Biju Patnaik was one of India's most daring aviators and a key supporter of Indonesia during the Indonesian National Revolution. In 1947, he undertook a risky flight mission to help Indonesian leaders maintain contact with the outside world when Dutch forces tried to isolate the independence movement. His courage and support for Indonesia strengthened diplomatic ties between the two countries. For this contribution, the Indonesian government honoured him with the prestigious Bintang Jasa Utama.
His wife, Gyan Patnaik, was also a pioneering aviator. She became one of the first Indian women to obtain 3,325 a pilot's licence from the Delhi Flying Club in 1936 and later became active in public life. She went on to serve as the Chief Minister of Odisha from 1995 to 1999