Next to the Flora Fountain in Mumbai is a large building – the Tata House. A 70-year-old man gets down from a gray Indica car in the lane next to the building. He is wearing a light blue cotton shirt and loose gray color pants. On his feet are leather sandals. Getting down from the car, he goes straight to the building and stands in the line of people waiting to go up to the elevator that appears as soon as he enters the building.
The person who came in plain clothes, drove a very plain car and stood in line, is none other than Ratan Tata himself. Owner of the same Tata House. Owner of the Tata Group of Industries, one of the oldest and richest conglomerates in the country.
On Wednesday, around 11 pm, Ratan Naval Tata breathed his last. 86-year-old Ratan Tata was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai.
He who has come into this world has to go one day. But the question is what legacy does one leave behind? In the form of ideas, values, ideals, it always remains alive in the memories of people and in the lives of the coming generation.
Many people working in Tata House used to come to the office dressed in suits and boots rather than him. But Ratan Tata used to come everyday in the same simple clothes in such a way that even if one did not recognize his face, one could mistake him as an ordinary employee of the Tata house.
Every day he would stand in front of the elevator and wait for his turn. If any clerk stood in front of them and asked Ratanji to go first, they would refuse and stand in line. Similar stories are told about his uncle JRD Tata in the Tata House. Who knows, this humility, this simplicity may have come from there.
So, today in this column we remember Ratan Tata with heavy hearts, full eyes and much love and respect.
How can one become a rattan tata? In life we always talk about success, prosperity, position, power and money. Everyone wants to have it all. But what is rarely talked about is what was unique about those who achieved it all that took them to the heights of success.
A person does not become a leader just because he inherited his father's established company. One can get companionship, but if one does not have ability, depth of personality and greatness in one's character one cannot get success, love and respect of people around.
What Ratan Tata earned in his life was not just money and success. To be honest, this was the most insignificant thing for him. What he has earned is respect and immense love for him in the hearts of those who know him.
Prosperity needs no show Except for some special occasions, Ratan Tata always wore simple clothes and slippers. He had a simple phone, drove an Indica car and drove it himself. There was no hypocrisy in their daily life, lifestyle and dress. These were not just external things. It was a matter of deep values that external glitter did not matter to him. The only difference was how beautiful and shiny his work was.
Emotions are not weakness, they are our strength Ratanji once said, I have done the bravest and most powerful thing in my life, that is, I have allowed my feelings to be expressed in front of the world. From the youth and children who ever approach Ratan Tata hoping for funding for their unique idea, you will hear many stories of feelings and love from the youth.
Whenever he came up with a unique, original idea, he welcomed it with an open heart and helped the youth. If he was angry with people, they would have gone ahead to love him.
A leader's job is not to control, but to care We all want to be a leader in life, but don't think what the job of a true leader is. True leadership does not mean taking control, it means taking care of those under your control. Take their hand and show them the way. Helping them to be competent and always worry about it, feel proud.
Thousands of people working with him are witness to this. Those who have seen Ratan Tata's vision as well as his care, have grown up with him. All the wealth of the world is very insignificant compared to this inheritance.
Criticism is our greatest teacher In 1981, when JRD Tata announced Ratan Tata as the next successor to the Tata Group of Industries, more people were upset than happy about the decision. Tata Group employees, investors and shareholders were upset with this decision. Newspaper editorials and opinion columns said that a novice was not capable of shouldering this responsibility.
But what was the result of all this? Ratan Tata once said in a public forum, Criticism is our greatest teacher. It teaches the same. Challenges are truly learning opportunities and mistakes are life's most valuable lessons.
There is no road that runs straight in a line. Ups and downs are a sign that the path is alive. If in ECG even when the line starts to straighten, it means that we are not alive.
Have a new idea, which is different from all others? Famous Hollywood actor Al Pacino said a very beautiful thing in a conversation with New York Times a few days ago – “The best is nothing. Everyone does a good job. Everyone is the best. The question is how much new do you think, what new did you do, which no one has ever done before.
Ratan Tata's entire life and career has been a testimony to innovation and uniqueness. So, to move forward, always ask yourself a question – “What have I done, what have I thought? Not the best, but how original I am.”
Do yourself first what you want from others As a leader, whatever we want the team to do and the path we want to follow, we ourselves have to follow that path first. First you have to do it yourself. If you want the team to work hard, you have to work four times as hard yourself. If you want to get love, you have to give a lot of love first. Only that which comes back to us is what we have given.
Ratan Tata's life is an example. He got so much love, so much respect because he gave it. His team worked hard because at the age of 80 he himself worked harder than the young men on the team.
How much do you invest in people and relationships? Everyone invests to grow the company and career, but the question is how much they invested in life, relationships and friendships. Hug your partner and tell him how much you love him. Kiss those children on the forehead every night and tell them a bedtime story. Stand with friends and colleagues in joy and sorrow, hold their hands and carry on.
This is the most valuable capital that Ratan Tata carried with him. He has never married. He had no family of his own, but still had a very large family, who loved and cared for him.
Image Credit: (Divya-Bhaskar): Images/graphics belong to (Divya-Bhaskar).
