Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Turbulence ahead: On Tata Group acquisition of Air India

Turbulence ahead: On Tata Group acquisition of Air India

Air India will need all the managerial (प्रबंधक, संगठनात्मक, शासकीय) expertise (विशेषज्ञता, निपुणता, प्रवीणता) it can get to turn into (में बदलना, रूपांतरित/परिवर्तित होना) a successful buy

The Tata Group’s consummation (समाप्ति, सिद्धि) of its acquisition (अभिग्रहण, खरीद, कब्जा) of Air India last week marks (निशान, संकेत करना, प्रतिनिधित्व करना) both the culmination (completion, finish, conclusion; crowning moment) of the airline’s return to its original founders after an almost seven-decade (दशक, दस साल का समय) hiatus (अंतराल, विराम), as well as (के साथ-साथ, के अतिरिक्त) the start of an arduous (कठिन) long-haul (लंबी दौड़, यात्रा) flight for the loss-making, formerly state-owned flag carrier (ध्वज वाहक). The Tatas’ enthusiasm (उत्साह, रुचि, जोश) for winning back what was once the country’s iconic (प्रतिष्ठित, प्रसिद्ध, अनुकरणीय) airline brand notwithstanding (although, in spite of the fact that, despite the fact that, even though), the skies (the atmosphere) in which the industry operates have changed considerably. A look at the market share data from the domestic air passenger segment clearly shows that budget or low-cost flights now hold (possess, have, own) a dominant position, commanding (receive, get, gain, obtain, secure) about four-fifths of the market. The Tata group’s full-service (relating to a business that provides a complete range of services or amenities) venture, Vistara, with no less (giving special importance of person/thing mentioned) a partner than Singapore Airlines on board (onto a team), has struggled to establish a foothold (grip, anchorage, purchase, support) and with Air India’s addition, the Tatas find themselves saddled (burden, hamper; inflict something on) with a bulk of their combined domestic market share of 23% (as of November) being in the less-in-demand full-service segment. Nor is the group’s newly combined share from the low-cost segment, comprising Air Asia India’s 5.9% and the fractional (small (in amount)) share that Air India’s Air India Express has, significant enough at the moment to give it scale in the high-volume business. That the group is said to be considering consolidating (combine, unite, merge, integrate, bring together) Air India’s domestic low-cost services along with (together with) Air Asia India’s operations is a clear indication that the Tata bosses realise the need to optimise (make the most effective use of something) the varied (diverse, differing, diversified, wide-ranging) aviation (air transport) resources that are now in the group’s fold so as to enhance viability (ability, practicality, feasibility (to work successfully)).

On the international front too, Air India faces multiple challenges, not the least of which is the Government’s current pandemic (the worldwide spread of a new disease; The illness spreads around the world and typically affects a large number of people across a wide area)-related curbs (control, restraint, check, restriction, limitation) on commercial international flights. With foreign carriers (an aircraft carrier (a vehicle transports passengers or goods)) restricted to limited capacity under the ‘Air Transport Bubbles’ arrangement, Air India too has found itself constrained (restrict, limit, curb, check, restrain, regulate) in the number of overseas (relating to a foreign country) flights it can operate under the bilateral (involving two groups or countries) arrangements with counterpart countries. The Tatas, though, could use the current curtailment (reduction, limitation, restriction, decrease, lessening) of overseas services as an opportunity to undertake (begin, start; engage in, become involved in, embark on, launch into, attempt, try) a long overdue overhaul (reorganization, restructuring, rearrangement) of Air India’s inflight (happening or given during an aircraft flight) experience. Also, with Vistara now operating to a few select overseas destinations, the Tatas will need to decide if they would want a younger in-house competitor to Air India once COVID-19 restrictions are lifted and normalcy (a normal condition; normality, regularity) restored as regards (concerning, with regard to, with respect to, with reference to) international flights. For the Tata group, the choices going forward (in the future) will need to be strategic. With the domestic market set to see more churn (disorder/disorganization, confusion, disruption/chaos) with at least one new budget airline set to enter and other rivals (competitor, opponent, contender) struggling for capital, the group needs to decide whether it wants to add capacity to budget offerings or stay a predominantly (mainly, mostly) full-service carrier at a time when the more lucrative business class travel has been hit (affect, damage badly). And with aviation fuel costs set to soar (rise (quickly)) further, Air India will need to tap into all of the Tata group’s vaunted (acclaimed, highly rated, admired) managerial expertise if it is to turn into a successful buy.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.turbulence (noun)

Hindi Meaning - अशांति, अस्थिरता, परेशानी
English Meaning - instability, troubles, disturbance, chaos, confusion.

2.acquisition (noun)

Hindi Meaning - अभिग्रहण, खरीद, कब्जा
English Meaning - buy, purchase, procurement, possession (of a company).

