New Delhi: Hadapsar Gliding Centre (HGC) in Pune was established in 1950 as part of Jawaharlal Nehru’s vision to democratise aviation and give ordinary citizens a chance to experience the freedom of flight.
While the Hadapsar Gliding Centre (HGC) is India’s oldest surviving hub for non-powered flight – and gears up for its platinum jubilee celebrations on November 7, 2025; the fate of this symbol of India’s civil aviation heritage hangs in the balance as plans shape up to bring it under a public-private partnership (PPP) model, sparking fears that the very ideals on which it was founded – accessibility, affordability and public spirit – might be lost.
Once counted among 18 such centres across the country, Hadapsar now remains the sole surviving operational gliding centre under the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). In January 2025, Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol announced that the Airports Authority of India (AAI) will take over the HGC from the DGCA under a PPP model. The move is aimed at modernising operations but has triggered unease among instructors, trainees, and aviation enthusiasts who fear that the centre could be commercialised or even repurposed.
Without mincing words, veteran instructor Eric Menezes, who served HGC for 19 years, said, “This is not a business — it’s a passion. From humble beginnings, the centre flourished. Now, it’s on the verge of closure. We had 17 to 18 gliders once; now only two remain. A private takeover could make flying unaffordable and defeat the purpose of this place.”
Menezes, who has over 10,000 flights to his credit, said that dwindling public interest, rising maintenance costs, and limited institutional support have eroded HGC’s capabilities. “Gliding has always been capital-intensive. You don’t do it for profit — you do it to keep the skies open for everyone,” he said.
Inaugurated by the Indian Gliding Association under the civil aviation department on November 7, 1950, HGC was part of Nehru’s broader plan to bring aviation to the people. For decades, a flight at HGC remained astonishingly affordable — just ₹187 for a ten-minute ride —in keeping with Nehru’s vision of making flying accessible to all.
From modest beginnings, HGC went on to nurture generations of aviators. Among its early stars was Ruchira Gore, who became India’s youngest woman pilot at just 16. Others trained here went on to fly for the Indian Air Force (IAF), National Defence Academy (NDA), and commercial airlines around the world.
Over the decades, pilots from HGC set national records — distance flights from Pune to Hyderabad, Bidar, and Solapur exceeding 500 kilometres; and altitude records of over 20,000 feet. The HGC also trained countless officers from the College of Military Engineering (CME) and Naval Aviation, many of whom rose to become generals and vice-admirals. Furthermore, the HGC played a foundational role in India’s aviation ecosystem. It helped establish the gliding wing of the NDA, which later became part of the Air Force training team. It also inspired the National Cadet Corps (NCC) to introduce gliding and aeromodelling as part of its air wing training — an effort to nurture ‘air-mindedness’ among India’s youth.
The HGC’s contributions extend far beyond all this. During Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav in 2022, the centre hosted multi-disciplinary aero-sport demonstrations — including skydiving, paramotoring, and aeromodelling — and set eight national and Asian records. Among those who set records was Padma Shri Shital Mahajan, who performed a historic skydive in a traditional nine-yard saree; and a father-son duo, Amit and Ved Takte, who executed 3D and 4D aeromodelling in complete darkness.
Beneath these achievements however is a quiet anxiety. With just two gliders remaining and sporadic maintenance, operations are limited. The once-bustling airstrip now sees fewer flights, fewer students, and an uncertain future.
