From working at shop floor to becoming Chairman: Ratan Tata's 5 inspiring stories

Ratan Tata's close aide Suhel Seth said he will always remember his friend as a great human being who led a life with utmost dignity and compassion.

Ratan Tata, who is credited with transforming the Tata Group into a globally renowned conglomerate, died at age 86, the company said late Wednesday. Ratan Tata had been in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of a hospital in Mumbai, where his condition was described as “critical”.

Former Tata Group Chairman Ratan Tata presents Tata NANO car to Vicki Treadell, the then British Deputy High Commissioner, in Mumbai in 2009. Ratan Tata passed away at Mumbai hospital Wednesday night, Oct. 9, 2024, at the age of 86. (PTI)

Tata was born into an affluent industrial family with a rich legacy. His father, Naval Tata, was adopted by Jamshedji Tata, who founded the original Tata Iron and Steel plant in Jamshedpur in August 1907. The plant grew into Tata Group of Companies after independence and contributed to India's industrialisation.

Ratan Tata led a life of humility and simplicity. His close aide, Suhel Seth, said he will always remember Ratan Tata as a great human being who lived with utmost dignity and compassion.

Here are 5 inspiring stories from Ratan Tata's life

He worked Tata Steel's shop floor: Despite being born into a wealthy family, he worked as an apprentice on the shop floor of Tata Steel. After graduation, he gained experience across various Tata Group of companies including Telco (now Tata Motors) and Tata Steel itself. In 1981, he was elevated as chairman of Tata industries when JRD Tata stepped down. Tata had to face apprehensions within the group itself to prove himself.

Maintaining dignity at all cost: He credited his grandmother for instilling the value of maintaining dignity in inter-personal relationships. Tata recollected how his grandmother's teaching helped him avoid getting to ugly fights at school when fellow friends mocked him for his mother's remarriage to another man.

“It involved walking away from these situations, which otherwise we would’ve fought back against. I remember, after World War 2, she took my brother & me for the summer holidays to London. It was there that the values were really hammered in. She’d tell us “don’t say this” or “keep quiet about that” & that’s where ‘dignity above everything else’ really embedded in our minds,” Humans of Bombay quoted Tata as saying.

Lessons from humiliation at Harvard - While speaking at Tata Hall at Harvard Business School (HBS) in Boston, Tata said he felt confused and humiliated by the impressive and overwhelming caliber of his fellow students during his first few weeks as a student at the elite Harvard University but those initial days turned out to be the "most important weeks" of his life.

“But what it did do for me, as I soon found out, the confusion sort of disappeared, and you understood the magnitude of what you had learned in a manner that I believe is not possible to do in places other than at this business school,” Tata said.

Sweet revenge on Ford- In 1998, the Tata Motor's dream project of building India's first indigenous car Indica failed to generate sales on expected lines. The group initiated talks with American giant Ford in 1999 to sell off its car business. Tata was reportedly humiliated by Bill Ford, who questioned the purpose of manufacturing cars when the Tatas “know nothing about car production”.

Tata decided not to sell Tata Motors and later turned around the company's finances. In 2008, Tata Motors acquired loss-making luxury car brands Jaguar and Land Rover (JLR) from Ford. Many industry experts were skeptical about the ability of an Indian company to manage such prestigious global brands. However, under Tata’s leadership, JLR saw a remarkable turnaround and became highly profitable.

Humility - In 2015, a viral photograph showed him seated next to his driver on an economy-class flight. He has also been seen waiting patiently in line for food at his company's canteens. Tata’s simplicity and down-to-earth nature inspire millions, as he often says that it’s not material wealth but “making a difference in people’s lives” that matters most.

Union minister Piyush Goyal shared an anecdote on Tata's visit to his home in Mumbai. "I recall when he came home once in Mumbai for breakfast, we had only served a simple idly, sambhar, dosa. He must be having the world's best cooks. But he was so appreciative of that simple breakfast. He was so kind to all of us in the family.