Remembering Mr Ratan Tata

I had the fortune to work for Mr Ratan Tata since 1996. I first met him in his simple unpretentious office in Bombay House when he interviewed me for well over 2 hours for a position in the Tata Group. He was simple and very friendly and made me comfortable within few minutes. He explained his vision for the first project he was interviewing me and his expectations from me. At the end of my interview he asked me whether I would like to be based in Mumbai or Pune. I opted for Pune where this Project (Tata Automotive Systems – TACO) was going to be located.

We worked very closely and made his dream take shape in the form of over ten joint 50:50 joint ventures with global leaders in the field of Automotive Systems for the future world class cars to be manufactured in India. Ten world class Organisations and factories came up quickly from A to Z in no time and started production in Pune without any compromise. This was the birth of modern world class cars in India – true to Mr Tata’s dream.

After four years he shifted me to Bangalore to look after and grow his another dream project – Information Technology Park – ITPL, a 50:50 joint venture with Singapore Goverment. This was another world class project to bring global leaders to develop technology and manufacturing facilities on plug and play basis – another first in India. This became a seed for making Bangalore and India home base for Software and Technology Capital of the World. I learnt a lot from this project.

After one year, when I completed my assigned mission in Bangalore, he asked me whether I would like to move to Mumbai and help him grow Tata footprint in Power and Telecom Sectors. I jumped for the same. I helped him grow Tata Power’s Generation and Distribution Business several fold. Helped in privatisation of power distribution business in Delhi (North Delhi Power – NDPL), Setting up of first Ultra Mega Power Project (4000 MW – Mundra) and several other grass-root power projects and acquisition of world largest coal mines in Indonesia. I also started Tata Power’s Power Trading Business, first in Private Sector in India.

I also helped Mr Tata in setting up of modern telecom networks in India – (Tata Tele Services India Tata’s GSM networks) and acquisition of VSNL  which in turn made world’s largest fibre optic communications network.

After this I was asked to lead Tata’s advocacy work in Power Sector with Government and was relocated in Delhi for two years and worked very closely with the Ministry of Power and CERC. 

Later I was made a director on the Board of Taj Air, Tata’s Charter Plane Company. 

In all above assignments I had the opportunity to work very closely with Mr Ratan Tata and learn a lot. He was a thorough professional and human being. Honest to the core. We were told not to give even a rupee as bribe and to close down the business if bribe was insisted upon for continuing the business. 

All of us will be missing RNT but will never forget the way he taught us to work and live. Never be pretentious and live simply and enjoy honest life.

🙏🙏❤️

Amulya Charan

Pune

10.10.2024