It seems like yesterday that I cheered and applauded as the dynamic Ratan Tata, who transformed the Tata Group into a global behemoth, towered on stage at Tel Aviv University as he received an honorary doctorate. KRS Jamwal was with his mentor as part of the delegation that worked on Tata synergies with Tel Aviv University. It was one of those joyous evenings one remembers for rare one-on-one inspiring interactions I have had over the years. He had already begun to show his age but the good looks had not waned. The spark and wry humour, that was so much part of his charm, came across in his acceptance speech.
Sometime before that, a Tata delegation had gone to Washington DC as Obama hosted a dinner at the White House for our then prime minister. Ratan Tata was one of the key guests. My heart swelled with pride when even cabbies on Capitol Hill were excited about this ‘Hollywood star-like business tycoon’ coming to town. The then Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, paled in comparison.
I've seen this titan at close quarters and had some special interactions through 25 years of being a Tata wife, and have cherished the memorable words and laughter we shared. But it is the magical stories my husband related about this doyen of business and industry in India that make this man so enigmatic to me. It would be an understatement to say Ratan Tata was special to my husband KRSJ and vice versa. My husband shared the most amazing vignettes that made this anmol Ratan's towering persona tangible (in association). He has been a true game-changer of immense vision, innovation, and daring that made the Tata Group a global giant, and a lot of it came from his innate curiosity about things.
Says KRSJ, “India, and much of the world, knows him for the great visionary business person and philanthropist he was, and I was privileged to have worked for him when he balanced both those roles, and several others, including representing India in global fora and in government committees. There are so many wonderful memories and so much I have learnt because of his generosity and affection.”
It was in Japan that I had the rare privilege to view first-hand his enthusiasm for technology at a large electronic store, not realizing that for this inveterate entrepreneur, this was a benchmarking mission for the idea of Croma, which he was already incubating. Until then, we in India made do with mom-and-pop strip mall stores and floundered for technology. Being a hardcore techie fond of gadgets from myriad types and styles of vacuum cleaners to hi-fi televisions, Croma was a game-changer not only for me but for this country. I can't believe I was fortunate enough to witness this dream and its fructification in front of my eyes.
A humorous moment at Tokyo airport occurred when he offered to help with my heavy handbag, and at that very moment, I was trying to catch his bag and offered to carry it as KRS looked on, amused and a tad embarrassed as he is wont to do. What a man! Hollywood good looks intertwined with integrity and charm and a million-dollar smile.
Speaking of dreams, it was only after he stepped down as Chairman of the Tata group that he seemed to be having a blast investing in young startups that excited him because intrinsically he has been a techie at heart. Technology and new innovations excited him, and he sat for hours with KRS creating new businesses for Tata Industries.
KRSJ reminisced and shared this last memory with me: “The unique and great human being he was is perhaps exemplified in this photograph - it is one of the farewells when he retired as Tata Sons Chairman in 2012. He hosted this dinner, and invited only the office team - no hierarchy, everyone from office peons, Executive Assistants to Vice Presidents, but only his team - the picture unfortunately is missing some who left before it was taken. That was his farewell - to us. Unlike when I worked for him, in recent years I could finally express my deep personal affection and love for him - something hard to do for a professional like me, to his mentor. God bless him. His memory is a blessing.“
Today, it's difficult for me to believe he's gone. And I had no idea I'd be so impacted and feel so much anguish. I'm thinking it's by association to my husband who felt like he'd lost a parent one more time. But it's more than that. It's also a public personality that impacts an entire country with his magnanimity in serving others impacting lives through dedicated philanthropy over years, atlas humility towards the little people. From his houseboy to even the newspaper vendor he gives a ride to. I was chatting with the Cuffe Parade newspaper vendor who said Mr Tata would stop his car and give him a ride ever so often. His acts of humane compassion make him a legend that will live on in the hearts of generations to come. And, continue to fire our souls with dreams and inspiration beyond his lifetime.
