Even though they bridged great distances, they looked like two poles apart. He the king of good times, and he a sprightly, younger avatar of RK Laxman's quintessential common man. They in fact went great distances to articulate that the twain shall not meet. Remember that "I am from Mars and you're from Venus" adage?
When the buzz got afloat that Kingfisher was interested in picking up a stake in Air Deccan, both played it down. "I have always maintained that the low cost model is not sustainable in India," thus spake indomitable Vijay Malaya. In about a month, which would be May 2007, he was more forthright. "Am I interested? Yes." But a resolute Captain Gopinathan was unyielding. "Air Deccan has no plan to sell either part of the stake or the entire airline to anyone." One month later Mallya had landed 26% stake in Deccan Aviation. How did it happen? TV18 later asked Gopinathan whatever had become of the Mars and Venus bit?
"Initially, I spurned the offer because we have been talking for the last six months and Mallya wanted to merge the two airlines … but I told him merger will never work because we are on the opposite side of business spectrum."
"What did Mr Mallya offer you that made you change your mind?"
"Mallya sprang this surprise about 5-6 days ago and he said give me one more opportunity to talk to you, as he had a new offer. He said, 'I don't want to merge the airline, I will invest in your airline as an independent investor with a strategic interest and you can continue to run the airline."
December 20, 2007: The story broke that premier domestic airline Kingfisher and low-cost carrier Air Deccan would merge soon and operate as a single entity in the new year.
Happy flying this new year. Keep breaking new grounds, and barriers. Because they are meant to be.
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