By RAMAKANT CHAUDHARY
Incredible and rewarding lifetime from 1937 to 2024, now on an immortal infinite journey. India and the world have lost a “Giant With A Giant Heart.” Myriads of shades of emotional condolence messages are pouring in from all walks of life across the world. Commoners, celebrities, politicians, global personalities, and business tycoons stand united in grief. The feel of the mourning words is threaded in the echoing of “याद बहुत आओगे”… The 86 dazzling milestones of his life’s journey on the Earth will be deeply etched in memories. The demise of RATAN TATA, chairman emeritus of the Tata Group, shook the world. His sagacity, kindness, compassion and brilliancy of business have left behind a colossal legacy— such an enviously big shoes to be filled hardly by anyone. Beyond (business) headlines and boardroom, he–a Padama Vibhushan awardee in 2008 (country’s second-highest civilian award) –was an extraordinary human being and a compassionate soul whose unstinting commitment to make society better for one and all, including animals, with genuine humility has left a deep-rooted mark that will benefit generations to come.
Created by Parsi priest Jamshet-Ji Tata, Tata Group has pedaled a long mile on the business landscape to become a nation-builder from a humble start in 1868. From salt to steel and from Tanishq to Truck, Tata Group has eventually become synonymous with trust under the visionary leadership of Ratan Tata–known as the man who changed the fortune for the Tata Group. Taking the reins of leadership as Chairman of Tata Sons and Chairman of the Tata trusts in March 1991 after his predecessor JRD Tata passed away, Ratan Tata rapidly expanded India’s oldest business conglomerate, 156-year-old, with its operations spanning more than 100 countries which clocked USD 165 billion in revenue in FY 2023-24. His helming of the group coincided with the start of liberalization of the economy in 1990. After finishing his graduation degree in architecture from Cornell University, New York, in 1962, he joined the family firm Tata Group. Ratan Tata hung up his boots as Chairman of Tata Sons in December 2012 after 50 years with the Tata group. He was crowned with the title of Chairman Emeritus of Tata Sons.
Ratan Tata reorganized the Tata Group within six years of his joining. The elevation of business revenue from USD 5.9 billion to USD 100 billion during his retirement has gone through the prism of Tata’s visionary mind with hard work, determination and passion. This process has witnessed sacking of maverick heads of verticals like Russi Modi of Tata Steel, Darbari Seth at Tata Chemicals, and Ajit Kelkar of Indian Hotels Co. His stint with the group has gone through boardroom battles. The acrimonious boardroom fight with Cyrus Mistry snowballed into a public spat with the Shapoorji Pallonji family, which owns 18 percent of Tata Sons. He handed over the baton to Natarajan Chandrasekaran in January 2017 and donned his role of chairman emeritus of Tata Sons.
Ratan Tata not only achieved several groundbreaking achievements but also scripted one of the most outstanding comeback stories in the corporate world. The epic saga of daggers drawn between Tata and Ford is still reverberating and could be a strong character of Bollywood movie script. In 1999 Ratan Tata decided to sell the car business and met Bill Ford, chairperson of Ford company. During the meeting Bill Ford humiliated Tata saying: “You do not know anything about passenger cars, why did you start the business at all? We are doing you a favour by buying your car division.” Ratan Tata changed the course, not to sell the car division. Known for his never give-up attitude, Tata burnt midnight oil to evolve a better version of Indica, India’s first indigenously manufactured and designed car, which became one of highest selling cars of the company. Nine years later when the “Great Recession 2008” hit the world, Ford badly skidded to bankruptcy. And the table had turned on Ratan Tata who offered to buy Jaguar and Land Rover, and finally a deal was sealed in 2008 to buy the brands from Ford.
Ratan Tata’s dedication to philanthropy and the development of society has touched not only the lives of millions of people, but also dogs and animals. His love for dogs has changed the course of animal welfare in India. In 2018, he canceled his trip to London to receive a prestigious lifetime achievement award for his philanthropic work from Prince Charles (now King Charles III) at Buckingham Palace. The REASON: Ratan Tata’s dog fell sick. Hearing this King Charles could not help but admire him, stating: “That’s a man. That’s the man Ratan is… That’s why the house of Tata is on a stable course.” Tata’s affection for animals extended far beyond his own pets. In July 2023, following years of preparation and setbacks, he inaugurated India’s first Small Animal Hospital in Mahalaxmi, Mumbai. This cutting-edge facility spans 98,000 square feet and marks a significant milestone in animal healthcare.
A true visionary, whose legacy of kindness and leadership will echo through time. His story will forever be cherished by the earth and sky, like a timeless melody:
हम हैं इस पल यहाँ, जाने हो कल कहाँ
हम मिले न मिले, हम रहें न रहें
रहेगी सदा यहाँ, प्यार की ये दास्तान
सुनेंगे सदा जिसे, ये ज़मीन आसमान…
Ramakant Chaudhary is senior journalist and currently working with PRP Group as Content Head. He has worked in various editorial roles with Financial Express, Mint (Hindustan Times Group), The Times Of India, Jagran Post (Dainik Jagran Group), The Pioneer, and The Political and Business Daily. He writes going beyond headlines on: politics, government policy, economy, infrastructure, real estate, education, social issues, lifestyle, and health.