Pilot who trained Rajiv Gandhi to fly passes away at 94Kunjipalu was Rajiv Gandhi's instructor who later appeared as his examiner and cleared him as a full-fledged pilot
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Pilot who taught Rajiv Gandhi to fly, Captain TA Kunjipalu. Credit: IANS Photo
Former top Indian airlines official Captain TA Kunjipalu, more popularly known as the pilot who taught Rajiv Gandhi to fly and later cleared him as a pilot, passed away near Kochi on Wednesday, according to family sources.
After retiring from Indian Airlines in 1989, the 94-year-old Kunjipalu settled down near Kochi at Aluva.
Kunjipalu was Rajiv Gandhi's instructor who later appeared as his examiner and cleared him as a full-fledged pilot.
Interestingly, later, when Gandhi went to ink the agreement with Sri Lanka, it was Kunjipalu who piloted the aircraft to Colombo.
The last rites would be held at his local parish near here on Thursday.