Hello 6E Aug'26

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IndiGo

Brand & Content Rashmi Soni Business Development Shuchi Bhatia Advertising.Query@goindigo.in customer.experience@goIndigo.in

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The ‘HELLO 6E’ magazine is published by Maxposure Limited (“Publisher”) for exclusive circulation on commercial flights operated by InterGlobe Aviation Limited (“IndiGo”).

All articles, advertisement, content, images and photographs published herein are created by the Publisher and/or contributor at their own discretion and do not necessarily represent the views of IndiGo. All rights, title and interest (including intellectual property rights) in and to the materials shall vest either with the Publisher or any contributor (including IndiGo, in certain cases) of such materials. The Publisher is solely liable for any claims for breach of intellectual property rights by any third party in relation to materials appearing in the HELLO 6E magazine (except such materials and content which have been created by IndiGo, in which case IndiGo or its service providers shall be liable for such claims). IndiGo shall bear no liability for any article, content, advertisement, advertorial, image or photograph appearing in any issue of this magazine including any content which is communal, indecent, gender discriminatory, caste-creed discriminatory, racist, defamatory or libelous to any person, organisation, etc., except in case of content which has been created by IndiGo. All materials are strictly copyrighted and all rights reserved. No part of the publication may be reproduced in whole or part without prior written permission of the copyright holder, Publisher and IndiGo. All articles marked as ‘Voices’ and 'Destination Diary' in the magazine are advertorials.

CIN No L22229DL2006PLC152087 Website: maxposuremedia.com

The Ministry of Civil Aviation has upgraded the AirSewa portal, which is accessible through an interactive web portal and a mobile app.

The new version includes the following features: Secure sign-up and log-in with social media A chatbot for traveller support Improved grievance management, including on social media According to a new directive issued

by DGCA, carrying any satellite phone from abroad into India is strictly prohibited. The possession of any such radio equipment without authorisation is a punishable offence.

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Real-time flight status and detailed flight schedules For any other Information regarding this service, please visit www.airsewa.gov.in To refer to the passenger charter introduced by the Ministry of Civil Aviation stating your rights, please contact our crew.

With the Indian Government's Fast Track Immigration – Trusted Traveller Programme (FTI-TTP), the immigration process has become seamless for eligible NRIs and Foreign Nationals holding OCI cards.

Instead of waiting in long queues, the initiative uses biometrics, allowing eligible persons to access self-service e-gates. The programme is currently operational at 13 airports across India including Lucknow, Thiruvananthapuram, Trichy, Kozhikode, Amritsar, Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Cochin and Kolkata.

Creative Direction .POTNTIAL Publisher Maxposure Limited Content Consultant Rituparna Som Contributors Prasad Ramamurthy Arzoo Dina Jyoti Kumari Shruti Tomar Neha Kirpal Sahil Bhalla Devarati Sarkar

HELLO 6E Twenty years ago, IndiGo set out with a simple but radical idea: flying should belong to everyone. We transformed Indian aviation by making air travel more accessible, more affordable and more connected than ever before, opening up routes, opportunities, and experiences for millions of people.

As we celebrate two decades of changing the way India flies, this issue of Hello 6E celebrates something even bigger: the extraordinary journey that made this moment possible.

Long before the ease with which we fly between cities and countries today, there were visionaries, pioneers and improbable firsts that shaped aviation in India. From royal patrons who built some of the country’s earliest runways to daring aviators and innovators, Indian aviation has always been powered by the ambitious few.

This issue traces that remarkable history, following the thread from aviation’s earliest beginnings to the moment India became one of the world’s fastest-growing aviation markets, and to the airline that helped make flying truly democratic. Along the way, you’ll discover the story of how Umaid Singh built India’s first international aerodrome, uncover the Indian Air Force’s role in shaping Indian aviation and find out how India became an airline with the most female commercial pilots in the world.

These pages continue to explore the people, places and ideas that redefine travel today, celebrating the culture, creativity and curiosity that movement makes possible.

