The central government has cleared the way for new airlines to operate in India, with Shankh Air being the first to receive a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the Ministry of Civil Aviation. Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu on Tuesday stated that the move comes after meetings with aspiring carriers, including Al Hind Air and FlyExpress, which have also been granted their NOCs this week.
In a post on X, Naidu wrote, “Over the last one week, pleased to have met teams from new airlines aspiring to take wings in Indian skies--Shankh Air, Al Hind Air and FlyExpress. While Shankh Air has already got the no objection certificate (NOC) from the ministry, Al Hind Air and FlyExpress have received their NOCs this week.”
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Who is the owner of Sankh Air?
Shankh Air is set to become the first airline from Uttar Pradesh, offering flights from Lucknow, the upcoming Jewar Airport in Noida, and New Delhi. The airline’s founder, Shravan Kumar Vishwakarma, also owns Shankh Agencies Private Limited, a company established in 2022 that operates in building materials, ceramics, concrete, and wholesale goods. Expanding into aviation, Vishwakarma launched Shankh Aviation Private Limited last year to manage the airline operations.
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About Shravan Kumar Vishwakarma
Shravan’s journey to establishing an airline company is truly inspirational. The man who once drove a tempo in Kanpur, took dips in the Ganges, and lived an ordinary life, is now about to run his own airline. Working on his dream of making air travel accessible to ordinary people, he introduced Uttar Pradesh's first airline.
Born into a middle-class family in Kanpur, Shravan was not very interested in academics. Due to his friendships and circumstances, he dropped out of school early. He then ventured into the business world and gradually established himself. His first major business was in the steel (TMT) sector. Later, he expanded into cement, mining, and transportation. Shravan then built a large fleet of trucks that further established him as big businessman.
Shravan himself once revealed that he not only travelled in tempos, but also drove his friends' tempos. His belief that a person who rises from humble beginnings experiences everything – bicycles, buses, trains, and tempos motivated him along his journey.
How the idea for Sankh Air was born?
About 3-4 years ago, Shravan was driven by a passion to do something different. He believed that aviation was a growth industry of the future. He understood that with people increasingly wanting to save time, air travel had become a necessity. During a trip, he realised there was a significant lack of affordable and reliable airlines for the middle class and that's how the idea for Shankh Airlines was born.