Rajeshwar Prasad, was commissioned in the General Duties (Pilot) branch of the Indian Air Force as a [[pilot officer]] on 29 October 1966.<ref>{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Air Branch) |page=343 |date=29 April 1967 |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref> He was promoted to [[flying officer]] on 29 October 1967 and to [[flight lieutenant]] on 29 October 1971.<ref>{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Air Branch) |page=373 |date=4 May 1968 |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Air Branch) |page=697 |date=13 May 1972 |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref> He fought in the [[Indo-Pakistan War of 1971]] as a bomber pilot,<ref name="mourns">{{cite news|url=http://news.rediff.com/news/2000/jun/12josy.htm|title=Rajesh Pilot: Baidpura mourns the death of a legend|author=Josy Joseph|work=[[Rediff.com]]|date=12 June 2000|access-date=11 April 2020|archive-date=12 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200412014757/http://news.rediff.com/news/2000/jun/12josy.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> flying a modified [[de Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou]].<ref name="F16">{{cite news|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/indiascope/story/19880831-rajesh-pilot-flies-f-16-during-official-visit-to-holland-797619-1988-08-31|title=Rajesh Pilot flies F-16 during official visit to Holland|publisher=India Today|date=31 August 1988|access-date=11 April 2020|archive-date=12 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200412015603/https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/indiascope/story/19880831-rajesh-pilot-flies-f-16-during-official-visit-to-holland-797619-1988-08-31|url-status=live}}</ref> He was promoted to [[squadron leader]] on 29 October 1977.<ref>{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Air Branch) |page=703 |date=15 July 1978 |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref> On 8 August 1978, he was seconded to the Ministry of Agriculture.<ref>{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Air Branch) |page=1014 |date=17 November 1979 |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref>

Local residents claimed that Prasad was one of the pilots, along with [[Suresh Kalmadi]], who bombed Mizo insurgents in March 1966 during the [[Mizo National Front uprising]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Buhril |first=David |date=2016-03-05 |title=50 years ago today, Indira Gandhi got the Indian Air Force to bomb its own people |url=http://scroll.in/article/804555/50-years-ago-today-indira-gandhi-got-the-indian-air-force-to-bomb-its-own-people |access-date=2023-08-16 |website=Scroll.in |language=en-US}}</ref> This issue was mentioned by Prime Minister [[Narendra Modi]] in the Parliament in Lok Sabha in August 2023.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-08-11 |title=Modi reminds Congress of Indira's aerial bombing of Mizoram |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/modi-reminds-congress-of-indiras-aerial-bombing-of-mizoram/articleshow/102626103.cms?from=mdr |access-date=2023-08-16 |issn=0971-8257 |archive-date=16 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230816052611/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/modi-reminds-congress-of-indiras-aerial-bombing-of-mizoram/articleshow/102626103.cms?from=mdr |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2013-02-19 |title=Air attacks in Mizoram, 1966 - our dirty, little secret |work=The Economic Times |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/opinion/et-commentary/air-attacks-in-mizoram-1966-our-dirty-little-secret/articleshow/18565883.cms?from=mdr |access-date=2023-08-16 |issn=0013-0389}}</ref> [[Sachin Pilot]], son of Rajesh Pilot denied his father's involvement.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-08-16 |title=Sachin Pilot denies his father flew the IAF plane that bombed Mizoram |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/sachin-pilot-denies-his-father-flew-the-iaf-plane-that-bombed-mizoram/articleshow/102755561.cms? |access-date=2023-08-16 |issn=0971-8257 |archive-date=16 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230816052613/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/sachin-pilot-denies-his-father-flew-the-iaf-plane-that-bombed-mizoram/articleshow/102755561.cms |url-status=live }}</ref>

In late 1979, Prasad resigned his commission while posted in [[Jaisalmer]] to enter politics, under the influence of his friend [[Rajiv Gandhi]], who later became the [[Prime Minister of India]].