3.managerial (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - प्रबंधक, संगठनात्मक, शासकीय
English Meaning - organizational, management.

4.expertise (noun)

Hindi Meaning - विशेषज्ञता, निपुणता, प्रवीणता
English Meaning - skill, prowess, expertness, proficiency, knowledge, competence.

5.turn into (phrasal verb)

Hindi Meaning - में बदलना, रूपांतरित/परिवर्तित होना
English Meaning - be transformed/changed into.

6.consummation (noun)

Hindi Meaning - समाप्ति, सिद्धि
English Meaning - completion, accomplishment, achievement, attainment.

7.mark (verb)

Hindi Meaning - निशान, संकेत करना, प्रतिनिधित्व करना
English Meaning - indicate, represent, signify.

8.decade (noun)

Hindi Meaning - दशक, दस साल का समय
English Meaning - a period of ten years.

9.hiatus (noun)

Hindi Meaning - अंतराल, विराम
English Meaning - gap, break, interval, pause.

10.as well as (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - के साथ-साथ, के अतिरिक्त
English Meaning - and also, and in addition.

11.arduous (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - कठिन
English Meaning - difficult, taxing, onerous, laborious, back-breaking.

12.long haul (noun)

Hindi Meaning - लंबी दौड़, यात्रा
English Meaning - (long) journey, trip; long distance.

13.flag carrier (noun)

Hindi Meaning - ध्वज वाहक
English Meaning - an airline that is registered in a particular state (country).

14.enthusiasm (noun)

Hindi Meaning - उत्साह, रुचि, जोश
English Meaning - eagerness, excitement, interest, passion, zeal.

15.iconic (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - प्रतिष्ठित, प्रसिद्ध, अनुकरणीय
English Meaning - famous, well-known, exemplary, historic, classical.

16.culmination (noun)

English Meaning - completion, finish, conclusion; crowning moment.

17.buy (noun)

English Meaning - purchase, procurement, acquisition, possession.

18.state-owned (adjective)

English Meaning - government-owned, state-run.

19.win back (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - get back, recover.

20.notwithstanding (conjunction)

English Meaning - although, in spite of the fact that, despite the fact that, even though.

21.the skies (noun)

English Meaning - the atmosphere.

22.considerably (adverb)

English Meaning - greatly, much, very much, a lot.

23.hold (verb)

English Meaning - possess, have, own.

24.command (verb)

English Meaning - receive, get, gain, obtain, secure.

25.full-service (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to a business that provides a complete range of services or amenities.

26.venture (noun)

English Meaning - business, enterprise, undertaking, project, undertaking, operation, activity.

27.no less (phrase)

English Meaning - giving special importance of person/thing mentioned.

28.on board (phrase)

English Meaning - onto a team.

29.foothold (noun)

English Meaning - grip, anchorage, purchase, support.

30.saddle (verb)

English Meaning - burden, hamper; inflict something on.

31.the bulk of (noun)

English Meaning - most, larger part, larger number.

32.fractional (adjective)

English Meaning - small (in amount).

33.scale (noun)

English Meaning - balance.

34.consolidate (verb)

English Meaning - combine, unite, merge, integrate, bring together.

35.along with (phrase)

English Meaning - together with.

36.optimise (verb)

English Meaning - make the most effective use of something.

37.varied (adjective)

English Meaning - diverse, differing, diversified, wide-ranging.

38.aviation (noun)

English Meaning - air transport.

39.the fold (noun)

English Meaning - group, company, community.

40.so as to do something (phrase)

English Meaning - in order to do something.

41.viability (noun)

English Meaning - ability, practicality, feasibility (to work successfully).

42.front (noun)

English Meaning - a particular organization/grouping/sector.

43.pandemic (noun)

English Meaning - the worldwide spread of a new disease; The illness spreads around the world and typically affects a large number of people across a wide area.

44.curb (noun)

English Meaning - control, restraint, check, restriction, limitation.

45.carrier (noun)

English Meaning - an aircraft carrier (a vehicle transports passengers or goods).

46.Air Transport Bubbles (noun)

English Meaning - “Transport Bubbles” or “Air Travel Arrangements” are temporary arrangements between two countries aimed at restarting commercial passenger services when regular international flights are suspended as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

47.find oneself (verb)

English Meaning - discover himself/herself/itself to be in a particular situation.

48.constrain (verb)

English Meaning - restrict, limit, curb, check, restrain, regulate.

49.overseas (adverb)

English Meaning - relating to a foreign country.

50.bilateral (adjective)

English Meaning - involving two groups or countries.

51.counterpart (noun)

English Meaning - someone or something that has the same job or purpose as another; equivalent, equal, fellow.

52.curtailment (noun)

English Meaning - reduction, limitation, restriction, decrease, lessening.