India bid farewell to the legendary business magnate and philanthropist, Ratan Tata, on October 9. As the nation mourns the loss of one of its greatest icons, those who worked closely with him are left reminiscing about his presence and his enduring impact.
In a heartfelt LinkedIn post, N Chandrasekaran, the current Chairman of Tata Sons, recalled several personal experiences of him with Ratan Tata.
In his post he recalled some his experiences with Ratan Tata and said that he wasn’t just a business tycoon. He was a man who cared deeply for people, whether it was employees, partners, or even the stray dogs outside his company’s headquarters.
One such memory dates back to March 2017, shortly after Chandrasekaran became Chairman of Tata Sons. Tata Motors was embroiled in a wage dispute with its employee union, which had dragged on for two years. Ratan Tata, who was closely involved despite stepping down from active leadership, met with the union leaders alongside Chandrasekaran, he added to his post.
Screengrab on N Chandrasekaran LinkedIn post |
“He relayed three messages: he regretted the delay in resolving the dispute, explained that the company was going through hardship, and committed that we would resolve this within two weeks,” Chandrasekaran wrote.
Bombay House and Ratan Tata’s Love for Details
Ratan Tata’s attention to detail was legendary. One of Chandrasekaran’s memories is from when he planned to renovate Bombay House, Tata Group's headquarters, which hadn’t been touched since 1924. Many warned him that Ratan Tata might not approve, calling the building “a temple.”
When Chandrasekaran finally broached the subject with Mr. Tata, his first concern wasn’t the building itself but the dogs that roamed the premises. “Where will the dogs go?” he asked. It was a simple question but spoke volumes about his priorities.
Even during the renovation, Tata’s concern wasn’t with the grandeur of the new design but with the creation of a proper kennel for the dogs. When the renovation was complete, his first stop wasn’t the sleek new offices but the kennel, to ensure the dogs were well cared for. “His joy was confirmation that we had done the right thing,” Chandrasekaran noted.
The Man with a Photographic Memory
Ratan Tata’s mind was as sharp as his heart was big. Chandrasekaran recalled that if Mr. Tata ever visited a place, he could remember every detail, from the smallest piece of furniture to the lighting and colour scheme.
Ratan Tata |
“He was always observing and processing, from large ideas to the smallest details,” Chandrasekaran shared.
"There is so much else to say about who he was, but for now, as I process his absence, this will have to do: His eye received everything clearly, as his mind perceived everything clearly," he added in his post.
