Prof. Ashwani Mahajan
The sad demise of Padma Vibhushan Shri Ratan Naval Tata, one of the greatest industrialists of India and the world, is a great loss not only for the industry but for the entire nation. Before independence, the founder of Tata Group, Shri Jamshed Ji Tata laid the foundation of the largest steel industry in the country, which we know today as Tata Steel. Jamshed ji built this large steel company, collecting one rupee each as equity capital from the common man of India, demonstrating that patriotic Indians can build the nation. After Ratan Tata took over the reins of Tata Group, worked tirelessly, to carry forward the same legacy. The life of Shri Ratan Tata has been a source of inspiration for emerging entrepreneurs not only in our country but all over the world. Profit has never been the sole objective of the Tata Group and under the visionary leadership of Shri Ratan Tata, care for the workers, the poor and the downtrodden has always been top priority of Tatas. With his determination, he took the Tata Group businesses, including steel, automobiles and aviation, to the global level. His visionary leadership always made India proud. What makes Tata Group different from other business houses is that Tata Group under the leadership of Shri Ratan Tata has always been on the side of workers, people and especially the poor. He once said that when he saw a poor family stranded in heavy rain, he got an idea to make a small car that would be affordable for the common man and he accomplished the task of making the world’s cheapest and most affordable car.
While his business philosophy shows sensitivity towards the common man and the workers, his acts always reflected his immense love for the country. A famous anecdote about him is that when the Taj Hotel in Mumbai was attacked by terrorists sent by Pakistan, a Pakistani industrialist came to India to meet him in the next few days, but Shri Ratan Tata refused to meet him. In such a situation, when a then minister in the Government of India urged him to have that meeting, he clearly said “You may be shameless, but I am not.”
Whenever the country faced crisis, Shri Ratan Tata contributed generously. Recently, during the Corona period, Ratan Tata contributed Rs 500 crore. Apart from this, the Tata Group contributed a total of Rs 1500 crore during the Covid crisis. This amount was more than any business group in the country. His commitment to the principle of taking people along is evident from one of his sayings, in which he said, “If you want to walk fast, walk alone.
But – if you want to walk far, walk together.”
Although he was heading country’s largest industrial house, he never let anyone feel this, whosoever met him. Overall, he is known as a perfect example of humility.
When he took over the leadership of the Tata Group, other industrial groups were expanding in various fields. Ratan Tata chose a different path and acquired companies internationally to take India’s name globally apart from giving impetus to his pre-established industries. When Tatas acquired Corus Company from UK for $12 billion, at the time of acquisition, Corus was four times larger than Tata Steel in terms of annual steel production. Corus was the 9th largest steel producing company in the world, while Tata Steel was ranked 56th. After the acquisition, Tata Steel became the 5th largest steel producing company in the world. Generally, whenever a foreigner acquires a company, there is opposition among the people and employees there, but the most proud thing in this acquisition was that the employees celebrated the moment, because they were confident of fair treatment, because Tata has always been known as a company that puts employee interests paramount.
Similarly, the world’s largest car company Ford was also acquired by the Tata Group under the leadership of Ratan Tata, due to which Tata Motors made a big place not only in India but in the world’s automobile market.
He has always been a guiding force for policy makers. His personality was such that he would forewarn others, including policy makers for their mistakes. Ratan Tata has always won the love, praise and loyalty of workers, consumers and common man with his visionary leadership towards the Tata Group. Among all the big industrial houses, it was the Tata Group that not only paid full salary to its employees during the Covid-19 pandemic, but also ensured that the families of those who lost their lives during Covid-19 continued to receive full salary till the date of their retirement.
