Ratan Tata posted an emotional note on Friday after Tata Sons was announced as the new owner of Air India.
“The Tata Group winning the bid for Air India is great news,” while admitting that it will take considerable effort to rebuild Air India, Tata said “it will hopefully provide a very strong market opportunity to the Tata group's presence in the aviation industry,”
The airline was founded in 1932 by Ratan Tata’s J.R.D Tata, also known as the pioneer of the Indian aviation industry. Back then, it was known as Tata Airlines. Post world war II, the airline was taken over by the government of India, and named ‘Air India’.
Reminiscing about those memories, Ratan Tata said: “On an emotional note, Air India, under the leadership of J. R. D. Tata had, at one time, gained the reputation of being one of the most prestigious airlines in the world. Tatas will have the opportunity of regaining the image and reputation it enjoyed in earlier years, J. R.D. Tata would have been overjoyed if he was in our midst today,” Tata said
He further recognized and thanked the government for its recent policy of opening select industries to the private sector. “Welcome back, Air India!” it added.
The statement, signed under his name, including a photograph of J.R.D Tata deboarding the Air India flight with the air hostesses in the background.