The Horrific Murder of Hannah Foster

Words by Bilal Shahid

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Characterized by his oversized moustache and turban, the Maharaja was Air India's beloved mascot. In their earlier days, Air India established an in-house art studio and commissioned artists from around the world to depict beautiful posters of the Maharaja in all his mischievous antics and  him adopting different personas in each destination, such as a monk in Rome, a lover boy in Paris, and even a sumo wrestler in Tokyo. The posters put Air India the map as an example of genius marketing in the mid-20th century, earning the company a myriad of advertising awards and a loyal legion of fans. While the Maharaja remains Air India’s mascot to this day, he is most fondly remembered throughout the world for his role in India’s golden age of advertising. (Available as print)

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The Horrific Murder of Hannah Foster

In July 2004, Trevor and Hilary Foster traveled to India for 10 days. Their journey was driven by the need to find and bring to justice the perpetrator responsible for the abduction, sexual assault, and murder of their 17-year-old daughter, Hannah. The prime suspect, Maninder Pal Singh Kohli, was aged 41 at the time. He had fled from Heathrow, United Kingdom, to Chandigarh, India, leaving his family behind in a bid to evade capture by authorities.

Upon their arrival, the Fosters intensified their search efforts, conducting a series of press conferences and offering a substantial £70,000 reward for any information leading to Kohli's apprehension. The escalating media attention and heightened police efforts ultimately led to his capture. However, the journey towards justice was far from over, as his extradition to the UK would encounter numerous legal obstacles, prolonging Trevor and Hilary's pursuit of closure for an additional three years.