== In politics ==
He contested the 1980 Lok Sabha elections as an INC candidate from Bharatpur, changing his surname to Pilot at the same time.<ref name="mourns"/> Pilot emerged as a prominent [[Gurjar]] leader in India.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/news/1998/feb/14dausa.htm|title=BJP seeking to thwart Pilot on non-Gujjar votes|author=R. R. Nair|work=[[Rediff.com]]|date=14 February 1998|access-date=30 May 2007|archive-date=3 November 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071103231305/http://www.rediff.com/news/1998/feb/14dausa.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> In his first election as a candidate, Pilot defeated the former queen of [[Bharatpur State]].

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]] [[General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon|F-16]]; the IAF subsequently invited Pilot to test a new [[Mikoyan MiG-29|MiG-29]] following his return to India.<ref name="F16"/>

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 front line of Congress leaders.

==Death and legacy==
Rajesh Pilot died at the [[Sawai Man Singh Hospital]] in [[Jaipur]] on 11 June 2000 after his jeep collided with a State transport bus in Bhandana on his way to [[Jaipur Airport]] for a flight to Delhi.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/2000/06/12/stories/01120002.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130818100221/http://www.hindu.com/2000/06/12/stories/01120002.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 August 2013|title=Rajesh Pilot killed in road accident|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=11 June 2000|access-date=2 May 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.rediff.com/news/2000/jun/11pilot.htm|title=Rajesh Pilot dies in road mishap|author=Kamla Bora|work=[[Rediff.com]]|date=11 June 2000|access-date=2 May 2012|archive-date=29 January 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120129150251/http://www.rediff.com/news/2000/jun/11pilot.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

India Post issued a commemorative postage stamp of ₹5.00 in honour of him on 11 June 2008.

In New Delhi and [[Gurgaon]], a road was named in his honour. In [[Rewari]], a roundabout was named after him.

==Political career==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Event
|-
|1980
|Won Lok Sabha elections from Bharatpur, Rajasthan
|-
|1984
|Won Lok Sabha elections from Dausa, Rajasthan
|-
|1985–89
|Minister for Surface Transport
|-
|1987
|Set up the Jai Jawan Jai Kisan Trust
|-
|1991–93
|Minister for Telecommunication, Government of India
|-
|1993–95
|Minister for Internal Security, Government of India
|-
|1995–96
|Minister for Surface Transport
|-
|1996
|Won Lok Sabha elections from Dausa, Rajasthan
|-
|1999
|Won Lok Sabha elections from Dausa, Rajasthan
|}

==Medals==
{| style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
|
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=IND Poorvi Star Ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=IND Special Service Medal Ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|-
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=IND Sangram Medal Ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=IND Sainya Seva Medal Ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=IND 25th Anniversary Independence medal.svg|width=106}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=IND 9YearsServiceMedalRibbon.svg|width=106}}
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
|-
|colspan="4"|[[Poorvi Star]]<br>Special Service Medal
|-
|-
| [[Indian military decorations#Long service awards|Sangram Medal]]
| [[Indian military decorations#Long service awards|Sainya Seva Medal]]
| [[Indian military decorations#Long service awards|25th Anniversary Independence Medal]]
| [[Indian military decorations#Long service awards|9 Years Long Service Medal]]
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (India)}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pilot, Rajesh}}
[[Category:1945 births]]
[[Category:2000 deaths]]
[[Category:India MPs 1980–1984]]
[[Category:India MPs 1984–1989]]
[[Category:India MPs 1991–1996]]
[[Category:India MPs 1996–1997]]
[[Category:India MPs 1998–1999]]
[[Category:India MPs 1999–2004]]
[[Category:Indian National Congress politicians from Rajasthan]]
[[Category:Lok Sabha members from Rajasthan]]
[[Category:Indian Air Force officers]]
[[Category:Indian military aviators]]
[[Category:Indian military personnel of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971]]
[[Category:Bomber pilots]]
[[Category:Accidental deaths in India]]
[[Category:Road incident deaths in India]]
[[Category:Indian Hindus]]
[[Category:Rajasthani people]]
[[Category:People from Dausa district]]
[[Category:People from Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh]]