Sardar

Pushpinder Singh Chopra
Born(1943-09-30)30 September 1943
Murree, Punjab, Pakistan
Died3 May 2021(2021-05-03) (aged 77)
Gurgaon, India
EducationThe Doon School
Occupation(s)Historian, editor, author
Organization(s)Gillanders Arbuthnot & Co Ltd
Rallis
Dornier Flugzeugwerke
Vayu Aerospace and Defence Review
Society of Aerospace Studies
Air International
World Air Power Journal
Asian Defence Journal
Jane’s Defence Weekly
Aviation Week & Space Technology
Daimler Benz Aerospace
Royal Aeronautical Society
Jullundur Brigade Association
Sir Sobha Singh & Sons Pvt Ltd
Nishaan Nagaara
The Sikh Forum
RelativesMohinder Singh Chopra (father)
Sir Sobha Singh (grandfather in-law)
Brigadier Gurbax Singh (father-in-law)
Sardar Ujjal Singh (relative)
Khushwant Singh (relative)
Daljit Singh (relative)

Pushpinder Singh Chopra (30 September 1943 – 3 May 2021) was an Indian military historian and the author of several books, chiefly on military aviation history of India.[1][2][3] He is known as the chronicler of Indian aviation.[4]

Biography

Early Life and Family

Singh was educated at The Doon School, Dehra Dun to a military background. His father was Major General Mohinder Singh Chopra, the famed 'Amritsar-di-Chadar', although his family had to shift from Pakistan to India- leaving their ancestral lands behind.[5] He was also related to Sir Sobha Singh.

He had graduated from Government College, Chandigarh.[5] He worked with Gillanders Arbuthnot & Co Ltd in Calcutta, and later with Rallis, where he quickly made a name for himself in marketing.[5]

Aeronautical Career

He wrote extensively about the history of the Indian Air Force, from its inception in 1933 till present day.[2] He was the founder editor of Vayu Aerospace and Defence Review, a bi-monthly aviation and defence magazine based in New Delhi, and the Society of Aerospace Studies.[6][7]

He started with debunking conspiracies by the Pakistan Air Force during the 1965 Indo-Pakistan War where he interviewed pilots. His article, ‘Laying the Sargodha Ghost to Rest’, in Vayu Aerospace Review in November 1985 was a trailblazer amongst others, which led to debunking the myth of Pakistan Air Force’s claim of shooting down five Indian Air Force Hunters on September 7, 1965.[8] His ‘Aircraft of the Indian Air Force 1933-73’ became standard reference book on the Indian Air Force and was followed by an account of the Service on its Golden and then Diamond Jubilees.[9] The definitive three-volume History of the Indian Air Force ‘Himalayan Eagles’ was officially released at the IAF’s Platinum Jubilee in 2007.[9]

He was also responsible for the immense respect and recognition that Arjan Singh received before he became an Air Marshal in the Indian Army.[5]

He was the Founder-Editor of the Vayu Aerospace and Defence Review and was Indian editor for the Air International, World Air Power Journal, Asian Defence Journal, Jane’s Defence Weekly and Aviation Week & Space Technology.[9] He also headed Daimler Benz Aerospace in India.[5] During an earlier Farnborough Air Show, he was given a special award for his breaking news story on the Indian LCA programme from the Royal Aeronautical Society of the UK.[9] In 2015, at the Aerospace Media Awards held at the Paris Air Show, he was awarded ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ for Outstanding Contribution to Aviation Journalism’.[9]

One of his largest breakthroughs was the launching of the Dornier 228, he was a representative of Dornier in India at the time, which has been one of India's greatest aeronautical accomplishments.

Socio-Religious Career

Pushpinder founded ‘Nishaan Nagaara’, a non-political journal, to highlight Sikh issues, culture, history and heritage in April 1999. The inaugural issue was released by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.[5] He was made the President of the Sikh Forum, and protested for justice for the 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots, a resolution seeking declaration of the violence as “Sikh Genocide Day” was also passed by him along with other leaders.[10][11]

Death

Singh passed away due to COVID-19 in Gurgaon in 2021.

Publications

Books

  • A Guide to Air Power in Asia and the Pacific (1971)
  • Aircraft of the Indian Air Force, 1933-73 (1974)
  • A Directory of Combat Aircraft in Asia (1980)
  • The Indian Air Force and its Aircraft (1982)
  • Touching the Sky: the Indian Air Force Today (1991)
  • Fiz’aya: Psyche of the Pakistan Air Force (1991)
  • The Battle Axes (1993)
  • 1947: A Soldier’s Story (1997)
  • Diamonds in the Sky (2000)
  • Portrait of Courage: Century of the 5th Battalion, The Sikh Regiment (2001)
  • History of Aviation of India: Spanning the Century of Flight (2003)
  • Fly Navy (2006)
  • Himalayan Eagles: History of the Indian Air Force (2007)
  • Consolidation and Expansion (2007)
  • World Air Power (2007)
  • Foundations (2007)
  • The Black Archers: Illustrated History of No. 47 Squadron Indian Air Force (2009)
  • Dragon Fire, Illustrated History of No. 6 Squadron Indian Air Force (2012)
  • The First Supersonics, No. 28 Squadron, IAF (2013)
  • Neuve Chapelle: The Jullundur Brigade in France & Flanders, 1914-1915 (2014)
  • Fly Navy Fly (2022)

Magazines

  • Vayu Aerospace and Defence Review (1973-Present)
  • Nishaan Nagaara Magazine (1999-Present)

References

  1. "Introduction : Behind the Book – Bharat Rakshak:Indian Air Force". Bharat Rakshak. 12 June 2017. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  2. 1 2 "Falcon down: Why Pakistan is desperate to fake the F-16 dogfight". Businesstoday.in. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  3. "70th anniversary of Attari border: Brigadier who drew the line remembered at Partition museum – punjab top". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  4. Defence from the Skies: 80 Years of the Indian Air Force: 80 Years of the Indian Air Force. KW Publishers Pvt Ltd. 15 August 2013. ISBN 978-93-85714-72-6.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "He left his Nishaan – The Sikh Foundation International". 6 May 2021. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  6. "When Arjan Singh sold off his farm for Air Force personnel". The Tribune India. 16 September 2017. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  7. Sagar, Pradip R. (28 March 2018). "Defence experts raise concerns over IAF's depleting fleet – The Week". Theweek.in. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  8. "https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/musings/encyclopaedia-of-indian-aviation-258447". {{cite web}}: External link in |title= (help)
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 "https://www.vayuaerospace.in/issue/tribute-min.pdf" (PDF). {{cite web}}: External link in |title= (help)
  10. "https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/punjab/news-detail-677538". {{cite web}}: External link in |title= (help)
  11. "34th anniversary of 1984 anti-Sikh riots: Victims remembered". PTC News. 2 November 2018. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
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