In Ratan Tata’s demise, India has lost one of its most illustrious citizens. He represented a culture, now nearly extinct, of honesty, integrity, ethics, and humility. His stewardship of the Tata institutions over the last few decades took both the Company and the Trust to dizzying heights.
I personally met Mr. Tata in 2000 when the UP Chief Minister, Mr. Gupta, was visiting Mumbai to solicit investments in the State. He was staying at the Taj Hotel, and Mr. Tata was scheduled to meet him at 5 p.m. As the main coordinator of the CM’s program, it was my task to receive Mr. Tata and take the minutes of the meeting. It was a pleasant surprise to see Mr. Tata drive his own car and park it without any assistance. Despite being the owner of the hotel, there was no ostentatious or ceremonial protocol to receive him. A manager tried to escort him to the CM’s room, but I was surprised when Mr. Tata politely declined the offer. He smiled, thanked the lady, and simply said, “Don’t worry, I know the way.”
As a government servant, accustomed to infinite servility from subordinates, I found his behavior and demeanor exceptional and exemplary.
The meeting with the Chief Minister was polite, and Mr. Tata remained remarkably receptive and responsive to the CM’s suggestions, who himself was an outstandingly simple and humble man. It was indeed a pleasing experience to see two men of similar temperaments communicate without any airs or pretensions.
After the meeting, while leaving, Mr. Tata thanked me for the courtesies and requested that I not take the trouble of escorting him down to his car. Upon my insistence, he simply said thanks and conversed with me pleasantly until he sat in his car and drove away.
It’s a memory that still persists in my mind, as Mr. Tata, a scion of the legendary Tata family, was held in high esteem by all Indians. The Tatas have given India services and institutions that are highly revered and respected.
When the Government of India decided to hand over the national carrier, Air India, to the Tatas, as a former CMD of Air India, I felt a sense of relief that the company I had headed and nurtured with infinite affection was going into safe hands. It significantly reduced the pain of privatization. That moment reignited the pleasant memories of my unforgettable meeting with Mr. Tata two decades earlier. Such was the impact of this tall, lovable, and extremely gifted and dignified man on my mind.
I respectfully bow to his memory.
