Manas Ranjan Mahapatra, Puri, 27 October 2024
“I want to remember your face so that when I meet you in heaven, I can recognize you and thank you once again.”
When Indian billionaire Ratan Tata was asked by the radio presenter in a telephone interview:
“Sir, what do you remember when you got the happiest in life”?
Ratan Tata said:
“I have gone through four stages of happiness in life, and I finally understood the meaning of true happiness.
The first stage was to accumulate wealth and resources. But at this stage I didn’t get the happiness I wanted.”
“Then came the second stage of collecting valuables and items. But I realized that the effect of these things is also temporary and the luster of precious things does not last long.”
“Then came the third phase of getting a big project. That was when I had 95% of the diesel supply in India and Africa. I was also the owner of the largest steel factory in India and Asia. But even here I did not get the happiness that I had imagined.”
“The fourth step was when a friend of mine asked me to buy wheelchairs for some disabled children. About 200 children. At the behest of a friend, I immediately bought wheelchairs.”
“But the friend insisted that I go with him and hand over the wheelchairs to the children. I got ready and went with him. There I gave these children the wheelchairs with my own hands. I saw a strange glow of happiness on the faces of these children. I saw them all sitting on wheelchairs, moving and having fun.”
“It was as if they had reached a picnic spot, where they were sharing a winning gift. I felt real happiness inside me. When I decided to leave, one of the kids grabbed my leg.”
“I tried to slowly release my leg, but the child looked at my face and held my leg tight. I leaned over and asked the child: do you need anything else?”
“The answer this kid gave me not only shocked me but also completely changed my outlook towards life.”
This child said:
“I want to remember your face so that when I meet you in heaven, I can recognize you and thank you once again.”
It’s painful for the whole country to bid farewell to the legendary son of our soil, Ratan Naval Tata. The great son who led Indian Industry for more than half a century without any undue political patronage like his compatriots.
Ratan Tata remained a bachelor, as he could not marry his beloved who was from another faith. However, he never believed in any specific faith and supported/conducted several inter-religious dowryless marriages.
Tatas were from Navsari, Gujarat. They were responsible for developing the city of Bombay (now, Mumbai) and Jamshedpur, named after them as TATA. They founded the first indigenous airlines of India, Air India, and re-acquired it from Government of India recently after the airlines ran into severe losses. They also own the first indigenous aeroplane engine making company. They have also been welfare industrialists and donated hundreds of billions to Government of India for national development activities. Ratan Tata diversified the Tata business from consumer durables to aviation. They have been in Education, Health, Book Publishing, Automobiles, and many other sectors.
Tatas have worked for setting up of several hospitals and have funded for treatment of cancer throughout the country. One can keep on adding to this list, for they became the first group of technocrat people in Industry, Business and Public Welfare in India during the period of Ratan Naval Tata. As he used to say, “we preferred to be technocrats when our counterparts preferred to become businessmen.”
I was privileged of meeting Ratan Tata in 1993 when I conducted the first ever Books on Wheels called Pustak Parikrama of NBT in UP and Bihar. He was responsible for purchase of Books worth thousands of rupees for the schools established by Tatas in Jamshedpur. He was also a visionary who knew what works for Indian society. Rest in peace, Sir!
