The man who inspired an entire generation of dreamers to pursue their passion with ethics, vision and humility not just in India, but across the globe
The sorrowful passing away of the Chairman Emeritus of Tata Sons, Ratan Tata, has hit the nation hard. He was 86 and undergoing treatment at the Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai. Widely regarded as one of the most influential personalities of our generation, the business tycoon had touched people’s lives across national boundaries. A global icon, an unparalleled visionary, a charming personality, genuinely altruistic, and inherent humility – are some of the attributes the world knows him for. His way of life and actions have corroborated these claims and confirmed their veracity. While the nation mourns his demise, I believe we must celebrate the life of a legend, the likes of which incarnate only once in a generation.
Early Days
They say, “A smooth sea never made a skilled mariner”, and I have found this dictum to hold water in every situation. The childhood days for Ratan Tata were far from comfortable. Born to Naval Tata and Sooni Tata of the esteemed Tata family in 1937, he was raised by his grandmother because of his parent’s separation when he was just 10. Imagine growing up without the nurturing of your parents. While this might be reason enough for most youngsters to go off the rails, Ratan Tata got acquainted with the deep-rooted morals and ethics his forefathers’ company used to run on. Having imbibed these virtues, he studied at various prestigious schools across the nation. For higher studies, he migrated to the U.S. and completed his education at Cornell University in Architecture and Structural Engineering before joining the revered Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Program in the early 1960s.
Taking The Unconventional Path
Securing a job in one of the biggest companies in the world is a dream almost all college pass-outs harbour. Ratan Tata got this opportunity after he received a job offer from IBM post his studies. However, he shockingly decided to join Telco (called Tata Motors today) in 1962 and commenced at the grassroots level. Initially, he would shovel limestone alongside the factory workers to gain insights into the experience of working at the company. This stint informed many of his leadership decisions later on, making him a distinct leader which was appreciated by the world. In 1971, he became the director of National Radio and Electronics (NELCO).
By 1981, he assumed the position of Chairman of Tata Industries which was Tata Group’s holding company responsible for transforming it into a group strategy think tank and a promoter of new ventures in high-technology businesses. Finally, in 1991, he was named Chairman of Tata Sons. Now, his leadership fields include Tata Motors, Tata Steel, Tata Consultancy Services, Tata Power, Tata Global Beverages, Tata Chemicals, and Indian Hotels here and abroad. Interestingly, he was also on the international advisory boards of Mitsubishi Corporation and JP Morgan Chase.
Challenges, Revenge and Success of Tata Motors
Aligning with the globalization of India in 1991, Ratan Tata, at the helm of affairs at Tata Motors envisioned a dream project of conceptualizing, designing, engineering and manufacturing a car in India. The famed Tata Indica was the outcome of that far-sightedness with a mix of risk-taking and a passionate mindset. Consequently, Indica was incepted with the tag of being the first indigenous vehicle in India. It remained in production from 1998 to 2018. This was a momentous milestone etched in the history of India and what better person to credit it to than the man who is part of the fabric of this nation, Ratan Tata.
However, it was not all smooth sailing for the passenger vehicle division of Tata Motors in the early days. In fact, these challenges led to the occurrence of one of the most renowned and historic stories from the automobile industry in the last couple of decades. In 1999, Ratan Tata and his team flew to the U.S. and approached Ford to sell his fledging car business. However, Bill Ford and his team allegedly humiliated Ratan Tata and his colleagues by remarking something along the lines of “You do not know anything, why did you start the passenger car division at all”. Additionally, Ford said that it would do Tata Motors a favour by buying their car division.
This unfortunate incident has had a lasting impact on Ratan Tata. What followed next was nothing short of magical. Ratan Tata came back to India with a new-found dedication, vigour and motivation to create a successful car brand. Having worked day and night and putting blood, sweat and tears into the company, the business flourished extensively. When Ford filed for bankruptcy after the 2008 financial meltdown, it was Ratan Tata who stepped in and took over Jaguar Land Rover from Ford in a historic $.23 billion, all-cash transaction. This classy move from the great man certainly humbled the American auto giant. Even in revenge, Ratan Tata displayed immense character and composure.
Note that 2008 was also the year when Tata Motors launched the infamous Tata Nano. Again, it was Ratan Tata who wanted to provide the safety and practicality of a car to the middle-class Indians who had the budget for just a motorcycle. Unfortunately, the tag ‘cheapest car in the world’ didn’t sit well with the consumers and the compact car didn’t do all that well on the sales charts. But today, Tata Motors is the third-largest car marque in India selling millions of cars each year. He stayed at the helm of affairs at Tata Sons until 2012. Due to his ardent followers, he bagged the title of Chairman Emeritus. In fact, by 2011, Tata Sons’ revenues breached a whopping $100 billion. Even Air India was bought back by Tata in 2022. This is particularly special since Ratan Tata’s uncle JRD Tata founded it in 1932.
Accolades and Philanthropy
It is a foregone conclusion that a visionary like Ratan Tata would be recognized for his immense contributions to not just India, but the world at large. The Government of India felicitated him with Padma Bhushan in 2000 and Padma Vibhushan in 2008, two of the highest civilian honours in the country. In addition to that, he possessed honorary doctorates from several universities in India and abroad. Ratan Tata has always been a huge proponent of charity and helping humanity. He was the Chairman of Sir Ratan Tata Trust and Allied Trusts, and the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust and the Allied Trusts. True to his character and life philosophy, he famously contributed Rs 500 Crore during the dreaded Covid-19 pandemic. He has even funded innumerable educational institutes like the Indian Institute of Science and several Indian Institutes of Management.
Bidding Farewell
As we join together to bid farewell to a gem from this earth, the heavens will surely be celebrating the return of an angel. I believe we should focus on Ratan Tata’s life and his approach towards fellow human beings while being a respected leader for such a long time. Regardless of where you are in your life, there is definitely, something valuable to learn from his blessed life. It goes without saying that he has inspired countless people knowingly and unknowingly in India and abroad. If we can inculcate even a fraction of what Ratan Tata stood for in our lives, I am sure we will surely depart this planet by being someone people will remember.
Also Read: WATCH Rare Video of Ratan Tata Driving His Mercedes SL500
