Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday unveiled the iconic Dakota aircraft used by his father and former Chief Minister Biju Patnaik to rescue former Indonesian Vice President Muhammad Hatta and Prime Minister Sutan Sjahrir from their enemies in 1947.
The vintage aircraft was unveiled by Patnaik in a colorful function held at Biju Patnaik International Airport here on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Biju Babu, also an ace pilot.
The iconic Dakota (DC-3) Aircraft (VT-AUI) belongs to erstwhile Kalinga Airlines, which was founded by Biju Patnaik. The said airlines operated nearly a dozen Dakotas and late Patnaik was its Chief Pilot.
This aircraft was used by him to rescue former Indonesian Vice President Md Hatta and former Prime Minister Sutan Sjahrir. For his effort, late Biju Patnaik was conferred with an honorary citizenship of Indonesia and awarded the title of ‘Bhumi Putra’ by the Indonesian Government, a recognition rarely granted to a foreigner.
With the efforts of the Government of Odisha, the Dakota aircraft was shifted from the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport (NSCBI), Kolkata to Bhubaneswar on 18 January by road.