Pilot Baba | |
|---|---|
| Born | Kapil Singh 15 July 1938 (age 88) Sasaram, Bihar, India |
| Occupation | Spiritual guru, writer, former fighter pilot |
| Website | |
| pilotbaba | |
Pilot Baba is a controversial Indian spiritual guru who claims to have previously been Wing Commander Kapil Singh, a fighter pilot with the Indian Air Force.[1][citation needed] Pilot Baba has established a number of Ashrams and spiritual centers in India and abroad.
Early life and career
Kapil Singh claims to have been commissioned in the Indian Air Force as a fighter pilot in 1957. He also claims to have participated in the Sino-Indian War of 1962, the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 and the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 wars, rising to the rank of Wing Commander.[citation needed]
Leaving the IAF and transformation
During the Sino-Indian War of 1962 Kapil Singh was flying a MiG aircraft in the North-East of India also known as NEFA when his aircraft lost control. Radio contact with his base was also broken and he was believed lost.[citation needed]
According to Pilot Baba, Kapil's spiritual guru, Hari Baba, appeared in his cockpit and guided him to land his fighter aircraft safely.
This event became a turning point in young Kapil's life and ten years later, at the age of 33, he retired from the Air Force to pursue his spiritual life.[citation needed]
Controversial spiritual career
Pilot Baba is known for his claim to enter lengthy samadhi, or death-like bodily states, often under the ground.[2][3] He is also accused of using trickery to deceive people into believing that he can survive days without oxygen underground or underwater or in a sealed container. In one instance, he made another guru named Khareshwari Baba stand underground for 10 days, resulting in the latter's death while collecting a lot of money from the spectacle.[4]
Ashrams
Pilot Baba and his followers have set up ashrams (spiritual retreats or meditation centres) in both India and other countries.
Ashrams in India include:[5]
Ashrams in other countries include:
Publications
Books written by Pilot Baba include:[7]
- Kailash Mansarovar
- Pearls of Wisdom
- Discover Secrets of The Himalaya
- Antaryatra' The Inner Journey (2 volumes)
- Pilgrimage from You to Yourself
- Himalayan kah raha hai (2 volumes)
References
- ↑ Geeta Pandey (18 January 2007). "The ex-pilot reborn as a guru". BBC News, Allahabad. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
- ↑ Amitava Sanyal; "Pilot Baba on his mastery of death", Hindustan Times, 14 January 2007 (retrieved 29 April 2018)
- ↑ Kunal Verma; "Pilot Baba: From air force wing commander to sanyas", India Today, 15 February 1984. (retrieved 29 April 2018)
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Going Underground with Pilot Baba
- ↑ Pilot Baba's Ashram, pilotbaba.org
- ↑ "Amazon.com: Mahayogi Pilot Baba: Books, Biography, Blog, Audiobooks, Kindle". www.amazon.com. Retrieved 29 April 2018.