Air India's Air Hostesses of Yesteryear !

[Kevin Peterson]

Few of the Photographs were captured by Margaret Bourke White a world renowned American photographer - read all about Margret at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Bourke-White  very impressive.

Also see the website from where these photos were taken http://8ate.blogspot.com.au/2010/11/in-praise-of-early-air-india.html   - In Praise of Early Air India Stewardesses.

THOSE WERE THE DAYS MY FRIEND, WHAT BEAUTIES AND ONE OF THE FINEST AIRLINE OF DAYS GONE BY...

Air India’s Air Hostesses of Yesteryear

Air India was a part of J.R.D”s vision for India. Being India’s first true business scion, Tata was a director at Tata Sons Limited; one of Asia’s largest industrial companies. In July of 1932, he created an aviation department at the company; and began the first un-subsidized (ie: no mail contract from the British) domestic air service in India after receiving a license for through flights between Madras (Chennai) and Karachi via Bombay (Mumbai) on October 15th, 1932.

Here are some pictures from the Google Life archives, Hindustan Times and other resources on the net.

Air India Flight attendant speaks to a Sikh passenger on board the flight .Life 1946

1973 Air India Ad that read ” Next time you fly 747 to new york, be unfaithful.” Intentionally misleading you to think otherwise this became an instant hit with the masses.

Monica Fernandez (Photograph by Margaret Bourke White )

Peggy AndersonPhotograph by Margaret Bourke White 

June Argent (Photograph by Margaret Bourke White )

 

The Sari becomes the official dress code for Air India

“Memories of dark-haired beauties,” is what a traveller brings back from India, in an advertisement published in 1970. “Long after you leave India, India will still be with you,” the tag line reads. Guess who the model is?  -Zeenat Aman

Published by Hindustan Times around 1997

Air India flight attendant Monica Gilbert (L) collecting autograph of publicity dir. Qasi Isa after flight.

Paremeswar Godrej. Air-India’s early air hostesses set a cosmopolitan trend and brought social acceptance for Indian women. Among the liaisons that caused a flutter in their Air-India days were Nilu Gaekwad, Sunita Garware, Parmeshwar Godrej, Nina Pillai and Maureen Wadia.

Stewardess Avenell Divers says goodbye to an ascetic ascetic after flying on Air India.

Vidal giving Air India hostess Ruby Bharucha a few hints on grooming hair at 40,000 feet, en route form London to New York in 1965

J. Walter Thompson Agency Bombay ad for Air India. M. Gobhai Illustrator

 Undated picture of an air hostess welcoming a passenger alighting from a Tata Airlines airplane.