So great, yet so simple

The year was 1992. JRD Tata had handed over the reins of the Tata Group to Ratan Tata just a few months back and Bharatratna award was conferred upon JRD Tata in that year. There was a function organized on the lawns of NCPA in Mumbai to facilitate JRD Tata. As a very junior employee in a Tata company, I had gone to NCPA to attended it along with my colleagues. When the function concluded and crowds were dispersing, we saw JRD, Ratan Tata, and few stalwarts of the Tata Group chatting amongst themselves on the dias. We decided to take a chance and see if we could personally meet and  congratulate JRD. As we were standing at the footsteps of the dais in expectation, JRD noticed us and signaled to us with his hand to come up.

We were thrilled to go up and shake hand with him. He warmly accepted our wishes, enquired which company we work for, patted us on the back and told us to always live the Values that we stand for.

As we were about to turn back and leave, Ratan Tata approached us with his usual warm smile, thanked us for our wishes, and extended his best wishes to us. Humility of both of them had deeply touched our heart that day.

Twenty years passed. The year was 2012. I had continued with the same Tata company. In the annual function of the company in that year, I was a part of the team that won the award for the best all-round business performance. Ratan Tata was handing over the reins of the Tata Group to Cyrus Mistry in that year.

I was called upon stage to receive the award at their hands. Later in the evening at the  dinner event, I took an opportunity to approach him and asked if I could share a memory with him. He very willingly acknowledged it. I started by referring to the function on the lawns of NCPA in 1992. To my great surprise, he promptly said “Yes, that was for JRD’s Bharatratna”.

I narrated the whole incident to him and said that I had gone on the dais on my own at that time, and that it was a great moment for me to be invited on the stage this time. With that same warm smile he patted me on my back and congratulated me.

I also pointed out to him the coincidence that both these events happened when generational change was happening right at the helm of the Tata Group. In the first meeting he had just taken over the Group Chairmanship and in the second event he was handing it over. The entire conversation lasted for about five minutes.

The interest that he showed and the participative attention that he extended were etched in my memory forever. In the question-answer session earlier during the day, he was asked about unpleasant experiences related to Nano plant. His answers had brought out a tough decision maker in him and highlighted the extent to which he would go resolutely to uphold the Values that he believed in.

Seeing such a Business Leader engaging with me so humbly to listen to my memories and showing keen interest in the discussion was indeed a unique experience for me.  

His contribution to Industry and Society, and his exemplary leadership in the post economic liberalization era will continue to inspire generations. He has touched many lives through the trusteeship concept of management and rich contribution to all walks of life through Tata Trusts. But a down to earth, humble person in him would have touched  hearts of many ordinary people like me in a very special way.

His memory will always be alive in the mind of thousands of such people. 

May his soul rest in peace.

(The writer has worked in a Tata company for more than 30 years.)