At 16, Jalandhar-origin Japgobind Singh is solo pilot in Canada

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Jalandhar, August 23

Japgobind Singh, whose family hails from Jalandhar, has been making waves in Canada as he has got the solo pilot’s licence just at the age of 16.

Hailing from Buttaran village near Bhogpur here, he has created a history abroad as in Canada, no one can even get a driving license at this age. The report has brought excitement across the entire Punjabi diaspora there.

Japgobind Singh reportedly started his pilot training in British Columbia and after training in Alberta and Ontario, his final training was completed in Quebec.

His father Gurlal Singh is the former general secretary of the Punjabi Press Club of BC and is now a resident of Ottawa. He had moved to Canada about 20 years ago. Gurlal’s younger brother Hardial Singh Buttar is a farm activist here.

Japgobind’s paternal aunt Charanjit Kaur Buttar said that Japgobind had been an all-rounder since childhood. “He has been doing good in academics and competing in science and mathematics competitions. He did his graduation from St. Michael’s High School. He also had an offer of scholarship in Aero Space Engineering by the University of Ottawa.”

She said, “Japgobind’s mother Rajinder Kaur ensured that her son remained attached with Punjabi culture and Sikh traditions. So, he learnt gatka, kirtan and tabla. Besides, he was in the school soccer team.” But now with his new achievement, the teenager has made everyone in Canada and back home proud of him.