A fascinating chapter from India’s aviation history takes us back to 1930 when a young 25-year-old JRD Tata participated in a daring solo flight race from India to England. The race was a challenge put forth by His Highness the Aga Khan, aimed at popularising aviation in India.

The Aga Khan declared a reward of 500 UK Pounds for the first Indian national to complete a solo flight from England to India or vice versa. The contest, which spanned a year from January 1, 1930, attracted the attention of JRD Tata, a newly licensed pilot.

Manmohan Singh and Aspy Merwan Engineer, two other aviation enthusiasts, also rose to the challenge.

While Singh and Aspy Engineer chose to fly from England to India, Tata decided on the opposite route. Singh’s attempts didn’t bear fruit, but Aspy Engineer, despite facing technical issues, managed to complete the race.

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Despite a defective compass and strong headwinds, Tata made it to Egypt. Here, he encountered Aspy Engineer who was held up due to malfunctioning spark plugs. Tata generously gave Engineer four of his extra spark plugs, enabling him to continue his race.

Tata’s journey was further hindered in Naples due to stringent military regulations, causing him to lose four crucial hours. By the time he reached Paris, Engineer had already landed in Karachi, thus claiming the coveted Aga Khan Prize. Tata missed the victory by a narrow margin of two hours and thirty minutes.

This historic race not only marked a significant milestone in Indian aviation history but also laid the foundation for a lifelong friendship between Tata and Aspy Engineer. In 1957, Tata, who was then the chairman of the Tata Group, and Aspy Engineer, who had joined the Indian Air Force, fondly remembered the race.

Tata, in a letter to Aspy Engineer, wrote, “Our friendship ever since has been much more worthwhile than winning the competition would have been.”

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Picture courtesy: Tata Central Archives.

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.