Vintage Air India Maharajah

Dimensions: 10cm high, 7cm deep, 5.5cm wide.
Code: TRAVEL 0521

A rare ceramic statue of the Air India mascot. A lovely piece, which dates back to the 1960s. It is in excellent condition.

Air India began flying international routes in the mid 1940’s and as part of the marketing campaign the jovial Maharajah first made his appearance. At the time, India was known as the “Land of the Maharajas and SK (Bobby) Kooka, the Commercial Director, wanted to create a human face for the brand representing India both with charm and with dignity. Kooka and artist Umesh Rao, gave him a distinctive personality, luxuriant moustache, aquiline nose and a quintessentially Indian turban. The Maharaja travelled the world and always had a story to tell for each city he visited — whether it was rescuing a mermaid in Sydney or doing the Can Can with the cabaret dancers at Moulin Rouge.

The Maharajah mascot became the vehicle to take Air India's sales and promotional messages to millions of travellers across the world. The Maharajah was funny, irreverent, up to antics, and always full of India, his proud homeland. He became a friend to every traveller on India’s national airline and went on to become an iconic and collectible brand mascot, particularly after they stopped producing them in the late 70s, early 80s.