Because every journey has a beginning. This issue is ours, a celebration of 20 years of IndiGo, and of the remarkable aviation history that made those 20 years possible.

Welcome aboard.

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EVERY STAY IS A NEW

STORII

There are travellers who seek more than just a stay and prefer a deeper connection with their destination. While some are drawn to lesser-known corners of the world, others gravitate towards popular destinations, choosing character-rich hotels and resorts that offer meaningful and immersive experiences.

Storii by ITC Hotels is crafted for travellers who seek authenticity and a strong sense of place. Responding to the evolving preferences and aspirations of the global traveller, the brand's boutique properties celebrate local culture, heritage and natural beauty.

Each stay is thoughtfully designed to create a harmonious relationship between the guest and the destination, inviting travellers to slow down, explore deeper, and discover a place in a way that feels personal and genuine. With a collection of atypical stays, Storii offers experiences that go beyond the expected, uncovering stories that are uniquely rooted in their surroundings.

Storii by ITC Hotels Moira Riviera, Goa

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Together, these bespoke experiences are designed to foster a deeper understanding of the people, culture and character that define each locale.

DESTINATIONS Dharamshala | Jaipur | Jaisalmer | Jawai | Kolkata | Kufri | Manali | Moira, Goa | Naina Tikkar | Saligao, Goa | Solan www.itchotels.com/storii

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From the golden dunes of Jaisalmer and the pine-covered hills of Manali to the tea gardens of Dharamshala, the mountain landscapes of Solan and Kufri, and the Portuguese-influenced bylanes of Goa, Storii hotels and resorts are rooted in a strong sense of place.

Storii by ITC Hotels Devasom Resort & Spa, Kolkata

The portfolio continues to expand with distinctive destinations across the country, including a wilderness retreat amidst Jawai's dramatic granite landscape and Castle Kanota in Jaipur, where guests can enjoy a bespoke fort-living experience that brings history, culture and contemporary comfort together in a harmonious setting. Every Storii destination offers an atypical perspective on travel, encouraging guests to engage more deeply with the places they visit and create stories of their own.

Storii by ITC Hotels Jaisalmer

Storii by ITC Hotels The Kaba Retreat, Solan

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Voices

THE MAKING OF 2050 EVERY FUTURE BEGINS IN TODAY'S CLASSROOMS

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ach generation prepares children for a future it will never fully witness. Perhaps that is humanity's greatest act of faith.

Think about it.

The child learning to read today may one day save lives, build industries yet unimagined, or shape policies that define humanity's relationship with artificial intelligence. The future is not a distant destination waiting to arrive; it is quietly taking shape in today's classrooms.

By 2050, today's children will lead a world shaped by climate change, artificial intelligence, demographic shifts, and challenges we cannot yet foresee. Their greatest challenge will not be mastering technology, but using it wisely. Education, therefore, must prepare them not only to innovate, but to exercise judgement, responsibility, and humanity in every decision.

If information is available at the touch of a screen, education must offer something technology cannot.

Entrepreneurship should inspire young people not merely to build successful businesses, but to solve meaningful problems. Climate education should nurture stewardship rather than fear, while artificial intelligence should deepen human wisdom, not diminish it.

Preparing children for tomorrow begins long before they choose a career. It is a shared responsibility of parents and educators. While parents nurture values through everyday experiences, teachers cultivate curiosity, critical thinking, creativity, and character.

Choosing the right education is not merely about schooling; it is about

shaping the people who will one day shape the world.

By 2050, today’s children may not remember every lesson we taught them. But the world will live with the consequences of what they learned.

In the end, the future will not ask how much our children learned. It will reveal whether we prepared them with the wisdom, character, and courage to solve the challenges we left behind.

Dr. Manimekalai Mohan Founder, SSVM Group of Institutions, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu

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The uniform effect

How the signature IndiGo look took flight Shruti Tomar

A navy blue, clean-cut tunic. With a pillbox hat. The whole look accentuated with a belt and an indigo blue scarf.

