The Maharaja returns to the Tatas

On January 27, Air India returned to the Tatas. It was the first major privatisation of the Narendra Modi Government. As the euphoria settles, the hard work now begins to integrate brands and create a global airline

72 hours after the Tatas formally took over Air India a new social media campaign 'Wings of Change' hit the internet. It was a mix of the old and the new– the nostalgic sepia-toned Air India that Bobby Kooka had modelled in the 1960s and the sprightly future that awaits them: “We heard what you’ve been saying, and look forward to giving you what you’ve asked for. Today, we’re making a commitment to our future. We have been the wings of a nation. Now, we will also be the wings for its future.”

There is an euphoria no doubt, both within the House of Tatas at having regained the Maharaja and the larger world outside that the airline that JRD(Jeh) Tata built will be restored to the grace, charm and professionalism of that era. The public at large believes that the Tatas will indeed bring back some of the lost glory. And for the Tatas, it is at the heart of their acquisition- to revive and restore the Maharaja to one that Jeh so lovingly crafted.