It was an age when myths were created. When Air India's first intercontinental flight took off on 8^th June 1948, it was like a modern-day cloud messenger. It flew from Bombay (present-day Mumbai) to London, with halts in Cairo and Geneva. This landmark event was marked by a 'first flight' Indian Stamp created by the Philatelic Bureau. It signalled to the rest of the world that the Indian aviation industry had arrived. 

The Maharaja- A beacon of sophistication and warmth

In a brilliant stroke of invention, it had an ebullient mascot-The Air India Maharaja! Conceived by a team led by the unflappable "Call me Bobby" SK Kooka, the Maharaja was a man for all seasons. He soon caught the eyes and won the heart of millions, in India and abroad, as a portly figure bending forwards to receive each guest with elaborate courtesy. He wears a red and-gold turban no matter what the circumstance, stands with eyes half closed in humility, a smile hidden under the famous moustache topped by a bulbous nose. In some of the ads he is portrayed in imitation of a miniature style painting sitting on a raised dais, holding the centre stage with the tagline: "There's an Air about India". 

Namaste from Air India’s cabin crew

From the beginning, there was excitement about the ladies who would be flying on Air India's magic carpet. Kooka, a close companion of Bharat Ratna JRD Tata, was in charge of selecting the air hostesses. At first, the air hostesses followed the unwritten international code. They exuded qualities of superior nurses and secretaries more Miss Moneypenny than maharani. The training was rigorous- first a spell in a flight simulator. Followed by an in-house period of intense grooming, comportment, lessons on etiquette, food, especially wines and cheeses, and on how to handle guests' needs. It was a crash course resembling a Swiss-style finishing school. Initially they dressed in dark blue jackets and skirts with a pale blue blouse and a jauntily-angled cap. 

It was only in the 1960s that they started wearing the beautiful silk sarees with long-sleeved blouses, hair upswept into neatly-coiled buns or beehives, and lacquered make-up. Each hostess carried a distinctive rectangular black and white checked vanity case containing their make-up and was expected to exit from the flight as perfectly groomed as when they had boarded the plane. In what became the First Class or the Maharaja's Lounge, the style evolved into fabulous traditional Rajasthani costumes with silver jewellery that were believed to have weighed up to 25kgs. Around this time, an ad featuring a young model, now a famous actor Zeenat Aman, promised, "Long after you leave India, India will still be with you." 

Air India soared not just in the clouds, but in capturing a golden era when India's destiny as a country was just beginning to slowly find itself - it gave it wings. Long may the new Air India soar, fulfilling the dreams of a rising nation.

Contributed by Geeta Doctor