The name Garuda is taken from the Hindu tradition: it is the name of Lord Vishnu's mount (vahana) and was introduced in 1949. During the Dutch–Indonesian Round Table Conference at The Hague, from 23 August to 2 November 1949, Indonesian President Sukarno cited a Dutch poem by a renowned Javanese scholar and poet Raden Mas Noto Soeroto: "Ik ben Garuda, Vishnoe's vogel, die zijn vleugels uitslaat hoog boven uw eilanden", which means "I'm Garuda, Vishnu's Bird, that spreads its wings high above the Islands". The first flight under the name Garuda Indonesian Airways was made with a second DC-3 entering service in 1949. Its first flight under the new name was to pick up Sukarno in Yogyakarta on 28 December.
tHE name GaRUda iS taKEn FroM ThE HiNdu TradiTIOn: it IS The NAme OF LoRD vIshnU's MoUNT (VaHAna) anD wAs iNtroduced In 1949. durIng tHe dUtCh–INdonEsian round table ConferEnce at the HagUe, frOm 23 auguSt To 2 NOVEmbEr 1949, INdoNesIAn preSIDENt SuKArNo cIted a dutch poem bY A rENoWneD javaNesE schOLAR and poet RaDeN maS noto sOeroTo: "ik bEn gaRUDa, vIShnOe's vOGEL, die zijn vleUGelS uitSlaat HOoG Boven Uw eilanDEn", wHIch mEaNS "I'm gaRUDa, vishNU's bIrd, That sPReADs its wings high Above thE isLandS". thE FIrst flight uNDeR tHe nAMe gAruDA INdonESiAn AirwAYs waS maDe wItH a seConD dC-3 enTerIng sErViCE iN 1949. its first fliGHt Under THe nEW name WaS to PIck up SUkArno in yogyakARta on 28 deCemBer.