Srinagar: As the national carrier Air India was formally taken over by its founders, the Tata Group from the Government of India last Thursday, travel trade industry veterans in Kashmir are not just nostalgic about the association of the airline with the Valley but joyous that the airline has “gone into the right hands”.
Several persons with whom spoke went down the memory lane and recollected the presence of the then Indian Airlines (now Air India) in Kashmir and shared anecdotes of their travel on this airline, fondly known by its mascot Maharaja.
Khursheed Ahmad, who has been associated with the aviation sector since 1992, recollects his memories of then Indian Airlines and later Air India, saying he has heard many stories from his elders about the time when Air India was operating under the aegis of legendary business tycoon JRD Tata.
“Right since childhood we have been hearing how Indian Airlines was run by JRD Tata and the way this airline laid the foundation of the aviation sector in India ” says Ahmad.
He says the journey of the national carrier, from being a part of the JRD Tata’s company several decades back to then being nationalised, was an interesting corporate story and exemplifies the ups and down a company may witness over several decades of its existence.
