Pilot Baba | |
|---|---|
| Born | Kapil Adwait Singh 15 July 1938 (1938-07-15) |
| Died | 20 August 2024(2024-08-20) (aged 86) Mumbai, Maharashtra, India |
| Occupation | |
| Website | |
| pilotbaba.org | |
Wing Commander Kapil Singh (15 July 1938 – 20 August 2024), known as Pilot Baba, was an Indian spiritual guru and former wing commander in the Indian Air Force.[1][2][3]
He served as a fighter pilot in the 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pakistani wars before retiring and taking up a public spiritual life. He later became known for demonstrations of prolonged samadhi and for claims of mystical experiences, including encounters with mythological figures. Pilot Baba died in 2024 at the age of 86.[3]
Early life and education
Pilot Baba was born in Sasaram in the present-day Rohtas district of Bihar. He completed his M.Sc. from Banaras Hindu University before joining the Indian Air Force as a pilot. Kapil Singh, as he was then known, was commissioned as a fighter pilot in 1957 and was classified as a Green Pilot during his early service.[2]
Spiritual journey
During the Sino-Indian War in 1962, Singh reported an apparition of [HARIBABA] that guided his plane to a safe landing after he lost all contact with his base. Ten years later, he become a guru under the moniker "Pilot Baba" following his retirement from the IAF.[4] Pilot Baba was known for his claim to enter lengthy samadhi, or death-like bodily states, often under the ground.[5][6][7] He also claimed that he could control and manipulate the elements. His samadhi demonstrations, including supposedly being buried underground or kept under water for long periods, led to fame and donations. In 1980, he reportedly attempted a similar stunt with one of his devotees, collecting hundred of thousands of rupees from devotees to sponsor him. However, after being buried ten days underground, the devotee was unearthed and found to be dead, and Pilot Baba disappeared with the donations. After his return, Pilot Baba was found to have faked some of his escapades: in both a 1992 demonstration where he stayed underwater for five days and a 1996 burial for the same amount of time, it was reported that he actually employed secret compartments that allowed him to avoid danger.[7] He was also exposed for money laundering on a TV program, offering a sting investigation a 30% commission to route the equivalent of 1.2 million pounds of black money through the ashrams accounts.[4]
Ashrams
Pilot Baba set up ashrams in India, Nepal and Japan.[4]
Ashrams in India:[citation needed]
Ashrams in Nepal is located at:
- Bhaktapur, Ghyampe Danda
Death
Pilot Baba died in Mumbai, Maharashtra on 20 August 2024, at the age of 86.[8]
Publications
This article needs additional citations for verification. (June 2025) |
Books written by Pilot Baba include:[citation needed]
- 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)
Military decorations
Pilot Baba received Indian military honours during his service in the Indian Air Force that include the Shaurya Chakra, Vir Chakra, and the Vishisht Seva Medal.[9]
References
- ^ Geeta Pandey (18 January 2007). "The ex-pilot reborn as a guru". BBC News, Allahabad. Archived from the original on 5 October 2018. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
- ^ a b "IAF Wing Commander To Spiritual Guru, How Kapil Singh Became Pilot Baba". News18. 26 August 2023. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
- ^ a b "'Pilot Baba' passes away at 86: A spiritual leader and former IAF pilot who met 'Ashwatthama'". The Times of India. 21 August 2024. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
- ^ a b c Shearer, Alistair (15 February 2020). The Story of Yoga: From Ancient India to the Modern West. Oxford University Press. pp. 222–223. ISBN 978-1-78738-372-2.
- Shearer, Alistair (10 February 2020). "Fakirs and fakers: How Ashutosh Maharaj and Pilot Baba featured in fraudulent 'yogic' feats". Scroll.in. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
- ^ Amitava Sanyal; "Pilot Baba on his mastery of death Archived 30 April 2018 at the Wayback Machine", Hindustan Times, 14 January 2007 (retrieved 29 April 2018)
- ^ Kunal Verma; "Pilot Baba: From air force wing commander to sanyas Archived 30 April 2018 at the Wayback Machine", India Today, 15 February 1984. (retrieved 29 April 2018)
- ^ a b "Going Underground with Pilot Baba". Archived from the original on 3 May 2018. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
- ^ Singh, Namita (20 August 2024). "Uttarakhand: Spiritual guru 'Pilot Baba' who played key role in wars against Pakistan, passes away". News9live. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
- ^ "In Pics: Pilot Baba, Wing Commander Who Met Ashwatthama, Took Samadhi 110 Times; All About Him". Zee News. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
External links
- Official website Archived 30 April 2018 at the Wayback Machine
