Minister of civil aviation, Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, today unveiled the centenary celebrations logo of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata. This marks a momentous milestone in Indian aviation history as the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata celebrates its 100 years of service.
It is a historic airport, a pre-independence marvel, stands as a testament to the legacy and progress of the civil aviation sector. The event witnessed the presence of Vumlunmang Vualnam, secretary, ministry of civil aviation, Vipin Kumar, chairman AAI, Sharad Kumar, member (operations), Pankaj Malhotra, member (finance), H Srinivas, member (HR), Rubina Ali, joint secretary, ministry of civil aviation. Additionally, Pravat Ranjan Beuria, Kolkata Airport director, Nivedita Dubey, regional executive director, eastern region and HoDs joined through videoconferencing.
Speaking at the launch event, Mr Ram Mohan Naidu said, “This is a proud moment for all of us, where we are continuing the legacy built by our nation and drawing inspiration from it for future achievements. The airport has catered to crores of passengers and stood as a vital gateway for Bengal and the country through significant historical milestones. Our Prime Minister always says very dearly, ‘Vikas bhi, Virasat bhi,’ so this is a proud moment for us.”
He further added, “In the last 10 years, especially for civil aviation, the way airports have expanded, the way passenger capacity has expanded, airline fleets have grown, and cargo operations have surged, all verticals related to civil aviation have pushed boundaries under the leadership of our Prime Minister. We are now the third-largest domestic aviation hub in the whole world. And now, we need to take it forward, break barriers once again, level up the civil aviation sector, and achieve the goal of becoming the number one domestic hub in the world.”
Reflecting on the transformative impact of the UDAN scheme, he remarked, “The UDAN scheme has been revolutionary in the civil aviation sector. Over the last eight years, we have launched more than 600 flights, transporting crores of people. The scheme has made the vision of ‘Hawai Chappal in Hawai Jahaz’ a reality. Today, as we celebrate 100 years of Kolkata Airport, we see this as a source of inspiration and a sense of pride for the entire country.”
Highlighting the importance of Kolkata Airport, he noted, “The airport has served through various historical periods, representing the pre-Independence struggle, the growth of the country post-Independence, and the LPG reforms,” he said.