Chennai, Dec. 16 -- It isn't every day that you come across companies declaring with some ferocity that they are second best. That kind of intensity is usually reserved in the battle for the top spot. But with the No.1 position out of reach by some distance in this particular business, everybody is fighting to be No. 2.

"The debate about the number two position is finally over," declared Ixigo's chairman and group chief executive Aloke Bajpai, in a conversation with Mint. "If you look at impact, we touch more travellers than anyone else. On financial metrics like revenue or GTV (gross transaction value), we are number two. On growth, we are number one because we are the fastest growing OTA (online travel agency)."

But, Manjari Singhal, ...