Minimalist and chic. The IndiGo cabin crew uniform always turns heads at the airport.

Its iconic pillbox hat draws inspiration from the glamorous Jet Age. When Jackie Kennedy’s pink Halston pillbox at JFK’s inauguration in January 1961 made it a global icon. The scarf has outlasted every other element of the airline’s original 2006 uniform. When IndiGo launched in 2006, the cabin crew’s look struck a balance between aviation classics and contemporary edges: a crisp white shirt, deep blue skirt, tailored jacket, matching belt and the now-iconic scarf. The palette was simple, the tailoring sharp, and the message clear: it was modern, approachable and fuss-free.

In 2010, IndiGo shifted to a bold new uniform identity, replacing layered separates with a sleek, single-piece deep navy tunic cinched at the waist by an indigo belt. Designed around crew feedback, the tunic prioritised lightweight, stretch fabrics and practical seams to suit life in the cabin, blending style with all-day comfort. The 2010 update also introduced the trademark pillbox hat, in indigo blue and marked with cabin crew wings, cementing an aviation-forward style statement. It paired perfectly with the streamlined tunic that gave IndiGo’s cabin crew a silhouette unlike anything else in Indian aviation at the time.

In each design, one accessory has remained constant: the blue-and-white scarf. First introduced in 2006, it added colour, movement and personality to the uniform and nearly two decades later remains one of the most recognisable elements of IndiGo’s cabin crew on the tarmac and in the sky. In an industry where airlines rebrand as readily as they update routes, a scarf that has survived two decades and one complete uniform overhaul is quite a statement.

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Window seat read The story behind India’s new chapter in human spaceflight Veenu Singh

“As a child, I didn’t dream of becoming an astronaut. I only wished for five minutes in the cockpit.”

This opening line from Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla’s The Second Orbit sets the tone for a deeply personal journey. More than an astronaut’s autobiography, it is a poignant story of how the smallest childhood dream can lead to an extraordinary life.

The book’s opening pages have a letter by the author when he was just 14. It talks about an airshow he had been to. “I could see the seat where the pilot must sit. I wish that I could one day sit inside one of them. Not fly it. Just sit. Flying is too big a wish, that is for boys who were always going

Yoga in space. In zero gravity, stillness becomes its own kind of flight.

Book cover: Penguin Random House India

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to be that kind of boy. I do not think I am that kind of boy. But sitting in it is something I would dare to ask for. Five minutes. ...I just want to know what it feels like to be inside the place where the brave people sit.”

And he did sit there. Not just inside the cockpit of a fighter aircraft but he piloted the spacecraft Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) to the International Space Station and back last year.

Group Captain Shukla says, “Even before I launched into space, I knew this journey was never mine alone.

It belonged to everyone who had dreamed of the stars and believed in the impossible. Writing it was my way of giving that journey back to the people it truly belongs to. In 1984, Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma

opened a door in the imagination of an entire nation. For millions of Indians, space no longer felt distant, it became a possibility. Through The Second Orbit, I hope to keep that door open for the generations that follow. I want every young reader to understand one simple truth: every extraordinary journey has an ordinary beginning. Mine began in a classroom, with curiosity and a dream.

Theirs can begin exactly the same way.”

Taking the thought forward, Dr. S. Somanath, former Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), says: “The book captures not just his remarkable journey but also Bharat’s aspirations to reach the stars. I am sure it will inspire young people dreaming of Gaganyaan and the Bharatiya Antariksh Station.”

Culture pulse An invitation to experience India beyond the itinerary Neha Kirpal

The greenest airport you will ever land in Jodhpur airport is one of the greenest in India. And grandest too.

It’s almost the size of three-and-a-half football fields and resembles a palace, but uses over 50 per cent less energy than standard airports. The terminal’s sustainability is rooted in ancient desert design. Deep overhangs, lattice facades and climate-responsive glazing naturally keep the interiors cool, while lightweight panels recreate Jodhpur’s signature sandstone.

