19 years ago, today, India lost of her most beloved politicians, the respected Gujjar leader from Rajasthan, Rajesh Pilot. On 11 June 2019 his jeep collided with a bus near Jaipur and he died when he was only 55 years old.
Remembered fondly by all, Rajesh Pilot belonged from a farmer family and went on to become a pilot in the Indian Air Force before entering into politics and quitting the IAF in 1979 as a squadron leader.
Hailing from Ghaziabad, Pilot was born in on February 10, 1945. After he lost his armyman-father Jai Dayal Singh at an early age, Pilot was brought up by his brother who sold milk in affluent Delhi localities. The Congress leader’s autobiography, Flight to Parliament, narrates how he rose from selling milk to MPs on chilly winter mornings to becoming an MP himself in 1980.
A four-time Member of Parliament from Dausa, Pilot began he political career from Bharatpur in 1980s. Pilot defeated the former queen of Bharatpur. Though he lost the election for the post of Congress president to Sitaram Kesri, he remained in the first line of Congress leaders. Pilot was considered a respected voice in the Rajiv Gandhi and PV Narasimha Rao government.
Mr Pilot was first inducted into the Union Council of Ministers by Rajiv Gandhi in 1985 as a Minister of State for Surface Transport and given the Ministry’s independent charge a year later.
Pilot was entrusted with important portfolios over the years. He has been Minister for Telecommunication (1991-93), Minister for Internal Security (1993–95), Minister for Surface Transport (1995–96).
His autobiography, Flight to Parliament, narrates how he rose from selling milk to MPs on chilly winter mornings to becoming an MP himself in 1980.
India Post has issued a commemorative postage stamp of Rs. 5.00 on 11 June 2008.
Sachin Pilot: From youngest MP to Rajasthan’s youngest deputy Chief Minister
