HAL has nothing to do with Nehru: Wadiyar slams D K Shivakumar amid Karnataka-Andhra Pradesh tussle

'Instead of misrepresenting facts and glorifying the Nehru/Gandhi family — especially with false claims — the Karnataka government and the Deputy CM should focus on ensuring that HAL is strengthened...' Wadiyar added.

Mysuru: MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, on Wednesday, took exception to Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar’s claim that Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) was established by the late Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in Bengaluru.

Shivakumar had said on Tuesday that he would not allow the shifting of HAL, which he claimed was founded by Nehru, from Bengaluru.

Wadiyar said, “Nehru had nothing to do with HAL. William D. Pawley, president of Inter-Continent Corp, partnered with China’s Nationalist government to start CAMCO — assembling Hawk 75 and CW-21 fighters — in 1933. In October 1939, Pawley met Walchand Hirachand on a Pan Am Clipper flight to Hong Kong, where the idea of manufacturing aircraft in India was floated. Pawley visited India in July 1940 and obtained British approval for the project. However, Walchand’s proposal to the shareholders of The Scindia Steam Navigation Company was rejected. Then, Walchand reached out to the Indian princely states — Baroda, Gwalior, Bhavnagar, and Mysore — seeking support. Only the Maharaja of Mysore, Jayachamaraja Wadiyar, agreed.”

“In October 1940, Walchand and Pawley arrived in Bangalore (now Bengaluru), and the Mysore government under the Maharaja granted 700 acres of land and invested Rs 25 lakh in shares to support the venture. On December 23, 1940, Hindustan Aircraft Company was incorporated under the Mysore Companies Act, with Walchand as chairman. The office was opened at Eventide on Domlur Road in Bangalore. Work began on December 24, 1940, and by mid-January 1941, the first building and runway were ready,” Wadiyar said.

Wadiyar continued, “The company’s first order from the British Government of India was for 74 Vultee Attack Bombers, 30 Harlow PC5 Trainers, and 48 Curtis Hawk Fighters — to be completed by 1942. In April 1941, the British Indian Government invested Rs 25 lakh. Meanwhile, the Japanese threat in China forced CAMCO to shift its machinery to Mysore State. On August 29, 1941, the first Harlow Trainer was handed over to the Government of India. After Pearl Harbour (December 1941) and the 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 under the Maharaja refused to sell its stake but handed over control to the British for the duration of the war. Walchand made a profit of Rs 57 lakh from an initial investment of Rs 25 lakh. In 1943, the US Army Air Forces took over the factory, retaining Hindustan Aircraft’s management. It became the 84th Air Depot — a hub for repairing Allied aircraft. The factory overhauled everything from PBY Catalinas to all aircraft types flown in India and Burma. By the war’s end, it was one of Asia’s largest overhaul facilities.”

“During World War II, the British Indian Government paid the Mysore State a solatium of Rs 12.11 lakh to sterilise its interest. Mysore State became an active partner again in April 1946. On October 1, 1964, the factory was restructured as Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) under the Union Defence Ministry. Despite Mysore State’s pivotal role, HAL and the Karnataka government barely acknowledge the Maharaja’s contribution to its establishment. Its website features only Walchand’s photo,” Wadiyar said.

“Instead of misrepresenting facts and glorifying the Nehru/Gandhi family — especially with false claims — the Karnataka government and the Deputy CM should focus on ensuring that HAL is strengthened and given the impetus it requires to become a leader in its sector. Shivakumar should take pride in the fact that HAL was built by Karnataka’s leaders and contributes to the progress of Bharat,” Wadiyar said.