Early Life
Biju Patnaik was born on 5 March 1916 to Lakshminarayan and Ashalata Patnaik. His parents belong to Nuagan, Bhanjanagar, Ganjam district, around 80 km from Bramhapur). He was educated at Ravenshaw College in Orissa but due to his interest in aviation he dropped out and trained as a pilot. Patnaik flew with private airlines but at the start of the second world war he joined the Royal Indian Air Force eventually becoming head of air transport command. While in service he began an interest in nationalist politics and used air force transports to deliver what was seen as subversive literature to Indian troops. But Patnaik remained committed to fighting the axis powers and when he was jailed for his illegal activities he only served two years in prison. Shortly after independence Pakistani tribesman invaded Kashmir and at Nehrus request he helped airlift the first Indian soldiers into Srinagar.
Read more about this topic: Biju Patnaik
Famous quotes containing the words early and/or life:
“For the writer, there is nothing quite like having someone say that he or she understands, that you have reached them and affected them with what you have written. It is the feeling early humans must have experienced when the firelight first overcame the darkness of the cave. It is the communal cooking pot, the Street, all over again. It is our need to know we are not alone.”
—Virginia Hamilton (b. 1936)
“Not lived; for life doth her great actions spell,
By what was done and wrought
In season, and so brought
To light: her measures are, how well
Each syllab’e answered, and was formed how fair;
These make the lines of life, and that’s her air.”
—Ben Jonson (1572–1637)