Ratan Tata, a unique business personality who preferred the country over business

Padma Vibhushan Ratan Tata, Chairman Emeritus of Tata Group, breathed his last on the night of October 9. He was a precious gem to this country. On this sad occasion, we are enlisting some of the decisions taken by Mr Tata in the interest of the nation.

Tata Group Chairman Emeritus Padma Vibhushan Mr Ratan Tata

1. Firm action against Aamir Khan for making anti-national statements

In 2016, actor Aamir Khan made an anti-national statement. After that, Ratan Tata, then interim chairman of the Tata Group, himself removed Aamir Khan from all the advertisements of the group.

2. The decision not to employ people from the JNU in the Tata Group companies

Hurt by the seditious incidents at Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Ratan Tata reportedly decided not to employ anyone from JNU in all his companies.

3. Not paying any attention to Pakistani companies

After the 26/11 terrorist attacks in Mumbai, the Tata Group’s ‘Taj Hotel’ had called for tenders from within India and abroad for the renovation of all Taj group hotels. Many domestic and foreign companies had applied to the Tata Group for this. It also included 2 Pakistani companies. The Pakistani companies were trying to get this tender by any means. For that, their representatives tried to meet the director at the head office of the Tata Group in India. Mr Ratan Tata did not give them any chance to contact him. After sitting for hours in his office premises, the Pakistani representatives finally got tired and left for Delhi.

4. Decision not to award tenders to the traitors

When they went to Delhi, they lodged a complaint against Mr Tata with the then Union Secretary and requested him to get an opportunity to meet Mr Tata. Bowing to them, the concerned official called Mr Tata and asked him to award tender  only to the Pakistani companies. Mr Tata replied, “You have no dignity and patriotism; but I have. I cannot give this tender in any way to those anti-nationals.”

5. Not exporting Tata Sumo vehicles to Pakistan

Once the Government of Pakistan asked Tata to export Tata Sumo vehicles. However, Ratan Tata deliberately did not send a single vehicle to Pakistan. If he had done so, the Tata Group would have benefited; but Ratan Tata was not just a profit-seeking entrepreneur. He loved his country more than business.

Citizens, entrepreneurs, politicians, writers, as well as intellectuals of this country have a lot to learn from this entrepreneur, don’t they ?

(Reference : ‘Magazine Meru’, March 2016)