• The aircraft company came into existence before India’s Independence in 1939 with contributions from Maharaja of Mysore and Walchand Hirachand. Despite Mysore Palace’s contribution, Karnataka government and HAL barely acknowledge Maharaja Jayachamaraja Wadiyar’s role.

Congress leaders 'foot in the mouth' continues to embarrass the grand old party. The recent being the statement - ‘Jawaharlal Nehru founded Bengaluru-based Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)’.

It was Karnataka's Deputy Chief Minister, D K Shivakumar, who praised HAL and gave credit to former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru for setting up HAL.

As soon as he made the statement, accusations of distorting facts came fast and furious from the general public, especially a few seniors in Bengaluru, who had worked, retired after serving the company for many decades and others (for many generations) who benefitted by supplying parts to the aeroplane maker.

First major rebuttal came from none other than scion of the Wadiyar dynasty, Member of Parliament for Mysuru Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar. He immediately asserted that HAL was a matter of immense pride for the Mysore state and was established through the vision and efforts of Kannadigas, with no role played by former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in its founding.

Deepti Navaratna, a Bengaluru-based neuroscientist/ musician and author of The Maverick Maharaja: The Life and Times of His Highness Maharaja Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar that “The Mysore Maharaja had just been crowned and he was a lad of 21. Three people get on a plane to the United States. The Mysore Maharaja, Indian industrialist Walchand Hirachand (who was in shipping business by then and was looking to expand his business horizons and he was a patriot and wanted to do something for India), and William D Pawley, who was a businessman/entrepreneur looking for a base for his aircraft manufacturing. These three people, three interests met mid-air and thus was conspired or rather with great inspiration they conspired and came up with this idea of the HAL much before India’s independence."

Yaduveer Wadiyar, as royal scion of the Wadiyar dynasty, set the facts right, by saying it was William D. Pawley, president of Inter-Continent Corp, Indian industrialist Walchand Hirachand and HH Maharaja of Mysore Jayachamaraja Wadiyar who formalised the partnership to set up the company.

He further said that, “In October 1939, Pawley met Indian industrialist Walchand Hirachand on a Pan Am Clipper flight to Hong Kong. That accidental meeting led to a bold idea: manufacturing aircraft in India.”

Impressed by Walchand Hirachand's commitment, Pawley visited India in July 1940 and got British approval for the project.

“But when Walchand proposed the idea to shareholders of The Scindia Steam Navigation Co, they rejected it. Walchand reached out to Indian princely states - Baroda, Gwalior, Bhavnagar, and Mysore - seeking support,” Yaduveer Wadiyar said. He further revealed “Only the Maharaja of Mysore agreed. 

HH Maharaja of Mysore Jayachamaraja Wadiyar. 

In October 1940, Walchand and Pawley arrived in Bangalore. The Mysore Government granted 700 acres for free, invested Rs 25 lakhs in shares, and supported the venture. Pawley selected the site personally.

On December 23, 1940, Hindustan Aircraft Company was incorporated under the Mysore Companies Act. Walchand was chairman. The office opened at Eventide on Domlur Road, Bangalore.”

Work began on December 24, 1940. By mid-January 1941, the first building and runway were ready. A massive feat in just three weeks! The company’s first order from the Government of India: 74 Vultee Attack Bombers. 30 Harlow PC5 Trainers and 48 Curtis Hawk Fighters."

“These are the facts and history of HAL before India’s independence, now where does former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru figure in it,” Yaduveer Wadiyar questioned.

Yaduveer Wadiyar gave additional information as to how the company after being set up bagged orders and as to how it got nationalised in free India.

In April 1941, the British Indian government invested Rs 25 lakhs in Hindustan Aircraft Company. Meanwhile, the Japanese threat in China forced machinery to be shifted from CAMCO to Mysore.

On August 29, 1941 the company handed over its first Harlow Trainer to the Government of India. India’s aviation dreams were becoming a reality.

HT2 aircraft made by HAL.

To see all pictures of HT2 click Here

Later after Pearl Harbor (December 1941) and loss of British ships in Malaya, fears of a Japanese invasion prompted the British to buy out Walchand’s shares in April 1942. The Mysore Government refused to sell its stake but handed over control to the British for the duration of the war. Walchand made Rs 57 lakhs profit from an initial Rs 25 lakh investment.

Walchand Hirachand. 

In 1943, the US Army Air Forces took over the factory, retaining Hindustan Aircraft management. It became the 84th Air Depot - a hub for repairing Allied aircraft. The factory overhauled everything from PBY Catalinas to all types flown in India and Burma. By war’s end, it was one of Asia’s largest overhaul facilities.

During the war, the Government paid Mysore a solatium of Rs 12.11 lakhs to sterilise its interest. Mysore became an active partner again in April 1946.

“In January 1951, Hindustan Aircraft Limited was placed under the administrative control of Ministry of Defence, Government of India.” “Amalgamation of the two companies i.e. Hindustan Aircraft Limited and Aeronautics India Limited was brought about on 1st October 1964 by an Amalgamation Order issued by the Government of India and the Company after the amalgamation was named as “Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).” Source HAL site The legacy continues.

“Despite Mysore’s pivotal role, HAL and the Government of Karnataka barely acknowledge the Maharaja’s role in the setting up of this institution. Its website features only Walchand’s photo. A forgotten royal contribution to Indian aviation,” pointed out Yaduveer Wadiyar.

“Instead of misrepresenting facts and glorifying the Nehru/Gandhi family, especially with false claims, the government and the deputy chief minister should focus on ensuring that the HAL is strengthened and given the impetus it requires to be the foremost in its sector. He should take pride in knowing that this institution was built by Karnataka’s leaders and remains a symbol of the state’s contribution to the progress of Bharat,” he added.

Author is a Bengaluru based journalist. eSamskriti.com is grateful to him for sharing.

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