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Every August, a palace rises from a Tripura lake A palace seems to magically rise from the middle of a lake as dozens of long boats circle it in a mystical rhythm. This may seem straight out of a storybook, yet every August, this fairytale comes to life at the Neermahal Water Festival at Melaghar’s Rudrasagar Lake, Tripura.

Over three days, boats race each other, followed by evenings of music, dance and cultural performances against the illuminated palace.

Jaipur’s exhibition about the line that divided a nation Beyond Jaipur’s palaces lies a chapter from India’s colonial era history almost forgotten. One that ties the city to the British Inland Customs Line, a barrier built across the country to enforce salt taxation. ‘Salt Lines’, an exhibition explores this story through textiles, photography and video. Being organised by Jaipur Centre for Art, the show is on view until August 9 at City Palace complex.

A holiday with no itinerary and no Wi-fi What if the best cure for stress isn’t a spa holiday, but a Punjabi village? Days in Punjab’s countryside unfold at their own unhurried pace, slowing the rhythm of life. Punjab Village Farm, a cosy homestay at Gunopur Saidowal, near Gurdaspur, about an hour from Amritsar, offers this slow-living escape. It recreates the charm of old-world Punjab, with mud cottages, homely cuisine and a taste of simple village life.

The days when Ladakh belongs to the Changpa Ladakh’s dramatic landscapes are captivating year-round, but August offers a rare chance to experience the Changpa nomads’ resilient lifestyle.

Taking place from August 9 to 10 in the Changthang region, the Changthang Nomadic Festival celebrates their rich cultural heritage through folk music and dance and exhibitions of pashmina products and handicrafts.

Image: incredibleindia.gov.in

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Where the world comes to paddle Beyond its backwaters and beaches, Kerala has become a destination for serious adventure sports enthusiasts from across the world. Every monsoon, the rain-fed rivers around Thusharagiri Waterfalls, outside Kozhikode, host the Malabar River Festival, an international white-water kayaking competition that attracts some of the world’s top paddlers.

This year’s edition will feature contests in both Open and Amateur categories, welcoming both elite paddlers and emerging talent.

The boy who never stopped folding paper boats Looking for a cultural detour in Patna? Head to Bihar Museum this August for Kaghaz Ki Kashti—Retracing Memories of Boyhood, an exhibition that traces acclaimed sculptor Rajesh Ram’s journey from a village in Jharkhand to becoming one of India’s leading contemporary artists.

Explore sculptures of paper boats, playing children, birds and rivers. Running from August 7 to September 7, the show not only transforms everyday rural life into art, but also makes a subtle statement on migration and ecology.

Here every weave tells a story This August, Chennai becomes the perfect place to discover India’s weaving traditions as the city celebrates National Handloom Day with Textiles 2026. It will bring together an exceptional collection of handcrafted textiles, exquisite saris and contemporary apparel that reflect the artistry of regional weaving communities. Curated by the Crafts Council of India, the exhibition will be held at the MRC Centre, Chennai, from August 7 to 8.

The harvest festival you didn’t know about The mighty Siang River makes this corner of Arunachal Pradesh a year-round delight, but August offers an even more compelling reason to visit. This is when the Adi tribe celebrates Solung, one of its most significant harvest festivals, filling Pangin town with traditional Ponung dances.

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Image: wikimedia.org

The pause

Reasons to look up from your phone Neha Kirpal

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The car that's changing the cockpit For once, a luxury car in India is simply not adding bigger screens.

It’s making them smarter. The new Mercedes-AMG E 53 Hybrid 4MATIC+ combines a digital driver’s display with a landscape touchscreen in a clean, driver-focussed cockpit.

Special graphics, visualisations and performance readouts ensure the dashboard feels as dynamic as the car itself.

The monsoon raga that predates your playlist Long before playlists, classical ragas and folk melodies celebrated the arrival of rain, with clouds serving as muses.

Relive that ancient tradition at ‘Baarish.

Art. Music. Monsoon’ in New Delhi.

