SHOULD THE NAME(BRAND) "AIR INDIA" BE ALLOWED TO BE USED BY ITS NEW OWNER ( AFTER ITS SALE )?

SHOULD THE NAME(BRAND) "AIR INDIA" BE ALLOWED TO BE USED BY ITS NEW OWNER (AFTER ITS SALE)?

There is no doubt and no question that the Airline named or branded as "Air India" is no more owned by the Government of India after its sale by Government of India to the "Tata Group". It is a Privately Owned Airline like any other private airlines either in India or anywhere in the World.

"Air India" was the Name of the National Carrier of India (Owned by Indian Nation, the Government of India) for 69 years from 1953 (from the year of Nationalization from the Tatas ) to 2022 (to the year of its re-sale to the Tata Group). The whole world knew that, Air India meant, the National Carrier of India.

During the year 2022, last year, "Air India" was sold to the Tata Group of India and thus Air India right now is owned by a Tata Group Company and Air India is under the private ownership of the Tata Group.

When Air India was the National Carrier of India from 1953 to 2022, it had its share of reputation, fame and credibility as an airline owned by Indian Nation in its own way as Public Sector airline like any other airline whether in India or abroad did have their reputation, fame and credibility. Whatever reputation the Air India earned or lost, while it was the National Carrier of India for these 69years, it goes to the Nation of India.

Now, when the ownership has changed to the Tata Group, it is close to a year now from its sale by Government of India, the question comes, whether the Tata Group should be allowed to use the same name or brand of the airline as "Air India". Because, everyone around the Globe or Internationally would not know who is the present owner of Air India. From the style of its name and brand as "Air India", and for its historical existence as the National Carrier of India, no doubt and without dispute it will give the impression to anyone in the World who may not know the technical transfer of the ownership to the Tata Group, that it is the National Carrier of India, owned by the Nation of India. 

While the Air India is owned by the Tata Group now, all the reputation, fame and credibility whether positive or negative whatever, or say Intangible Assets and Liabilities it can earn from its service and operations as an airline globally, it is undisputable that it will be earned and it will go to the Tata Group, its new Owners and the Present Owners. 

I cite the example of a traveler, a man in a drunken state, recently urinated over a 70year old woman in a Business Class flight of Air India from New York in USA to Delhi in India. This issue has created a lot of hue and cry while in India, the news has spread also globally, as in the present days, by electronic media, the news spread in no  time around the globe. Nobody can also dispute or disagree that this has and will cause a reputational loss to "Air India" with the layman understanding that such happenings have happened in Air India and it is possible with it, no body can prevent such thought to prevail in the minds of the air passengers. This is a discredit or reputational loss to Air India now.

Then the question also comes, those people who world wide, do not know that the Air India is sold off by the Government of India, it is no more the National Carrier of India and those who go by the name or brand "Air India" to fully perceive from it, quite natural and normal also, that Air India is still the National Carrier of India will attach all the discredits of Air India now to the Nation of India. Therefore, while Air India is not owned by the Nation of India now, why should the discredits or dis-reputations earned by it now be allowed to go to the Nation of India through its name or brand "Air India" ?

I am not aware of the Sale Terms of Air India by the Government of India to the Tata Group, whatever it may be. Even if Government of India would have allowed for use of the name and brand "Air India" to the Tata Group after its sale, it should not be a correct term of sale, considering the National Reputation point of view that can originate and get by default assigned to the Nation of India from the present operations and service of Air India under its new Private Owners, the Tata Group. Even if the Government of India, under the sale terms would have allowed the Tata Group for use of the name and brand as "Air India" for the airline, its use should be withdrawn from the Tata Group and it should be made forbidden for use of the Tata Group further.

Previous to the Nationalization of Air India from the Tatas in 1953, the same airline (Air India) was named as "Tata Airline". After its Nationalization in 1953 it was renamed and rebranded as "Air India" to signify that it was the National Carrier of India.

Under these facts and circumstances, in my considered opinion, the Tata Group should not be allowed and should be stopped from using the name and brand of "Air India" for the same airline now under their ownership. This step should be taken with the prime and supreme consideration of National Interest and National Reputation of India that can be assigned through the said airline sold off by the Government of India to the Tata Group.


About the Author : Dr. Nimain Charan Biswal is a B.Sc.(Agri. Science and Technology), M.B.A. and Ph.D.(Management Area ) by qualifications; and he has 36+ years of work experience in both industrial and development sectors in diversified fields of social importance. He has been educated at Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT)-Bhubaneswar, Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA) and Gujarat University (with Resource Support of IIM-Ahmedabad). He is further educated at IIM-Calcutta, XLRI-Jamshedpur, Apple Computer Industries and Spar Inc., USA. He has worked for reputed National and International Organizations in Senior/Top Management Capacities at Board level as well as Managing Director and CEO. He is a management expert covering extensive areas from management in industrial sectors, management in agriculture and dairy, development management to management of public systems. He is a prominent professional of India and known Internationally as well. He lives at Mumbai in India.

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