“We need to make Air India work, which is my dream project now. We want to make it the best airline. It is a big challenge,” said N Chandrasekaran, Chairman, Tata Sons, and Chairman, Air India.

He said the group has lots of thoughts in transforming the airline. “Change will not happen immediately. We will start with technology as a differentiator,” he said, adding “Air India for me will be a national airline. The Tatas may own it but it will be a national airline.”

‘Right decision’

To a question on whether acquisition of Air India was a risky decision, Chandrasekaran responded that it was the right decision. “I was very clear from day one. I am glad that I got the support of the board and Ratan Tata is fully behind me. We bid prudently. I also believe in capital allocation, but everything cannot be down to just financial decision,” he added, while speaking at a function organised by United Way Chennai on Thursday.

On the group’s future, Chandrasekaran said that it is building lots of companies. The auto business is being transformed big time; big bets are being placed in renewable energy, electric vehicle battery and semiconductor manufacturing. The group is putting lot of capital to build these businesses. 

Three themes

He said three themes are driving the group’s growth. They are making core business better, transforming them digitally and sustainably, apart from creating businesses of the future.

To achieve India’s full potential, he said, the country should tackle the two fundamental problems it faces – jobs and access. Most part of India does not have access to education and healthcare. At the same time, there is a need to create a lot of jobs. Today, this problem is being solved separately. What is needed is a solution that provides access and simultaneously create jobs. Technology can help us do it.

“I am extremely bullish and super positive about India’s future. This is going to be a very critical decade and the decade that matters,” he said.

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