📅 May 9, 2025, Post 5: Biju Patnaik: A Pilot, A Patriot, A Symbol of Global Solidarity | Mains Essay / Target IAS-26 MCQs Attached: A complete Package, Dear Aspirants!
Biju Patnaik: A Pilot, A Patriot, A Symbol of Global Solidarity
NEWS DROP — PETAL 005
🗓️ Date: May 9, 2025
🌐 Thematic Focus: GS1 – Modern Indian History | GS2 – International Relations
🌿 Intro Whisper:
When skies rained fire and empires clashed, an Indian soared above borders—not just to fight, but to connect worlds.
🔍 Key Highlights:
- What’s in News:
On the 80th Victory Day anniversary, Russia honoured Biju Patnaik for his role in aiding Soviet forces during World War II, especially at the Battle of Stalingrad.
✈️ Biju Patnaik’s Role in World War II
- Pilot Training: Trained at Delhi Flying Club, joined Royal Indian Air Force in 1936.
- Mission to Stalingrad:
➤ Flew supply missions to Soviet troops during the Nazi siege.
➤ Risked life flying across warzones to reach encircled Soviet units. - Recognition: Awarded a jubilee medal by Russia in 1995.
- Legacy: Honoured posthumously again in 2025, with son Naveen Patnaik invited by the Russian embassy.
⚔️ The Battle of Stalingrad (Aug 1942 – Feb 1943)
- Why Stalingrad Mattered:
➤ Industrial hub on Volga River
➤ Gateway to Caucasus oil fields
➤ Symbolic—named after Stalin - Hitler’s Strategy – Operation Blue (Fall Blau):
➤ Divided Army Group South
➤ Army Group A to capture oil fields
➤ Army Group B to seize Stalingrad
➤ Result: Overextended, vulnerable flanks - Soviet Defense:
➤ Order No. 227: “Not One Step Back”
➤ Built multiple defense layers under Stalingrad Front
➤ Urban warfare turned city into a fortress - Operation Uranus (Nov 19–23, 1942):
➤ Planned by Zhukov, Vasilevsky, Voronov
➤ Attacked weaker Axis allies (Romanians, Italians, Hungarians)
➤ Encircled German Sixth Army at Kalach
➤ Turning point of the Eastern Front
🌏 Biju Patnaik’s Wider Global Role
- Rangoon Evacuation: Rescued British families during Japanese invasion of Burma.
- Support to Chinese Resistance: Aided forces resisting Japan in WWII.
- Hero in Indonesia:
➤ Supported Sukarno’s independence struggle
➤ Honoured as ‘Bhoomi Putra’ – Son of the Soil
📘 GS Paper Mapping:
- GS Paper 1: Contributions of Freedom Fighters | Modern Indian Heroes in Global Context
- GS Paper 2: India-Russia Relations | Cultural Diplomacy
- Essay: “Patriotism Beyond Borders: Biju Patnaik and the Flight of Internationalism”
🌠 Closing Thought:
Some heroes don’t just guard their land—they lift their nation to the skies, carving arcs of unity above wars and across oceans.
Target IAS-26: Daily MCQs :
📌 Prelims Practice MCQs
Topic:
MCQ 1: Type-1 — “How many of the above statements are correct?”
Consider the following statements regarding Biju Patnaik and his contributions during World War II:
1. Biju Patnaik was trained as a pilot at the Delhi Flying Club and joined the Royal Indian Air Force in 1936.
2. During WWII, he flew supply missions to the Soviet city of Leningrad.
3. Russia honoured him in 2025 for his role in the Battle of Stalingrad.
4. He also played a role in evacuating people from Rangoon during the Japanese invasion of Burma.
How many of the above statements are correct?
A) Only two
B) Only three
C) All four
D) Only one
🌀 Didn’t get it? Click here (▸) for the Correct Answer & Explanation
✅ Correct Answer: B) Only three
🧠 Explanation:
1) Correct – He trained at the Delhi Flying Club and served in the Royal Indian Air Force.
2) Incorrect – He flew missions to Stalingrad, not Leningrad.
3) Correct – Russia commemorated him on the 80th Victory Day in 2025.
4) Correct – He helped evacuate families during the Japanese invasion of Burma.
MCQ 2: Type-2 — Two-Statement Assertion
Consider the following statements:
1.Operation Uranus was the Soviet counteroffensive that led to the encirclement of German forces at Stalingrad.
2. Hitler divided Army Group South during Operation Blue, which weakened the German front near Stalingrad.
A) Only 1 is correct
B) Only 2 is correct
C) Both are correct
D) Neither is correct
🌀 Didn’t get it? Click here (▸) for the Correct Answer & Explanation
✅ Correct Answer: C) Both are correct
🧠 Explanation:
1) Correct – Operation Uranus, launched in Nov 1942, surrounded the German Sixth Army. 2) Correct – Army Group South was split into Groups A and B, which reduced coordination and made German flanks vulnerable.
MCQ 3: Type-3 — “Which of the above statements is/are correct?”
Consider the following statements about Biju Patnaik’s international contributions:
1. He supported China’s resistance against Japan during World War II.
2. He helped Indonesia during its struggle for independence from Dutch colonial rule.
3. He was given the title ‘Bhoomi Putra’ by the Chinese government.
4. He was honoured with a jubilee medal by Russia in 1995.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
A) 1, 2 and 4 only
B) 1, 3 and 4 only
C) 2, 3 and 4 only
D) All four
🌀 Didn’t get it? Click here (▸) for the Correct Answer & Explanation
✅ Correct Answer: A) 1, 2 and 4 only
🧠 Explanation:
1) Correct – He aided Chinese forces against Japanese aggression.
2) Correct – He supported Indonesia’s independence and was honoured for it.
3) Incorrect – The title ‘Bhoomi Putra’ was conferred by Indonesia, not China.
4) Correct – He received a jubilee medal from Russia in recognition of his WWII service.
MCQ 4: Type-4 — Direct Factual Question
The Battle of Stalingrad is considered a major turning point in World War II. In which modern-day city did this battle take place?
A) Kyiv
B) Volgograd
C) Minsk
D) Kazan
🌀 Didn’t get it? Click here (▸) for the Correct Answer & Explanation.
✅ Correct Answer: B) Volgograd
🧠 Explanation:
B) Stalingrad was renamed Volgograd after the de-Stalinization of the Soviet Union.
