Today is the birthday of Ratan Tata, the former chairman of Tata Group, the country’s largest industrial house. The billionaire businessman and incredibly generous person, Ratan Tata, has now turned 86; he was born on December 28, 1937.
While on one hand, Ratan Tata serves as an inspiration for people through his leadership at Tata Sons, on the other hand, there are many intriguing stories associated with his life. One of these is the story of his transformation. Let’s delve into it…
Ratan Tata was the chairman of Tata Group till 2012.
Ratan Tata does not need any introduction. The Tata family business has been a prominent figure in the corporate world long before the country gained independence.
He served as the Chairman of the Tata Group from 1991 to 2012, during which he established numerous milestones in the business sector, elevating the Tata Group, one of the oldest business houses in the country, to great heights.
When you look at Ratan Tata’s personality, he is not just a businessman; he is also a simple, noble, and generous individual, an ideal and a source of inspiration for people.
He considers even the smallest employees associated with his group as his family and leaves no stone unturned in taking care of them. There are several examples of this.
This is from the 90s:
On the occasion of Ratan Tata’s birthday, let us first tell you about an intriguing story of a deal with a giant company. This incident dates back to the 90s when Ratan Tata, the chairman of Tata Sons, launched Tata Motors under his leadership with the car Tata Indica.
However, at that time, Tata’s cars were not selling as anticipated. Due to the poor response to Tata Indica and consistent losses, Ratan Tata made the decision to sell the Passenger Car Business and discussed this with the American car manufacturer, Ford Motors.
Meeting with Ford Chairman Bill Ford:
When Ratan Tata decided to sell his passenger car business to Ford Motors, Ford’s Chairman Bill Ford had mocked him.
Bill Ford had said to him, ‘If you don’t have any knowledge, then why did you even start the passenger car division?’ Bill didn’t stop there and said that if we buy your business, it would be a favor to you.
Ratan Tata was affected by Bill Ford’s words, but true to his nature, he didn’t react immediately and returned to India.
After returning to India, a significant decision was made:
Following the meeting with Bill Ford, they postponed the decision to sell the passenger car business and then focused on revolutionizing the automotive sector in India.
They proved that failure is just a stepping stone to success. They directed their entire focus towards placing Tata Motors in a new position and within less than a decade, they transformed themselves into the kingpin of this sector.
They made such a turnaround from Ford’s wrong behavior that will always be remembered.
Forced to bend Ford in 9 years
Nine years had passed since this incident, and during these years, Tata Motors was moving forward to touch new heights, while Ford Motors was on the verge of bankruptcy.
During this time, the Tata Group proposed to buy Ford’s Jaguar and Land Rover brands. When Ratan Tata and Bill Ford met regarding this deal, the mood of Ford’s chairman, Bill Ford, had changed.
He thanked Ratan Tata for this proposal and said, ‘By purchasing Jaguar-Land Rover (JLR), you’re doing us a great favor.
Ratan Tata is associated with some special things:
- Worshipping work is crucial for Ratan Tata. He believes that work will only prosper when you respect it.
- The greatest quality of the Tata Chairman is his perpetual calm and gentle nature. He meets even the smallest employees of his company with love, understands their needs, and extends every possible help to them.
- Renowned billionaire Ratan Tata says that to achieve success in any work, although you may start it alone, it’s essential to have people alongside to reach greater heights. Together, you can go far.
- Ratan Tata has a special affinity for animals, especially stray dogs. He consistently donates to various non-governmental organizations and animal shelters.
- Ratan Tata also extends help to students struggling with financial constraints. His trust provides scholarships to such students through J.N. Tata Endowment, Sir Ratan Tata Scholarship, and Tata Scholarship.”
