But as years roll by, the story of the Maharaja — Air India’s iconic mascot, begins to shift. Once a symbol of luxury, sophistication, and India’s global ambition, it slowly morphs into a symbol of bureaucracy, inefficiency, and stifled innovation. With no competition to challenge it, service standards erode, finances bleed, and what was once a beacon of pride struggles to stay airborne. The very airline that had been J.R.D. Tata’s vision of excellence now limps under government control. The irony is striking. Tata’s entrepreneurial spirit had built an airline that was modern and admired worldwide. But in the name of public good, nationalisation stifled the dynamism that had made Air India iconic. For decades, policymakers debated, losses mounted, and the airline’s reputation was tarnished — a cautionary tale of how vision can be overpowered by red tape. Finally, in 2022, the skies saw a dramatic twist. After nearly seven decades, Air India returns to the Tatas. The airline comes full circle: from private innovation to government oversight, and back again. This isn’t just a story about an airline: it is a tale of ambition, policy, missteps, and eventual redemption. It reminds us that progress sometimes takes a roundabout path before it can truly take flight.