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Bakhsish ‘Bob’ Khalsa – Air Force Veteran, India – Santa Clarita Resident

Word of Mouth
A local veteran recently contacted me and said, “Hey Bill, you really should interview Bob Khalsa because he has one of the most unique stories you will ever hear.”  So naturally, I reached out, and in short order, Bob and I met in Valencia and, man oh man, was that veteran correct! I have to confess that I receive so many veteran tips that I completely forgot who recommended Bob to me, but I’m pleased that I received Bob’s contact info.

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Vietnam Veteran Bill Reynolds is our KHTS Director of Veteran’s Affairs. If you know a local veteran, please email us at Hometownheroes@hometownstation.com.

Air Force Genes
Bakhish “Bob” Khalsa was born April 18, 1953 in Pune`, India and due to his father’s Air Force service,

Kakhish Bob Khalsa Air Force, India

Bakhsish Bob Khalsa Air Force, India

Bob’s family was on the move every two years or so.  The day Bob was born, his dad was serving in Vietnam assigned to monitor the cease fire between the North Vietnamese and French, which obviously fell apart with the devastating defeat of the French at Dien Bien Phu in May 1954.  Bob said, “My father piloted B-24’s and Spitfire Fighter Planes for the British Empire during World War II and he inspired me to become an Air Force pilot.”  After graduating from St. Peters College, a missionary convent, receiving his certificate from Britain’s Cambridge University, Bob joined the National Defense Academy for the next three years.  Bob’s St. Peter’s education was equivalent to an American high school. However, furthering his military education hinged on his selection out of 180,000 applications, in which only 250 students would be chosen.  Bob was one of the 250 students. In December 1971, Bob received his Bachelor’s degree, but he was far from finishing his education as he was next assigned to the Air Force Academy at Hyderabad, India where he took Basic and Intermediate Training.

Advanced Air Force Training

Kakhish Bob Khalsa at Work

Bakhsish Bob Khalsa at Work

During Advanced Training, Bob learned to fly a British Vampire Jet Fighter, a post World War II product of Britain’s de Havilland Corporation.  Upon completion of Advanced Training on February 9, 1974, Bob was recognized as the top trainee of his 60-member class, receiving the prestigious award, President of India Plaque.  While his father proudly witnessed his graduation ceremony, Bob was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant.  Next, he was assigned for one year to Western India to learn flying another British Jet Fighter produced by Hawker Aircraft Company, their single seat Hunter fighter-bomber jet.  There, Bob was assigned to a squadron of Hunter Jets until he began flying a Soviet Union supersonic Mig-21 from 1975 to 1980. As Bob continued enhancing his flying skills, he was promoted to captain in 1977.  While serving as flight commander at Chandigarh, India’s Air Base, Bob thought it prudent and humorous directing several simulated air strikes over a local girl’s school. The low flying fighter jets were seriously noisy, prompting Bob’s senior commander to issue an immediate cease and desist order.

Gurdwara Temple Marriage
Attending that school was a lovely female student named Gurdev Brar, whose father was a fellow Air

Kakhish Bob Khalsa & Family

Bakhsish Bob Khalsa & Family

Force officer of Bob’s.  In 1979, while dining at the base mess hall, Bob noticed Gurdev’s beauty, which motivated him to promptly introduce himself to her, whereupon he discovered her terrific personality.  Following his natural male impulses, he asked her for a date, which began a year-long courtship until the spring of 1980 when Bob blurted, “Ya want to get married?” On July 27, 1980, they were married in a traditional Sikh marriage ceremony in a Gurdwara Temple.  Today, Bob and Gurdev have two handsome sons, Raj and Kunwar, who became doctors along with their lovely wives. Bob and Gurdev have one grandchild with one on the way.

Classified Surveillance
In 1981, Bob trained for six months in the Soviet Union flying Mig-25’s, the equivalent to Lockheed Skunkworks high altitude, 3+ mach strategic reconnaissance SR-71 Blackbird.  The Mig-25 was designed to fly “edge of space” surveillance missions, which Bob found extremely exhilarating; ,however the downside to Bob’s assignment was his exposure to USSR’s communist ideology, which he found thoroughly unsatisfactory.  Due to radiation hazards and the effects of high altitude missions, Mig-25 pilots were limited to two years, which led Bob to attending “upgrade courses” for command and senior staff positions. While serving with India’s Air Force, Bob earned his Master’s degree in science and business administration, and when he received his Honorable Discharge on August 31, 1996, he had been promoted to colonel.

Commercial Airline Pilot
In February 1998, Bob and Gurdev immigrated to the United States, settling in Santa Clarita while she landed a teaching position at Monroe High School.  Following Bob’s discharge, he became a commercial pilot for government-owned Air India for two years and then he flew Boeing’s 747’s for Atlas Airlines, which was based in Golden, Colorado.  Bob next joined United Airlines until they filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy on December 9, 2002, which led Bob to teaching mathematics and science at Monroe High School. Meanwhile, Bob earned his credentials in physics, and as a side occupation, he obtained his realtor license and began honing his new craft with Century 21.  In 2007, Bob opened his own independent brokerage on Lyons Avenue, United American Realty, which he owns and operates to this day.

Community Service
According to United America Realty’s web site: Bob served as president of Santa Clarita Division of Southland Regional Association of Realtors in 2013 and 2015; Council member of The SCV Division since 2009; Board member of Southland Regional Association of Realtors since 2013; current Board member of California Association of Realtors (CAR) and is presently the commercial issues chair for 2019;  he has been at CAR the commercial issues chair in 2016, vice chair of commercial forum in 2017 and chair of commercial forum in 2018; Bob has also served on their Taxation & Government Finance, Investment Housing, Professional Standards, Legislative and Investment Advisory Committees. Bob, since your arrival in America, and in particular, our city of Santa Clarita, you have achieved the American dream and have proven yourself a solid asset to our community.  Thank you for your service.

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Bakhsish ‘Bob’ Khalsa – Air Force Veteran, India – Santa Clarita Resident

2 comments

  1. Nice story. A lot of accomplishments. Just curious though, when they say he “trained for six months in the Soviet Union flying Mig-25’s, the equivalent to Lockheed Skunkworks high altitude, 3+ mach strategic reconnaissance SR-71 Blackbird. The Mig-25 was designed to fly ‘edge of space’ surveillance missions”, does that mean he spied on America in the 1980’s?

  2. I suspect he flew missions over Pakistan. India did not fly Mig 25 over the USA..

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About Bill Reynolds - KHTS Director of Veteran Affairs

I’ve lived in Santa Clarita since 1980 with my wife, with whom I have two wonderful children and five beautiful grandchildren.I’m the first son of a World War II veteran and an Australian WWII War Bride. Instead of being born in one of the world’s most beautiful cities, Sydney, Australia, I was born in Mineral Wells, Texas. After moving around various small west Texas towns and having lived near Sydney, Australia, my family finally settled in the San Fernando Valley in 1955. I graduated from Cleveland High School, attended Pierce College and worked at General Motors in Van Nuys. In the spring of 1966, I was drafted into the U.S. Army and sent to Vietnam. I recently starred in National Geographic’s Emmy nominated documentary, “Brothers in War” now seen on Netflix. Read about "Hometown Heroes - Our Veterans" series, click here...