Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata became the first pilot of India leading to the beginning of aviation history in India which began on October 15, 1932.
History of First Indian Airlines & Flight: In today’s India, flights have become very common in almost every city of India. With its effectiveness and timeliness, the airlines and the flights have touched the lives of almost every Indian. However, do you know about the history of India’s first airlines & flight? The aviation history in India began on October 15, 1932, when Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata (J.R.D. Tata) flew an aircraft for the first time. The first flight of India flew from Karachi to Mumbai, with a refueling stop in Ahmedabad. Here are all the details you need to know about the history of first Indian Airlines & flight.
What’s the history behind first Indian airline?
When the historic plane landed at Mumbai’s Juhu Airport after a journey of approximately seven hours and 15 minutes, everyone present was filled with tears of joy, marking the beginning of a new era for Indian aviation.
This flight was launched under the name Tata Airlines, which initially served as an airmail service. J.R.D. Tata, himself a trained pilot, had a deep passion for air travel. Initially, the service was met with distrust, but Tata Airlines gradually expanded to connect several cities across the country, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Karachi, Bellary, and Madras. The routes of the airline were then later expanded to Thiruvananthapuram, Delhi, Colombo, and Lahore.
How Tata Airlines was renamed to Air India?
In a significant development, Tata Airlines was renamed Air India in 1946 and in the year 1948, it operated its first international flight from Mumbai to London.
After India became independent in the year 1947, the government of India acquired a 49% stake in the airline and nationalized it in 1953, leading to the creation of Indian Airlines for domestic flights and Air India International for the flights flying abroad. Thereafter, the two airlines merged and Air India returned to the Tata Group in 2022, completing Indian aviation’s historic 93-year journey.