Enjoy renditions of monsoon-inspired music by artistes like Shubha Mudgal and Naga Choir, among others, at the second season of the festival at Upper HSE by Tivoli on August 8.

The film that makes you miss a place you've never been India’s scenic countryside takes centre stage in Rima Das’ acclaimed coming-of-age film Not a Hero. It follows Mivan as he adjusts to rural India after his city life. The film is as much a journey across India’s landscapes as it’s of self-discovery.

Watch it at the 17th Indian Film Festival of Melbourne, running from August 13 to 23, as the Best Film nominee.

Image: mercedes-amg.com

Image: baarish.anexperience/instagram

Image: IMDb

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Seychelles A Celebration for Every Generation

Private, unhurried and full of discovery, the archipelago turns family milestones into memories everyone can call their own.

Picture a family celebration where no one is being rushed from one stop to the next. Children are spotting giant tortoises while islandhopping, grandparents are easing into a book by the beach, parents are stealing a quiet moment on a sunset cruise, and the whole family is coming back together over creole flavours by the water.

This is what the Seychelles does beautifully for families. Across its many islands, the destination offers space without distance. There

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are secluded beaches for privacy, clear lagoons and marine parks for snorkelling, coastal drives and local markets for gentle exploring, nature trails that reveal a side of the destination beyond the beach, and stays for every style of celebration, from boutique hideaways to ultraluxury island resorts.

For families marking birthdays, anniversaries, babymoons or reunions, Seychelles feels special without being overwhelming.

A milestone can be intimate, adventurous, relaxed or all three.

Each generation finds its own pace, while the family remains at the heart of the holiday.

Fly direct from MUMBAI TO MAHÉ with IndiGo

Visa-free for Indian passport holders Perfect for family holidays, milestone celebrations and island escape

The terminal edit

A look at the numbers transforming air travel in India

India has 165 operational airports and is the world’s third-largest domestic aviation market. Driven by rising passenger demand and the government’s UDAN regional connectivity scheme, the country’s aviation network continues to expand.

Cochin International Airport is the world’s first fully solar power airport. Today, it has a total installed solar capacity of 50 MWp, generating enough electricity to meet all airport operations and export surplus power to the state grid.

Delhi Airport Terminal 3 has a 5.8 million sq ft area and the capacity to serve 45 million passengers per annum. It has 78 aerobridges, 220 check-in counters, 96 travelators and can handle 13,000 bags every hour.

Bengaluru Airport’s Terminal 2 is home to over 600,000 live plants and more than 10,000 sq m of green walls and hanging gardens, making it one of the world’s largest biophilic airport terminals.

Mumbai Airport’s ‘Jaya He GVK New Museum’ is one of the world’s largest public art programmes inside an airport that houses over 7,000 Indian art pieces.

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Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad boasts a 4,260 metrelong airstrip, making it the second longest runway in India after Delhi airport.

The intelligent carry-on GPS tracking, proximity alerts, USB charging and, even a built-in electric scooter.

The humble carry-on just got a serious upgrade Sahil Bhalla

Luggage that sends you an alert if it’s being tampered with? Check. Notifies you if it goes missing? Check.

Keeps your gadgets charged? Check.

Doubles up as a scooter. Why not?

If this is not Jarvis, what is? As airports embrace automation, luggage is evolving from a passive travel accessory into an intelligent companion.

Welcome to the new age of smart luggage, where carrying your clothes is the least that your suitcase can do. It can weigh itself as you pack, send an alert on your phone if you have left it behind, lock remotely, charge your devices and even follow you through the airport.

The next generation of autonomous luggage uses LiDAR sensors, computer

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vision and onboard cameras to map its surroundings and avoid obstacles.

Airwheel SE3S transforms from a conventional carry-on into a compact electric scooter and reaches speeds up to 13 km/h.

While the autonomous suitcase may be the next chapter, for now you can opt for suitcases with GPS tracking, weighing scales and USB charge points.

