A quick sketch on a busy day!
“What to write everything has been told
His generosity is not new but very old!
He would do everything for his watan
After all he was an Anmol Ratan…”
When we were young (er!); anytime someone had to show some attitude or if someone showed attitude, the common comment was, “Tu kya TATA ya BIRLA ka beta hai!?”
Of course we never knew anyone remotely related to either one!
But if you had to name a rich and famous person who is not an actor or politician then Tata would be in the top!
Even kids knew Tata meant power and money! As adults we realised that the name indicated a good businessman and leader!
The stories and gossip about the Tata group were usually inspiring!
The story of how the Parsis came to India and how they became a part of our country has been told so many times! My mother used to tell the story and later on we read it in our books and then of course so many novels including the novel by Ashwin Sanghi and his Novel The Magicians of Mazda also tell about that and many stories of Parsis and their customs and the ‘secret’ of their long life!
If you want to know more about them that that is a good novel to start!
One of their most famous story is the “Sugar in the Milk” which am sure we all would have heard! But still it is nice to hear a good story again!
This Sugar and Milk in Parsis (Parsi / Parsee Zoroastrians) folklore, comes from the time when they came over from Persia (modern day land of Iraq and Iran and other countries) to save themselves and their religious faith.
At the time they were escaping and were trying to find safe haven to continue practicing their faith.
They landed in Sanjan a port in the Indian State of Gujarat. The King Jadhav Rana, who was the ruler of the land was good and a fair ruler! As per our tradition, atithi devo bhava which means that guest is like God; but then to give refuge for such a huge number of people was a difficult task indeed. Since he did not want to refuse them outright and since the language of Indians and Persians was different, so to welcome the strangers and communicate that the land was already filled with people to the brim, he sent them a full glass of milk!
The Zoroastrian priests immediately got the message and since they were also peace loving religious people, they wanted to send back a message that they would make the land and community richer and more prosperous by their good values, knowledge and hard work.
The Parsis added sugar to the glass of milk! The sugar mixed with the milk but did not drop out! Of course it also became sweet!
The King Jadhav Rana was so impressed with this gesture that he granted them asylum and welcomed them with gifts and helped them settle in the new land of India. Parsis thus settled and assimilated, blended in India like sugar in the milk!
There is another story about Tata itself which is also famous among the current generation! That showed what an amazing businessman he was!
The story begins in 1998 with the launch of the Tata Indica.
India’s first diesel-powered hatchback, the Indica was also widely seen as the country’s first indigenously designed and manufactured car. It was also a car close to Mr Tata’s heart.
Sales, though, were poor, and a dejected Ratan Tata looking to cut short his losses flew to the US to offer the factory to then Ford boss Bill Ford!
Contrary to the Bon Jovi song Misery loves company unfortunately , the meeting did not go to plan.
Ford reportedly chastised Mr Tata, declaring the Indian company should never have started manufacturing cars and that buying the plant would be a ‘favour’ to the Tatas!
A “humiliated” Ratan Tata walked back his offer to Ford and returned home with renewed focus and determination, and a very clear goal – to prove his doubters and critics wrong!
And what a comeback it was!
Nine years later – after transforming the Indica into a success, with European and African exports by 2004 and domestic sales peaking at 1.42 lakh in 2007 – Mr Tata did just that!
By 2008 it was a Karmic reversal! Ford was struggling!
The recession that roiled the American economy took its toll and the company was nearly bankrupt!
Ever-aware, Ratan Tata moved, and moved swiftly, to snap up Jaguar and Land Rover, forcing Ford to acknowledge the Indian company was doing it a ‘favour’!
Writing about Ratan Tata and his generosity and charity work need no introduction. Stating anything more is actually less!
We have lost a legend but having lead a successful life and career of 85 years is of course a great achievement!
He will be missed by many but his legacy will continue for ever!
Heartfelt condolences
Shubh ratri…
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