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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