Aviation

Paintings from Air India’s Rs 750-crore collection have gone missing

According to business economics The paintings included work by prominent artists such as MF Husain and Jatin Das. “They were kept in a hall in the Air India headquarters,” reported The Quint.While Air India has not yet confirmed media reports, it has initiated an inquiry to verify allegation about the theft of paintings from its vast collection. “As regards the painting mentioned… the matter is being inquired into and details should also be available shortly,” the airline said in a statement.

Sources told India Today, the paintings could have gone off the radar and entered the black market for famous works when the airport terminus building was shifted.

Mystery of the missing paintings

Image credit : Pinterest

The theft came to light after painter Jatin Das was contacted by a curator to verify a piece of work he had done for Air India prior to its sale. Das had painted it in 1991 and till a few years ago, it was hanging at the Air India lounge in the International Airport in Mumbai. Das claimed that one of his paintings commissioned by Air India had gone missing and was available on the open market, which, he said, could be a result of “indifference, negligence and theft”. The horizontal oil painting is titled ‘Flying Apsara’. It was commissioned in 1991 by Air India.

Das is now looking for answers on how a 3 feet x 6 feet painting reached the art market when it was part of Air India’s collection.

“Jatin Das has recently written a letter (June 24, 2017) to the CMD (Air India) asking for photographs and details of the paintings in our collection that were made by him,” Air India said in a statement.

“This information is being compiled and would be sent to him shortly.”

India Today, quoting sources, said Air India at one time had 7,000 odd paintings and artefacts, and the ongoing audit has so far tracked only 3,500 odd pieces in the Mumbai headquarter of Air India and in other Air India offices, according to India Today.
The allegation of missing artworks against the national carrier come at a time the Cabinet has given an in-principle approval for disinvestment of Air India, which is under a debt of Rs 52,000 crore.

Aviation

Boeing, Antonov to Collaborate on Defense Projects

– MOU represents Boeing’s commitment to work with Ukrainian industry

– Includes exploring opportunities for collaborating on in-country support of Unmanned Aerial Systems

A Memorandum of Understanding was signed today by Boeing and Antonov Company to investigate potential collaboration on defense-related projects.

“We’re happy to keep collaborating with the Antonov Company to help Ukraine’s economic development and expansion,” stated Ted Colbert, CEO and president of Boeing Defence, Space, & Security.

Airbus and the Antonov An-225: The Best Partnership:Click here

“This agreement demonstrates our ongoing efforts to find more opportunities to work with Ukrainian industry, which was underscored by our signing of the Ukrainian Defence Industry Compact earlier this year.”

The areas of potential collaboration identified in the agreement consist of training, logistical support and overhaul services for tactical Unmanned Aerial Systems utilized by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, which includes the ScanEagle. In addition, the companies will also explore opportunities for Antonov to provide engineering support to Boeing.

The six largest cargo aircraft ever built in the aviation industry:Click here

“A strong, innovative, and efficient defense industry is key to sustainable economic development and national security, and we are extremely excited to collaborate with Boeing,” said Ievhen Gavrylov, CEO of Antonov Company.

This agreement brings a whole new level of opportunity to implement the latest and most effective solutions – in addition to the possibility of future projects with Boeing in the aerospace and defense industry.”