India's beleaguered national carrier landed back in the hands of its founders, decades after it was nationalised and following years as a monumental burden on the public purse. Tata, a sprawling family-owned conglomerate with interests ranging from tea to software, is back in charge of Air India after concluding the 180 billion rupee ($2.4 billion) deal. The handover marked the end of a long search for a buyer by India's government, which has spent nearly $15 billion propping up the airline since 2009. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES