Biju Babu and Kalinga Airlines

Did You Know: Kalinga Airlines was founded in 1947 by aviator Biju Patnaik, who was also the airline's chief pilot. ⁣

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👉 In 1947, Biju Patnaik, a Royal Indian Air Force World War II Spitfire and DC-3 pilot, carried soldiers into Kashmir, landing the first platoon of troops in Srinagar. ⁣

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👉 Kalinga Airlines' DC-3s were also used to drop supplies at North Eastern India.⁣

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👉 In 1953, the airline, along with other seven independent domestic airlines including Deccan Airways, Airways India, ⁣

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👉 Bharat Airways, Himalayan Aviation, Indian National Airways, Air India and Air Services of India was nationalised and merged into the Indian Airlines Corporation.⁣

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👉 Kalinga Airways restarted operations in December 1957 by the merger of five airlines, Assam Airways, Indamer Airways, Jamair, Kalinga and Darbhanga Aviations with a fleet of 15 DC-3s.⁣

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👉 Since May 1960, Kalinga specialised in supply dropping operations in the north-east regions of the country. ⁣

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👉 Non-scheduled operations from Bombay to Dubai were also operated but were suspended in October 1962 to focus on supply dropping.⁣

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👉 The air-drop operations were taken over by the Indian Air Force in June 1967 and the airline reverted to passenger and cargo charters until February 1972.⁣

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