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New Delhi: Ratan Tata, Chairman Emeritus, Tata Sons, passed away at Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai aged 86. The mortal remains of Industrialist Ratan Tata were brought to his residence in Colaba in the early hours of Thursday. One of the most internationally well-known Indian business leaders, Ratan Tata was known for his humility and compassion while also his vision, business acumen, integrity, and ethical leadership.
Ratan Tata took over as Chairman of Tata Sons and Chairman of the Tata Trusts in 1991, a year when India’s economy opened up through a series of economic reforms. He made use of the opportunities it presented while dealing with challenges.
Tata transformed India’s automobile industry with the launch of the Tata Indica, the country’s first indigenously designed and manufactured car, and the Tata Safari, India’s first SUV. Ratan Tata himself drove the very first Tata Indica off the assembly line, marking a historic moment in Indian automotive history.
Ratan Tata’s dream project, the Tata Indica, initially struggled in the market with disappointing sales, prompting Tata Motors to consider selling its car division.
In 1999, the company approached Ford to explore the possibility of selling its fledgling car business. Ratan Tata, along with his team, traveled to Detroit for a meeting with Ford’s chairman, Bill Ford. During the three-hour meeting, the Tata team reportedly faced harsh criticism. Bill Ford is said to have remarked that Tata Motors lacked knowledge of the car industry and shouldn’t have ventured into it, even suggesting that Ford would be doing them a favor by taking over their car division.
After the challenging meeting with Ford in 1999, where Ratan Tata and his team faced criticism over their car division, Tata returned to India with a renewed determination. He decided against selling the car division and instead focused on strengthening Tata Motors. This experience fueled his commitment to prove the skeptics wrong and build a robust automotive business.
After the 1999 humiliation in the US, Ratan Tata’s moment of redemption came nearly a decade later. In 2008, with Ford teetering on the edge of bankruptcy following the global financial crisis, Tata Motors turned the tables by acquiring Ford’s iconic Jaguar and Land Rover brands for $2.3 billion. This bold move not only humbled Ford but also marked a significant victory for the Tata Group, solidifying its place in the global automotive industry.
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Sharing a post on Instagram, Ratan Tata wrote, “Everyone told us it couldn’t be done without having a joint venture or a partnership with an international company. That if I did this, I would be linked to failure. But we went ahead anyway. There were technical issues and many lessons we learned. It was a wonderful experience to be breaking new ground. The chances to give up were many. We stayed the course, worked out each issue, and that was the birth of India’s 1st indigenous car, The Tata Indica.”
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