A Titan of a man

Ratan Naval Tata (1937–2024)

No tribute to Ratan Naval Tata can do justice to the man. As a torchbearer and transformer, the late Chairman Emeritus of the Tata Group, he was the essential strong thread that bound many things that the new India needed. He was a distinctive personality, in life and at work.

When he took over as chairman of the group in March 199, “the Tata group was a bloated, unevenly managed and excessively bureaucratic behemoth operating in an India that had only begun jettisoning the jargon of socialism and the shibboleths of policy-making that had promised plenty but delivered little. Worse, Mr Tata was seen by many as an interloper, with none of the charisma or the capability of the legend who had preceded him, an accidental chieftain who had ascended to the top mainly by virtue of his surname and lineage. Decades later, it can be argued without favour or prejudice that Mr Tata changed the group for the better in a more substantial manner than any of the luminaries under whose care the organisation evolved since its inception in 1868. That he did this while staying true to the traditions and tenets of the group – in an environment where so many have succumbed to the allure of the soft buck – have made his accomplishments exemplary. By coincidence or destiny, Mr Tata’s becoming chairman was synchronised with the opening up of India’s economy. Here was the chance to fashion a new kind of organisation, to rejuvenate and recast its many enterprises to suit a radically altered business dynamic,” – quoted the obituary note on the Group website.

From building brands like Titan to the Nano, he was a visionary and strategist, under whom Tata became one of India’s most trusted brands. As a philanthropist too, his contributions have left an indelible mark on industry and society, touching millions of lives. And that will remain his legacy.

May his soul rest in peace.

(Photo source: Tata group website)