KARACHI’S airfields have a proud history. The birthplace of the colonial-era Royal Indian Air Force was RAF Drigh Road, and Karachi airport was the first one in South Asia for commercial flights.

When in 1929 the Aga Khan, through the Royal Aero Club, announced a special prize of £500 for the first Indian to accomplish a solo flight between British India (Karachi) and England (London), three Indian pilots came forward and the ultimate race commenced 86 years ago in April 1930.

The Aga Khan Prize went to Aspy Meherwan Engineer, an 18-year old from Karachi who had studied at DJ College (1929-30). He took off from London on 25 April 1930 and reached Karachi on 11 May. Aspy’s father Meherwan Irani, worked for the North Western Railway in Karachi. A large crowd cheered him and the BVS School band, also known as the Cowasjee Variawa’s Own, played as he landed. Karachi Mayor Jamshed Nusserwanji garlanded him.

On commissioning Aspy’s first posting was at Drigh Road. He rose to become Air Marshal in the Indian Air Force and Chief of the Air Staff, and later served as India’s ambassador to Iran.

Another competitor for the prize on this occasion was J.R.D. Tata from Bombay. He later became famous as a businessman and is considered father of civil aviation of India. The third competitor was Manmohan Singh from Rawalpindi who took off from Croydon on 8 April 1930 and did not reach Karachi within the stipulated period but still became the first Indian to fly solo. He later joined the (British) Royal Indian Air Force and succumbed to a Japanese attack in Australia during World War II.

Dr Sohail Ansari
Essex, United Kingdom

Published in Dawn, May 3rd, 2016