The Last Days of J.R.D. Tata — Lessons From The Greatest Industrialist of India
J.R.D. Tata would often recall the words of Sir William Mulock, a canadian businessman, educator, farmer, judge and philanthropist: “I’m still at work with my hand to the plough and my face to the future. The shadows of evening lengthen about me, but morning is in my heart.”
Late J.R.D. Tata, former chairman of Tata Group and the shareholder of Tata Sons, lived a life like no other. He was never seen tired or bored, but always shined brightly like the sun, full of energy.
He favored books, poems, paintings, flowers — the simpler things in life. He had a child-like curiosity. He read many books and grasped a good understanding of the history to better predict the future.
The Chairman of Chase Manhattan Corporation, David Rockfeller, held a private discussion every six months, inviting people from all over the world. Only one Indian name would come ahead — J.R.D. Tata. He didn’t run a business, he ran an empire including Tata Consultancy Services, Tata Motors, Titan Industries, Tata Salt, Voltas and Air India.
He was passionate about Aviation. He took early interest in planes while growing up and later went on to become a licensed pilot. He was one of the personalities to achieve his dream by building an Airline — Air India (as we know now).
His lessons in life are most simple and common yet unique to all.
“I met many people on the international stage but I cannot say that all were as respectable as JRD.”
J.R.D. Tata exhaled his last in 1993. When Henry Kissinger came to India in 1995, he said in his speech — I always believed I’d meet him when I come to India, but that was not to be.
We meet a lot of people in life but very few remember us and even fewer choose to be with us on our journey.
You may be the prince of your city. You may have garnered several awards and memories to your name. You might have climbed the Everest. You may think highly of yourself, but that is of no value if people don’t have two good words about you to say.
Lastly, what you ultimately earn is the goodwill of other people in your life. A million dollars don’t compensate for the the memory you leave behind with your loved ones.
“Indians should learn to strive for excellence… if we start with being good, then we will never produce the best.”
J.R.D. Tata was a man of excellence. He was ambitious. Yes, he had a family and loved them beyond measure, but he couldn’t sleep if he didn’t have a reasonable day at work.
That’s how dedicated we need to be in our daily lives. We work for a living. We tire ourselves for 9 hours straight to mint money for somebody else. A life without purpose is no life at all. His dream alone wasn’t to make money, but help provide nation and citizens with goods and services beyond necessity. He was one of the few men who took ‘workers rights’ extremely seriously and worked towards the betterment of his workers around the nation.
TATA was the first name among businesses and industries to provide healthcare facilities, insurance, allowances to workers. He never saw another employee, even a janitor, as not being a part of the company. He was approachable by anybody in the organization.
“I don’t bother troubling any supreme power.”
He was not a atheist nor did he rebel against folding hands for prayer. He was too humble to ask GOD for anything. He often said, “GOD has so much to do. Why trouble him?”
Once he buckled up, he’d flew high up in the sky, being amidst clouds, like a tiny speck in the sky, he said it made one humble.
$35,000 is too large an amount
The last days of J.R.D. Tata were not pleasant. He experienced severe chest pain. His advisors Dr Contractor and Dr Udwadia advised him for an angioplasty in the U.S. When he heard the cost, $35,000, he declared to have done the procedure in Bombay itself.
Although, he’d spend crore of rupees for a project which may not have the potential to come alive but he’d scare away to spend on his health.
That’s how simple a life he lived.
He had varied interests. He was particularly fond of wine, but he’d hardly drink in India as he believed wine to be expensive here.
“I am about to discover a new world. It is going to be very interesting. Very Interesting.”
His last words. Even standing on the death door, he was smiling looking at the new world. To find light even in darkest times. To reach a place where optimism falls short to justify the experience. That’s J.R.D. Tata.
The quotes and statements made by our central character as well as other prominent characters are picked up from the book The Tatas: How a family built a nation? Soon I’d be writing a review of this book, as I complete it.
So stay tuned.