The Heys SmartLuggage (26-inch Hard Luggage) comes with an integrated luggage scale, a “proximity alarm” that can tell you if you’ve strayed too far from the suitcase, and remotely lock it.

Two AAA batteries power it, and there’s an accompanying mobile app to control all functions.

The July Carry On offers an excellent tracking system (which can be activated with your smartphone via the Find My app on iPhones or the Android Find Hub).

It has an airline-approved removable battery so that you can keep your devices charged at all times.

Similar to the July Carry On, Arista Vault’s range of smart luggage (an Indian start-up redefining the way we travel) comes with advanced antitheft features, proximity audio alerts, and TSA-approved number locks. If you opt for the top-end Jarvis variant, you can “ride on your luggage”. There’s also a “Follow Me” feature that lets you zig-zag through the airport hands-free.

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Flight frames A perfect window shot begins even before you book your flight. Choose your seat so that you don’t have the sun directly in front of you. If you’re seated ahead of the aircraft wing, keep the wingtip in the upper part of the frame. If the engine is visible, compose the shot so that a small part of the engine is also included. If you’re seated behind the wing, position it slightly above the centre so the city or landscape below is clearly visible. On your flight to Leh from Mumbai or Delhi, make sure you’re seated on the left side, where sun-lit views of the snow-capped Himalayan ranges and the Zanskar valley are at their best. Make sure you’re on the right side on your return flight.

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Leh, Ladakh

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Voices

CULTURE OF CARE THE FOUNDATION OF MEANINGFUL GROWTH

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t DavaIndia, we believe that meaningful growth begins

At DavaIndia, leadership is not only about driving results; it is about

not with numbers, but with people.

Business success may be measured

creating an environment where people feel inspired, included,

in expansion, performance, and reach, but its true strength lies in the care we extend to those we serve and those we work with every day.

and empowered. A strong culture encourages collaboration, nurtures accountability, and reminds every individual that their contribution matters. It transforms workplaces

A culture of care is not built overnight. It is shaped through everyday actions; through empathy in leadership, respect in relationships,

into communities and transactions into relationships.

and a shared commitment to making healthcare more accessible and

about becoming bigger; it is about becoming better: better in service,

affordable for all. For us, care is not just a value; it is the foundation on which our purpose stands.

better in responsibility, and better in the way we care for human lives.

This is what gives growth its depth

Meaningful growth is not only

and purpose.

In an industry that touches lives so deeply, empathy becomes essential.

It guides how we listen to customers, how we support our teams, and

As DavaIndia continues its journey, we remain committed to building a culture where compassion and

how we make decisions that impact communities. When people feel heard, valued, and supported, trust

progress go hand in hand. Because when care becomes the heart of an organisation, growth is no

grows. And where trust grows, meaningful progress follows.

longer just a business outcome; it becomes a lasting impact.

"Davaindia is a pioneering force in the healthcare industry, reshaping the landscape by making high-quality generic medicines affordable and accessible to all. Our vision is to create a healthier and more equitable future for everyone we serve."

Dr. Sujit Paul, Group CEO, Zota Healthcare Limited

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When people said no to airline food, we made ours delicious enough to take home.

Our collectable cookie tins, Chicken Junglee Sandwich and Upma became urban legends.

And the rest of our food packaging, its own kind of in-flight entertainment

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To refer to the passenger charter introduced by the Ministry of Civil Aviation stating your rights, please contact our crew.

Shades on or off?

Believe it or not, your window shades play an important role in ensuring your safety. Here's how: 1. Keeping your window shades up during takeoff/ landing helps the cabin crew quickly assess the situation outside and form an exit plan in case of an unforeseen circumstance.

2. Once the doors are opened upon arrival, the cabin crew may ask you to close the window shades to maintain the cabin temperature and ensure your comfort and safety.

Please follow your cabin crew’s instructions for a safe flight.

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Corporate Social Responsibility

For many young women, becoming a pilot is more than a dream. It is an opportunity to chart a new future, guided by ambition, determination and purpose.

