JRD Tata gallery
JRD Tata was the founder of Tata Airlines and Air-India. He was also the force behind the extraordinary success of the airlines.
See my gallery below for some rare souvenirs related to JRD Tata and the story of Air-India and predecessor airlines.
See my gallery below for some rare souvenirs related to JRD Tata and the story of Air-India and predecessor airlines.
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Seating and Sleeper Accommodation folded in showing the chairman Mr. J.R.D. Tata,
using the internal communication telephone.
using the internal communication telephone.
J.R.D. Tata on the occasion, when he flew a Vampire at Hatfield in June 1948
(ex-John Stroud Collection)
(ex-John Stroud Collection)
De Havilland Vampire
London, 1948. JRD Tata, Chairman of Air-India.He was the First Indian to hold a pilot's Licence.
Seen here is 1948 when he flew a D.H. Vampire at hartford
(ex-John Stroud collection)
Seen here is 1948 when he flew a D.H. Vampire at hartford
(ex-John Stroud collection)
Bombay 16th March, 1948 Arrival of the 1st Air-India International Constellation VT-CQS Mughal Princess at Santacruz Airport.
Left to right: Mr. J.D.Choksi - Director Air-India, Mr. JRD Tata - Chairman, Air-India & Air-India International, Mr B.W. Figgins - General Manager Air-India & Air-India International, Mr S.K. Kooka Traffic Manager Air-India & Air-India International, Mr A.C. Gazdar Operation Manager Air-India & Air-India International.
(ex-John Stroud Collection)
Left to right: Mr. J.D.Choksi - Director Air-India, Mr. JRD Tata - Chairman, Air-India & Air-India International, Mr B.W. Figgins - General Manager Air-India & Air-India International, Mr S.K. Kooka Traffic Manager Air-India & Air-India International, Mr A.C. Gazdar Operation Manager Air-India & Air-India International.
(ex-John Stroud Collection)
London, 9th May 1948.
Arrival of the second proving flight from Bombay.
On staricase, from bottom to top: Mrs. Masani, Mr. Tata, Mr. Masani, Mr. Figgins, Mr. Kooka.
(ex-John Stroud collection)
Arrival of the second proving flight from Bombay.
On staricase, from bottom to top: Mrs. Masani, Mr. Tata, Mr. Masani, Mr. Figgins, Mr. Kooka.
(ex-John Stroud collection)
Rome, early 1960s.
JRD Tata and Bobby Kooka arriving at Rome.
JRD Tata and Bobby Kooka arriving at Rome.
Faded photograph of JRD Tata, Bobby Kooka and an unknown person taken at Rome Airport.
Bombay, 15th October 1962
Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the First Flight
JRD Tata retraces the route of his original Karachi - Ahmedabad - Bombay flight.
Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the First Flight
JRD Tata retraces the route of his original Karachi - Ahmedabad - Bombay flight.
Publicity photograph taken at Bombay airport on 15 October 1962 shows Mr. J. R. D. Tata, Chairman of the Tata group and of Air-India, who piloted this flight and the original 1932 flight as well, standing with Mr. S. K. 'Bobby' Kooka of Air-India. Behind him is the De Havilland DH85 Fox Moth, VT-AKH in which he recreated the flight. This aircraft was similar to the De Havilland DH80A Puss Moth, VT-ACZ in which he did the original 1932 flight. Also in the background is Air-India's Boeing 707, acquired by Air-India in 1960.
On 15 October 1962 De Havilland DH85 Fox Moth
Mr. JRD Tata, Chairman,
photographed in front of the Leopard Moth and the Boeing 707 at Satnacruz airport on October 15, 1962 after completing his 30th Anniversary flight.
(ex-John Stroud collection)
photographed in front of the Leopard Moth and the Boeing 707 at Satnacruz airport on October 15, 1962 after completing his 30th Anniversary flight.
(ex-John Stroud collection)
Bombay, 15th October 1982
Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the First Flight
78 years young, JRD Tata flies solo as he retraces the route of the original Karachi - Ahmedabad - Bombay flight flown by him 50 years ago.
Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the First Flight
78 years young, JRD Tata flies solo as he retraces the route of the original Karachi - Ahmedabad - Bombay flight flown by him 50 years ago.
Tata at Bombay airport after completing the Karachi - Ahmedabad - Bombay flight standing in front of the airplane he flew that day. In his right hand is the original Tata Airlines mail bag used to carry mail in the 1930s. A rare autographed publicity photograph.
JRD TATA. VT-AKH
(ex-John Stroud collection)
(ex-John Stroud collection)
15th October 1932
The First Flight of Tata Sons Ltd., Aviation Division from Karachi to Madras via Ahmedabad, Bombay and Bellary.
Piloted by JRD Tata on the Karachi - Ahmedabad - Bombay stage.
Top: Actual mail flown from Karachi to Bombay on the flight piloted by JRD Tata on 15th October 1932. This was the first flight of the Aviation Division of Tata Sons Ltd., and was in one sense the first flight ever by a truly Indian enterprise.
Below: Actual mail flown on the Ahmedabad to Bombay stage of the same flight, also piloted by JRD Tata.
Both covers signed by JRD Tata. Extremely rare covers. it is believed that only three such covers exist, and here are two of them.
Provenance: ex. Solee Sukeshwalla collection, Cherrystone Auction 2013.
Below: Actual mail flown on the Ahmedabad to Bombay stage of the same flight, also piloted by JRD Tata.
Both covers signed by JRD Tata. Extremely rare covers. it is believed that only three such covers exist, and here are two of them.
Provenance: ex. Solee Sukeshwalla collection, Cherrystone Auction 2013.
Cover flown from Karachi to Bombay on 15 October 1932, signed 50 years later.
This cover is from the H. C, Mehta/Yogi Mehta collection with an interesting story. In 1982, Mr. Tata recreated the historic flight and halted in Ahmedabad on the same day as the first flight on 15 October 1932. The Mehtas, father and son, were at the airport among the enthusiastic crowd welcoming the flight. Young Yogi ran up to Tata with the souvenir philatelic cover issued that day by the postal authorities and asked him to autograph it. Mr. Tata looked at the cover and refused to sign on it saying something to the effect that he would not sign on an official postal cover. Mehta thought fast, rushed home and back with the 1932 cover flown by Tata himself 50 years ago, he went up to Mr. Tata again, and this time seeing this cover, Mr, Tata smiled and said, "now I will sign as many of these as you like", and happily went on to sign the cover taking care to date it as well, 15.10.82
This cover is from the H. C, Mehta/Yogi Mehta collection with an interesting story. In 1982, Mr. Tata recreated the historic flight and halted in Ahmedabad on the same day as the first flight on 15 October 1932. The Mehtas, father and son, were at the airport among the enthusiastic crowd welcoming the flight. Young Yogi ran up to Tata with the souvenir philatelic cover issued that day by the postal authorities and asked him to autograph it. Mr. Tata looked at the cover and refused to sign on it saying something to the effect that he would not sign on an official postal cover. Mehta thought fast, rushed home and back with the 1932 cover flown by Tata himself 50 years ago, he went up to Mr. Tata again, and this time seeing this cover, Mr, Tata smiled and said, "now I will sign as many of these as you like", and happily went on to sign the cover taking care to date it as well, 15.10.82