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By:

Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 3:26:24 pm

AI’s Maharaja smiles joyfully

All 30 grounded aircrafts now fly Mumbai : Air India’s Maharaja is all pleased as punch at 80. After years of huge costs and efforts, the last of the grounded 30 aircraft – inherited by the Tata Group during the privatization in Jan. 2022 – is now resurrected fully and took to the skies gracefully on Monday.   The aircraft is the gleaming VT-ALL, a Boeing 777-300ER, that was gathering grime since February 2020, and becomes the final among the two-and-half dozen aircraft that have been revved...

AI’s Maharaja smiles joyfully

All 30 grounded aircrafts now fly Mumbai : Air India’s Maharaja is all pleased as punch at 80. After years of huge costs and efforts, the last of the grounded 30 aircraft – inherited by the Tata Group during the privatization in Jan. 2022 – is now resurrected fully and took to the skies gracefully on Monday.   The aircraft is the gleaming VT-ALL, a Boeing 777-300ER, that was gathering grime since February 2020, and becomes the final among the two-and-half dozen aircraft that have been revved up and revived in the past few years, AI official sources said.   It marked a symbolic milestone for Air India itself - founded in 1932 by the legendary Bharat Ratna J. R. R. Tata - which once ruled the roost and was India’s pride in the global skies.   Once renowned for its royal service with the iconic Maharaja welcoming fliers on board, in 1953 it was taken over by the government of India. After years of piling losses, ageing aircraft, decline in operations and standards – almost like a Maharaja turning a pauper - it returned to the Tata Group four years ago.   This time it was not just the aircraft, the brand and the deflated Maharaja coming into the large-hearted Tata Group stables, but a formidable challenge to ensure that the airline could regain its old glory and glitter. Of the total around 190 aircraft in its fleet were 30 – or 15 pc – that had been grounded and neglected for years.   At that time, the late Ratan N. Tata had directed that all these valuable aircraft must be revived as far as possible and join the fleet. Accordingly, the VT-ALL, languishing at Nagpur for nearly five years, was ‘hospitalized’ at the Air India Engineering Service Ltd., its MRO facility in May 2025.   New Avatar Then started a thorough, painstaking nose-to-tail restoration of an unprecedented scale, in which over 3000 critical components were replaced, over 4,000 maintenance tasks executed, besides key structural upgrades like the longeron modification, engines, auxiliary power units, avionics, hydraulics, landing gears and almost every vital system was rebuilt or replaced.   After the repairs, the old aircraft was reborn, under the gaze of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation and technical assistance from Boeing, and the new ‘avatar’ jetliner emerged with the highest global safety standards.   The aircraft cleared all the rigorous checks, a successful test flight, earned the mandatory Airworthiness Review Certificate and then made its maiden commercial flight from Monday, March 16 – after a wait of six years.   Sturdy Fliers Created in 1946 to become an instant global icon, the Air India’s mascot Maharaja now sports a youthful and chic look, a welcome with folded hands, closed eyes, featuring a bejewelled turban, stylish jootis, and a textured kurta in Air India’s new colours. He is prominently visible at various touch-points in a flyer’s journey, such as First Class, exclusive lounges, and luxury products.   Today, he commands a mix fleet of around 190 narrow and wide-body Airbus and Boeing aircraft like : A319, A320, A320neo, A321, A321neo, A350-900 and B787-8, B787-9, B7770200LR, B-777-300ER. With the merger of Vistara and agreements signed for 10 A350 and 90 A320 aircraft, the Maharaja’s fleet is slated to soar to some 570 in the near future.

All Is Well: A Journey Through Faith, Nature, Survival

Between the beauty of the Himalayas and the terror of a landslide, we learnt that faith, courage, and providence walked with us when nature tested our limits.

In the previous article, I shared how our journey began at Govindghat, with a scenic trek leading us to Ghangaria, the base camp for the Valley of Flowers and Hemkund Sahib. That beautiful walk set the stage for the unforgettable experiences that lay ahead.


Here, we continue the trek as I take you back to some of the thrilling moments we experienced in 1998.


During the trek, our guide shared a warning that stayed with me. He said that some flowers in the Valley of Flowers, such as the Himalayan blue poppy, are poisonous and so toxic that even their fragrance can be hazardous. We were strictly told to return before sunset. Although I didn’t fully grasp the seriousness of the situation then, I followed every instruction, staying close to my parents.


As we walked, I was overwhelmed by the view. Wildflowers in every imaginable colour spread across the valley, carpeting the land in vibrant hues. It was the first time I had seen such abundance and beauty. In that moment, I felt the greatest artist is God, as if divine hands had painted the earth into a living masterpiece.

Our group moved steadily forward and soon reached Hemkund Sahib Gurudwara, located at approximately 15,200 feet, the world’s highest-altitude Gurudwara. I was awestruck. With no visible road or clear way to transport materials, its serene presence beside a lake that freezes in winter felt nothing short of miraculous.


Inside, the Gurudwara served langar to all visitors without distinction. We were given hot tea in large glasses, and as I warmed my hands, I took in the breathtaking surroundings. The silence, the mountains, and the sacred space merged into a moment of deep realisation.


That was when I truly understood a great truth of life: being close to nature brings unmatched peace, humility, and fulfilment. The journey didn’t just cross mountains and valleys; it quietly reshaped my inner world.


Many times during the trek, I felt like giving up and returning to the base camp. My body was exhausted, and my mind wavered. But I learnt an important lesson: a steady, moderate pace makes even the toughest journey manageable. My parents gently reminded me not to hurry, and I walked beside them. Those slow, encouraging moments remain among my most precious memories with them.


We were meant to be on this journey for nearly twelve days, and until then, everything had gone smoothly—until we were pressed to leave Malpa Village.


As we passed through this village, we faced a life-threatening incident. Malpa, a small village in Uttarakhand’s Pithoragarh district, in the Kali Valley of the Kumaon Himalayas, is a known stop on the Kailash Mansarovar route. It later became infamous for the devastating landslide of August 18, 1998. Little did we know that our own experience there would shake us to the core.


The massive landslide struck as we were passing through a narrow mountain stretch. It was terrifying. About 24 of us were inside the bus when a huge rock suddenly rolled down and crashed onto it. For a moment, we truly believed the bus would be pushed into the valley below.


By God’s grace, it didn’t happen. Our driver showed remarkable presence of mind and skill, calmly accelerating the bus toward the safest stretch of road. In the chaos, my father and one of our group members, Anil Kaka, stepped out despite the danger to assess the road and guide the driver. Watching my father face such risk was one of the most frightening moments of my life.


Thankfully, their courage and clarity helped us move forward. The bus reached a safer stretch, and they climbed back inside. When we saw the damage—a massive dent on the roof where the rock had struck—it was a chilling reminder of how close we had come to disaster.


We didn’t stop and drove straight to Badrinath, shaken but safe. The next day, we heard the devastating news that Malpa village, which we had just crossed, was completely destroyed by the landslide. Many lives were lost, including the renowned Odissi dancer Protima Bedi and members of her group.


This news was really very heartbreaking for us. Also, at the same time, we were not able to contact our family because there was no phone connection. So we were really stressed…


That time we leaned forward, Lord Shiva in this beautiful temple, and were hoping to get things normal.


In the next article, we will continue this life-threatening real experience. So, stay tuned.

 

(The writer is a tourism professional and runs a company, Global Voyages. She could be contacted at goglobalvoyages@gmail.com. Views personal.)

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