Kalinga Airlines

It was founded in 1947 by aviator and politician Biju Patnaik, who was also the airline's chief pilot.

In 1947, Biju Patnaik, who used to be a Royal Indian Air Force World War II Spitfire and DC-3 pilot, carried soldiers into Kashmir, landing the first platoon of troops in Srinagar.

Kalinga Airlines' DC-3s were also used to drop supplies in Northeast India.

[2] In 1953, the airline, along with other seven independent domestic airlines including Deccan Airways, Airways India, Bharat Airways, Himalayan Aviation, Indian National Airways, Air India and Air Services of India were nationalised and merged into the Indian Airlines Corporation.

[4] The air-drop operations were taken over by the Indian Air Force in June 1967[5] and the airline reverted to passenger and cargo charters until February 1972.