MYSURU, 28 MAY

Mysuru MP Yaduveer Wadiyar on Wednesday said that it was not Jawarharlal Nehru, but Mysuru Maharaja, Jayachamaraja Wadiyar, who had helped establish the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in City.

Wadiyar said that the Mysuru Maharaja had granted 700 acres of land near Domlur in City for HAL, investing Rs 25 lakh in shares in the project during the 1940s. 

State Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar had earlier claimed that India’s first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru gave HAL to Karnataka.

Shivakumar said that he would not allow shifting of HAL amid the State’s and Andhra Pradesh’s tug of war over it.

Wadiyar said the State has contributed immensely to strengthening the country’s defence sector through HAL.

It was during William D Pawley, president of Inter-Continent Corp and Walchand Hirachand’s meeting that idea of manufacturing an aircraft in India was floated.

After Walchand’s proposal to shareholders were rejected, he reached out to the Indian princely states. Maharaja of Mysore agreed to it.

“It is sad that HAL and the Karnataka government barely acknowledge the Maharaja’s contribution to its establishment. Its website features only Walchand’s photo,” Wadiyar said.

Meanwhile, State Minister MB Patil on Tuesday dismissed reports suggesting that HAL may relocate its production units for the light combat aircraft and advanced medium combat aircraft (AMCA) to Andhra Pradesh.

"As far as I learned, no CM can request HAL to be shifted somewhere," Patil told reporters.  Salar News with Agencies