Rajesh Pilot was a pilot in the Indian Air Force before he joined politics. That is why, he later on adopted the term 'Pilot' as the last name. He resigned from the 'Squadron Leader' post for joining politics. He was heavily influenced by his friend Rajiv Gandhi, who became the Prime Minister of the country. Rajesh Pilot emerged as the chief Gujjar leader. He defeated former queen of Bharatpur in his first ever election as a candidate. But, later he lost the election for the seat of Congress president. Sitaram Kesri defeated him in this election. But, Rajesh Pilot always kept himself in the first line of leaders of the Indian National Congress. Rajesh Pilot stepped into Parliament in the year 1980 and he remained its member till the year 1999. From 1985 to 1989, he served as the minister of state for 'Surface Transport' in the Rajiv Gandhi government. In the P.V. Narasimha Rao government, he served as the Minister of State with independent charges of communications. Rajesh Pilot died in a car accident near Jaipur on 11th June, 2000. Rajesh pilot is remembered as a man of integrity and confidence. But however, very few knew him as a boy who, upon being singled out in the school assembly for wearing a torn uniform, had the strength to point that though old and torn, it was clean. This prompted the principal to enlist him in the NCC so he would get a free uniform. There were times when he sold newspapers at traffic lights. But through all this, he grew up believing that poverty was not a stigma. Rajesh pilot imbibed constantly from life and taught himself to be honest and courageous. He believed that no condition was permanent and one could rise out of poverty by hard work. It was his hard work and belief that saw him rise from a simply man to a highly popular leader of India. |