Businessman turned politician Rajeev Chandrasekhar has announced to gift his vintage aircraft to the Indian Air Force (IAF). The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance government at the Centre has agreed to accept the airworthy aircraft.
Chandrasekhar, who has spent a decade as a member of the Rajya Sabha from Karnataka, was earlier disappointed by the news of scrapping of the Indian defence forces’ ships and aircraft.
Chandrasekhar brought the Douglas D3 “Dakota” aircraft from Ireland in 2009 and completely overhauled it to keep it airworthy. The aircraft was originally pressed into service in 1948. Now, the aircraft is stationed in London and after all the formal clearances are availed, the aircraft will be handed over to the IAF said Chandrasekhar.
“My father retired as an air commodore. He is over 80 and lives in Bangalore. Right from my childhood I have been seeing aircraft from close quarters. And the memory of my father waving to me from the aircraft that he used to fly in is still fresh in my memory,” a news agency quoted Chandrasekhar as saying.
In fact, Chandrasekhar unsuccessfully offered to donate the aircraft to IAF when the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government was in power. However, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar have accepted to receive the aircraft as a gift to IAF.
Chandrasekhar said that he is quite passionate about flying and also has a valid commercial pilot licence.