Giving Wings to Fly, an initiative of IndiGoReach, the CSR arm of IndiGo, in partnership with BharatCares, aims to help young women from economically disadvantaged backgrounds take the first step towards a career in aviation.

Over the next three years, the initiative will support 50 aspiring pilots by providing comprehensive assistance for commercial pilot training and type rating certification. In addition to financial support, participants will receive mentorship, guidance and access to world-class training, helping them build the skills and confidence needed to succeed.

At its heart, Giving Wings to Fly is about opening doors to new possibilities. It reflects our commitment to empowering women and creating pathways to aspiration-led careers.

Inspired by the vision of ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’, the initiative takes a meaningful step towards ‘Beti ko Pilot Banao’, encouraging more young women to dream bigger, soar higher and lead the way.

Images shown are for representational purposes only.

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EMPOWERING INDEPENDENT MINDS, E L E VAT I N G N AT I O N A L N E W S .

EXP ESS

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True freedom lies in the clarity to shape your own perspective. At Bharat Express, we balance rapid-fire accuracy with the analytical depth required for genuine understanding. This is more than just reporting—it is an enriching national Hindi news experience that informs, enlightens, and empowers. This Independence Day, tune into Bharat Express.

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Chairman & Managing Director Editor-in-Chief

BHARAT EXPRESS NEWS NETWORK

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The future Dr. Satya Chakravarthy has designed cryogenic rocket engines and electric air taxis. He thinks India is going to surprise everyone Devarati Sarkar

Professor of Aerospace Engineering at IIT Madras and the man behind India’s electric air taxi revolution and 3D-printed cryogenic rocket technology, Dr. Satya Chakravarthy is helping shape the future of flight. From eVTOLs and urban air mobility to next-generation aerospace technologies, he shares insights into how India is emerging as a global aerospace powerhouse.

Q: As an entrepreneur, which business decision seemed like a setback but ended up being a breakthrough?

At The ePlane Company, we initially

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wanted to build the world’s most compact electric aircraft, designed for a pilot and one passenger, because we believed most urban taxi trips involve just a single traveller. However, while exploring the air ambulance market, we realised the aircraft needed space for a patient and paramedic, which meant increasing its capacity and size. Although that changed our original plan, it opened up a larger market opportunity. We still believe there is huge potential for ultracompact single-passenger aircraft and we may return to that idea in the future.

Q: You've worked extensively in aerospace and deep-tech research as well.

What are you most proud of?

Be it electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft for urban air mobility or 3D-printed cryogenic rocket engines for space applications, my greatest success has been in taking ideas beyond the laboratory to solve realworld problems. Even more rewarding is that these innovations have been conceived and scaled in India.

Q: If you could clear one challenge in the Indian aviation industry, what would it be?

The importance of raising capital to build and scale ambitious technologies.

Breakthrough innovation in aviation demands long-term investment, yet the challenges of funding deep-tech ventures are often underestimated.

Q: If you could send a message to your 25-year-old self, what would you say?

At 25, I believed everyone should pursue a PhD because I was deeply immersed in that world myself. Over time, I realised the real value lies not in the degree, but in the mindset, the ability to deeply analyse problems, identify gaps and build meaningful solutions. Entrepreneurship and startup environments can offer the same learning and problem-solving experience without necessarily following an academic path.

Q: What's the one challenge in your world that money simply cannot solve?

While money can attract people, it cannot retain talent that chooses to stay or leave a place for family, community and a sense of belonging. These are things money cannot buy. Especially in India, talent is driven by far more than financial incentives.

Q: At 35,000 feet, when the world goes into airplane mode, where does your mind go?

Honestly, I try not to think at all. Flying becomes a rare opportunity to disconnect, close my eyes and slip into a meditative state amid an otherwise hectic schedule.

Q: What excites you most about the future of air mobility?

The democratisation of travel. Electric air mobility has the potential to drastically reduce travel times and emissions within and between cities. Over time, electric and hybrid-electric aviation could also significantly lower the cost of flying, making air travel far more accessible.

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