Pushpinder Singh Chopra

Pushpindar 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. His work and developments on Indian Aviation lead to the Fairchild-Dornier 288 production in India. He is known as the 'Chronicler of Indian Aviation', a term given by Air Marshal Anil Chopra.

He was known as the only defence analyst and aviator who was respected equally in India as Pakistan, along with countries like United Kingdom and Germany as well. His magazine Vayu Aerospace and Defence Review was India's most read defence-related magazine.

Early life and family

Pushpindar Singh was educated at The Doon School, Dehra Dun to a military background. His father was Major General Mohinder Singh Chopra, a famed soldier in the Indian Army, although his family had to shift from Pakistan to India- leaving their ancestral lands behind.

He had graduated from Government College, Chandigarh. He worked with Gillanders Arbuthnot & Co Ltd in Calcutta, and later with Rallis, where he quickly made a name for himself in marketing.

Aeronautical career

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. 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. The definitive three-volume History of the Indian Air Force 'Himalayan Eagles' was officially released at the IAF's Platinum Jubilee in 2007. He was also responsible for the immense respect and recognition that Arjan Singh received before he became an Air Marshal in the Indian Army, and Hardit Singh Malik's story being mainstream in Indian Air Force circles. It would not be an understatement to say that the work of Pushpindar Singh has been regularly used as official reference material by officers and airmen of all generations, looking to learn about the IAF's past and its journey. Other books written by Pushpindar Singh Chopra were the Fighting Fourteen, Tusker Charge, Valiant to the Last, First Supersonics, the Battle Axes and Tigers in the Sky. To his distinction, he published books on the occasions of IAF's Golden Jubilee, Diamond Jubilee and Platinum Jubilee. The definitive three-volume magnum opus titled Himalayan Eagles: History of the Indian Air Force, written for the Platinum Jubilee in 2007, occupies pride of place in every Air Force library and squadron crew room. He also published Portrait of Courage: Century of the 5th Battalion, The Sikh Regiment on the Sikh Regiment's centenary event, and 1947: A Soldier's Story in memory of the Indian Army's role during the Partition of India, taken from his father's written accounts. He also published Neuve Chapelle: The Jullundur Brigade in France & Flanders, 1914-1915 commemorating the Jullundur Brigade's role in the Battles of Ypres and Neuve Chapelle during the First World War.

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. 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. 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'.

He wrote extensively about the history of the Indian Air Force, from its inception in 1933 till present day. 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. He worked with other magazines too, including the Society of Aerospace Studies, Asian Defence Journal, Aviation Week & Space Technology and the Royal Aeronautical Society.

His book, Fiz'aya: Psyche of the Pakistan Air Force was a groundbreaking reference book on the history on the Pakistan Air Force, and was written to document the history of the Pakistan Air Force's investments and their military history, it is the primary resource for the Pakistan Air Force, their aviators, military historians and researchers. It was heavily appreciated by Pakistani politicians and aviators alike, including Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Air Marshal Malik Nur Khan, Air Commodore Sayed Sajad Haider and many more.

One of his largest breakthroughs was the launching of the Fairchild-Dornier 228, he was a representative of Dornier Flugzeugwerke in India at the time, which has been one of India's greatest aeronautical accomplishments till date and allowed for the main production of the plane to be in India, the fuselage, wings and tail unit are manufactured by HAL in Kanpur, India. He was the representative of the company in India for many years. This project was the first in the list of many successful Indian Air Force plane development projects with international collaboration, specifically from Germany in this case. He also worked on the HAL Tejas and the HAL HF-24 Marut with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited before, though it was noted that he advocated the SAAB Gripen over the Dassault Rafale for induction into the Indian Air Force. He also headed Daimler Benz Aerospace in India.

Socio-religious career

Pushpindar founded 'Nishaan Nagaara', a non-political journal, to highlight Sikh issues, culture, history and heritage in April 1999. The inaugural issue was released by Manmohan Singh, the late Prime Minister of India. He was made the President of the Sikh Forum along with the Sikh Chamber of Commerce, 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 such as H. S. Phoolka.

He also attended the Sikh Reception in 2008 in Great Britain, along with many other Sikh events, collaborating with magazines like Sikhnet, and scholars such as Inder Jit Singh of New York and Bhayee Sikander Singh of Bagrian. He spoke against the Sikh community being termed as Khalistani and believed it was wrong for every member of the Sikh diaspora to be painted with the "extremist brush."

Death

Pushpindar Singh Chopra passed away due to COVID-19 in Gurgaon in 2021.

Publications

• 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)
• A Whale of a Fighter (1983)
• 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)

• Vayu Aerospace and Defence Review (1973-Present)
• Nishaan Nagaara Magazine (1999-Present)