Suranjan Das Explained

Suranjan Das
Birth Date:1920 2, df=y
Birth Place:Calcutta, Bengal Presidency, British India
Allegiance:
India
Branch:
Serviceyears:1942–1970
Rank: Group Captain[1]
Servicenumber:no
Unit:No. 3 Squadron IAF
Commands:Halwara Air Force Station
Awards: Padma Vibhushan
Ati Vishisht Seva Medal
Vayusena Medal
Spouse:Veronica Loveless[2]

Suranjan Das (22 February 1920 – 10 January 1970) was a pilot in the Indian Air Force. He joined the Royal Indian Air Force during the Second World War and was among the first pilots to be sent to Empire Test Pilots School to a test pilot for the Indian Air Force. He was a group captain. He commanded the Halwara Air Force Station Base between 1967 and 1969 and was the director of the Aircraft & Armament Testing Group of the Indian Air Force from 1969 until his death. He was awarded the Padma Vibhushan posthumously in 1970.[3] He was the son of Sudhi Ranjan Das.[4] He died in an air crash while test flying a HAL HF-24 prototype.[5]

The entire 4.1-km stretch of the road connecting Old Madras Road and Old Airport Road, Bangalore, is named Suranjan Das Road after Group Captain Suranjan Das.[2]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Group Captain Suranjan Das . Bharat Rakshak . 10 July 2020.
  2. News: Suranjan Das Road: A street named after a legendary pilot . . Divya Shekhar . 11 February 2016 . 10 July 2020.
  3. Book: The Times of India Directory and Year Book Including Who's who. 10 July 2020. 1970. 289.
  4. Book: Sainik Samachar. 10 July 2020. 1970. Director of Public Relations, Ministry of Defence. 226–.
  5. Web site: Suranjan Das - the man and the professional . Indian Aviation . Kapil Bhargava . Bharat Rakshak . 10 July 2020 . 18 August 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120818113733/http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Personnel/Legends/314-Suranjan-Das.html#gsc.tab=0 . dead .