Sunday Drive by Hormazd Sorabjee: Namaste to the new Indian emperor on the road

Born with 95 per cent locally sourced components, Skoda’s latest baby is more Indian than Czech and has fittingly been given an Indian-sounding name. Say hello to the grounds-up, all-new Skoda Kushaq, derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Kushak’ for king or emperor. It looks like Skoda took to ‘rashi’, the Vedic astro-numerological naming practice, seriously in the hope that its newborn would be blessed with a long and successful life. Thing is, the Kushaq is much more than just another SUV in the range. It’s the start of an all-new chapter in India for Skoda. This mid-size SUV has the task of reviving Skoda’s fortunes in India and serving other export markets as well.