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From JRD Tata to Ratan Tata: Air India's flight comes full circle | PICS

They say better late than never. For the Tatas, the original owners of Air India, bringing back the airline to its fold is worth the wait even if the attempt to privatise the bleeding national carrier by successive governments has taken over two decades. While many airlines have come and gone from the Indian skies since the time when the first move was made to privatise Air India to date, the salt-to-software conglomerate has never let the love affair with aviation, more so with Air India that its former Chairman Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata (JRD) had, to go off the radar. Considering the respect for legacy that the group has, it is therefore not a surprise that the Tatas shelled out so much (Rs 18,000 crore) to take back Air India. This is a group that didn't mind investing Rs 2 lakh back then in 1932 to start Tata Aviation Service, the precursor of Tata Airlines and Air India.

India TV News Desk Edited by: India TV News Desk [ Updated: October 08, 2021 16:50 IST ]
  • From the first airmail service flight from Karachi to Bombay in October 1932 with JRD steering a Puss Moth aircraft to wresting control of Air India 89 years later, the conglomerate has had a roller coaster ride in the Indian civil aviation history.
    Image Source : india tv
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    From the first airmail service flight from Karachi to Bombay in October 1932 with JRD steering a Puss Moth aircraft to wresting control of Air India 89 years later, the conglomerate has had a roller coaster ride in the Indian civil aviation history.

  • Air-India International became one of the best airlines in the world with staff, maintenance and services provided by Tatas' domestic airline Air India.
Contrary to the time taken to privatise the current Air India, it is said that JRD was surprised when the group's proposal made in October 1947 to float Air-India International with the government holding 49 per cent, Tatas 25 per cent and the rest by public was accepted
    Image Source : india tv
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    Air-India International became one of the best airlines in the world with staff, maintenance and services provided by Tatas' domestic airline Air India.

    Contrary to the time taken to privatise the current Air India, it is said that JRD was surprised when the group's proposal made in October 1947 to float Air-India International with the government holding 49 per cent, Tatas 25 per cent and the rest by public was accepted "within weeks", at a time when it took at least two years "not to make a decision".

  • In 1953 when the then government of Jawaharlal Nehru nationalised Air India, JRD fought vehemently against it. There was very little the group could do when the government decided to nationalise 11 airlines, all of which except Air India were making heavy losses and merge them into a single state corporation.
    Image Source : india tv
    3/5

    In 1953 when the then government of Jawaharlal Nehru nationalised Air India, JRD fought vehemently against it. There was very little the group could do when the government decided to nationalise 11 airlines, all of which except Air India were making heavy losses and merge them into a single state corporation.

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  • After the nationalisation of Air India, the group's link with civil aviation was through JRD who served as the state carrier's Chairman for 25 years. Yet, the group kept the fire of re-entering the aviation sector burning. In the 90s, when India's civil aviation sector was opened up to private players, the group's attempt to float a domestic airline in partnership with Singapore Airlines ended in disappointment with the government rejecting the proposal.
    Image Source : india tv
    4/5

    After the nationalisation of Air India, the group's link with civil aviation was through JRD who served as the state carrier's Chairman for 25 years. Yet, the group kept the fire of re-entering the aviation sector burning. In the 90s, when India's civil aviation sector was opened up to private players, the group's attempt to float a domestic airline in partnership with Singapore Airlines ended in disappointment with the government rejecting the proposal.

  • In 1994, the Tata group under Ratan Tata's stewardship, had set up a joint venture with Singapore Airlines to start a domestic airline in India but it didn't take off as the then regulations did not permit foreign carriers to hold stake in domestic airlines.
    Image Source : india tv
    5/5

    In 1994, the Tata group under Ratan Tata's stewardship, had set up a joint venture with Singapore Airlines to start a domestic airline in India but it didn't take off as the then regulations did not permit foreign carriers to hold stake in domestic airlines.

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