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The story of Air India is one of ambition, willpower, and hard work and it began years before India gained its independence. Post-Independence this airline almost become something of a national icon.
Happened on 15th October 1932
The year was 1932 when a man called Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata or better known as JRD Tata found the Tata Air Services which would later be known as Air India. This airline would later be the national air carrier which would operate in over 60 international destinations on various continents over the world. It was JRD Tata that gave India its first national airline.
Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata actually was a French citizen as he was born there and his mother was French. After studying in Japan, French and England he served the French army for a year before joining his uncle’sTata group. The Tata group under Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata was India’s largest privately owned steelmaker. After joining the Tata group, JRD Tata renounced his French citizenship in 1929.
He was an aviation pioneer. This was the man who flew above the clouds as the nation’s first commercial pilot after securing his commercial license in 1929. After becoming the chairman of the Tata JRD soon put his passions into action constituting an aviation department.
Soon after this, he secured two de Havilland Puss Moths which were the most popular airplane model in those days. On October 15 1932, India would witness one of these Puss Moths delivering an air shipment from Karachi to Bombay, later going into Chennai under the able hands of Nevill Vintcent. Nevil Vintcent was a pilot of the Royal Airforce and a very good friend of JRD Tata.
“On an exciting October dawn in 1932, a Puss Moth and I soared joyfully from Karachi with our precious load of mail, on an inaugural flight to Bombay” this is how Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata remembers this momentous day in his life.
Before it could launch its commercial first flight from Bombay to Trivandrum, the name of this airline had changed from Tata Air Services to Tata Airlines. Under her cap was more than 1,60,000 miles of air travel and a profit of 870 dollars.
It was long after this that the world was plagued with its most destructive war in 1939. During this time Tata Airlines helped out the British airforce with the movement of its troops and supplies. Thus, our national airline carrier had also interestingly helped out our oppressors.
It was on July 29, 1946, that Tata Airlines was publicly listed under the name of Air India. Following this, the government acquired a major stake in this ever-successful airline. However, Air India fully came under government control in 1953 after the passing of the Air Corporations Act.
Thus, even though the future of Air India might seem bleak now owing to the pandemic situation one must not forget the unforgettable journey and legacy from Tata Air Services to Tata Airlines and finally to Air India.
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