TATA, THE TITAN

The outpouring of grief that started on the 10 of October when people lined up to pay tribute to the gentleman at the core, Mr Ratan N Tata, is continuing in the writings of his admirers from the world over. His passing has evoked deep reflections on his extraordinary life and nonpareil leadership. 

A beacon of India Inc., an out-of-the-ordinary leader with an immeasurable contribution to making India, his influence on the lives of people in our country will continue when he is no longer amongst us. Tatas are the biggest employer in the country, employing over a million people in their conglomerate. Ratan Tata’s benevolence touched the lives of millions through his varied philanthropic contributions. The legend, born in 1937, joined the Tata Group in 1962 and continued his journey till the end, although he relinquished the Chairmanship when he turned 75. He was conferred Padma Vibhushan by the Indian government, a lifetime achievement award by the Rockefeller Foundation, and the Knight Grand Cross of the Excellent Order of the British Empire. It did not change the compassionate human deep inside him. 

Ratan Tata chose impact over wealth accumulation, wherein sixty per cent of profits go towards charitable trusts that fund varied philanthropic activities across India, including education and healthcare. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Tata Sons and Tata Trusts pledged 1500 crores to support India’s fight against the virus. His salt to software enterprise is an integral part of our daily life and reaches every sphere of our lives. We start the day with the morning cup of Tetley tea, eat Tata salt in the food, buy clothes from Zara, Taniera and Westside stores, cosmetics from Zudio, jewellery and watches from Tanishq, cars from Tata Motors, education in the company run institutes to getting treated in their hospitals and much more. Acquisition of British brands Jaguar Land Rover and Tetley Tea put the Tatas on the world map. Tetley Tea was one of the mammoth overseas acquisitions by an Indian company at the time. 

A kennel for stray dogs at the Bombay House, Tata Headquarters is a testament to his love for animals. In 2018, he skipped Buckingham Palace Honour to be with his ailing pet dog. Prince Charles admired the man for such a decision. Last year, he opened India’s first Small animal Hospital after years of planning. The hospital, built with such a philanthropic spirit, has high-tech facilities for small animals, his love for creatures who cannot speak. An animal welfare activist, in his own words, "My love for dogs as pets is ever strong and will continue for as long as I live," 

He had a rare combination of stately calm and fierce discipline. He took up projects that most think unthinkable. A soft-spoken gentleman could be tough when required, a balance that put Tata Group in the place it reached. The tenets of kindness, integrity and humility in times of mad race for accumulating wealth of this indistinguishable gentleman were matchless. Ratan Tata managed to retain the Tata culture, the Tata way of life set by the earlier leaders. 

A life well lived will continue to inspire generations to come. Touching the lives and hearts of millions of people is the legacy you leave behind. His trusted assistant rightly will miss his lighthouse. A philanthropist in the steps of JRD Tata believed, “Apart from values and ethics which I have tried to live by, the legacy I would like to leave behind is a very simple one—that I have stood up for what I consider to be the right thing, and I have tried to be as fair and equitable as I could be.”

Picture from Google