https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

A Memory That Lives On, The Unforgettable Grace of Ratan Tata

In honoring Ratan Tata's legacy, I reflect on his humility and leadership, qualities that define true greatness. — Rohit Nandan, IAS, Former Chairman and Managing Director, Air India.
Indian Masterminds Stories

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.


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
Raj DGP
Rajasthan: New DGP Rajeev Sharma Aims to Make Rajasthan a Model for Policing in India – Know His Future Plans for Policing in State
Leopard Threat on Kanwar Yatra
UP: Leopard Threat Looms Over Kanwar Yatra in Bijnor; Administration Steps Up Vigil with Drones and Patrolling
Ladli Behna Yojana Housing
Ladli Behna Yojana: 1.30 Crore Urban Beneficiaries to Receive Houses Alongside Financial Aid, Announces MP CM Mohan Yadav
Mohan Yadav
Rs 8,682 MSP for Moong: CM Dr Mohan Yadav Requests 40% Procurement Amid Surge in Cultivation
Gwalior Chambal development pic
MP CM Mohan Yadav Flags Off Rs265 Cr Projects, Inaugurates ISBT & Sports Complex; Gwalior-Chambal Set to Become Powerhouse of Progress
Tribhuvan Sahkari University Anand
Tribhuvan Sahkari University Foundation Stone Laid by Amit Shah and Bhupendra Patel in Anand, Empower India’s 30 Crore Cooperative Workers
Mohan Yadav CM MP
MP Govt Committed to 27% OBC Reservation: CM Mohan Yadav Reaffirms Stand Based on Factual Data
cm mohan yadav
Cooperatives Empowering Youth, Driving Growth: MP CM Dr Mohan Yadav on International Cooperative Day
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
WhatsApp Image 2025-07-03 at 13.33
IRS Sanjay Bahadur: The Officer With a Pen That Bites | Video Interview
Inderjit Singh Air India
Is Air India Carrying The Burden of Split Before Privatisation?
Ex IRS C Rajendiran
Ex-IRS Officer C. Rajendiran Illuminates Thirukkural’s Timeless Wisdom in Exclusive Interview
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
IPS Deepak Meghani
Deepak Meghani, IPS: A Journey of Focus, Failure, and Quiet Discipline
A passionate writer, he has authored several books in Gujarati, ranging from exam strategy guides to...
Sanish Kumar Singh
“If you want it badly enough, you’ll find a way,” Sanish Kumar Singh AIR 8, UPSC IFS 2024 
The real interview, he says, was much more humane. “The board was conversational. The chairman opened...
Raju Wagh
When the Battlefield Became a Study Room and a Dream Took Flight
Amid IED blasts and anti-Maoist operations in Bastar, CRPF Commando Raju Wagh taught village kids, studied...
Social Media
PV Sindhu
PV Sindhu’s Visit to NADT Turns into a Wholesome Tribute to Legacy—and ‘Moolchandj
The Olympic champion shared nostalgic memories, met aspiring IRS officers, and sparked viral laughter...
Shailaja Chandra
“Nanis & Dadis Have a Brain”: Former IAS Officer Shailaja Chandra Weighs in on 1970s vs 2025 Life Debate - “This Generation Has It Better”
Responding to Viral Post on Middle-Class Struggles, Ex-Bureaucrat Offers Candid Reflection on Then and...
Tigress Arrowhead
The End of an Era: A Queen Falls - Ranthambore’s Iconic Tigress Arrowhead (T-84) Passes Away at 14, Hours After Daughter’s Relocation
Ranthambore mourns the loss of one of its fiercest and most beloved tigers, Arrowhead, the granddaughter...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
Raj DGP
Rajasthan: New DGP Rajeev Sharma Aims to Make Rajasthan a Model for Policing in India – Know His Future Plans for Policing in State
Leopard Threat on Kanwar Yatra
UP: Leopard Threat Looms Over Kanwar Yatra in Bijnor; Administration Steps Up Vigil with Drones and Patrolling
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
WhatsApp Image 2025-07-03 at 13.33
Inderjit Singh Air India
Ex IRS C Rajendiran
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT