Ratan Tata: An extraordinary heir who became the architect of the global legacy of the Tata Group people

It is no surprise that Tata's journey as head of the Tata Group – which began in 1991, the year India embraced economic reforms and liberalization – has paralleled the country's rise as an economic power and has highlighted India's talent in management and technology. globe

However, the thread that connects the many points of this story is Dad's personal journey.

“It's hard to stay clean. Titles do not allow for failure…” wrote Geeta Piramal in Business Maharaj, first published in the 1990s.

But when Dad took over, the wise man bet money – that he would fail. He joined the staff in 1962, earning a bachelor's degree in architecture from Cornell University. He played a variety of roles before starting a less-than-glorious career with the National Radio and Electronics Company in 1971. Ten years later, he was appointed chairman of Tata Industries, where he showed glimpses of his talent by transforming the company. Strategic think tank and promoter of high technology initiatives.

However, few paid attention to Tata Industries when legends like Russi Modi of Tata Steel, Darbari Sheth of Tata Chemicals and Tata Tea and Ajit Kerkar of Indian Hotels were loosely subordinated to the great legend: JRD Tata.

Naturally, Ratan did not expect anything after becoming the head of the Tata Group. It wasn't supposed to be this way. His main rival for this position, Modi, gave a press interview that ruined his chances.

Modi's eventual sacking made it clear that Ratan Tata would not abide by KAU's loose federal structure. Instead, he undertook the difficult task of bringing the satraps into line. From then on, he systematically increased Tata Sons' shares in the group's companies. In 1996, it launched a brand subscription program under which group companies pay a fee to use the Tata name.

When Dad feels safe, he follows his dreams. Unlike some of his peers, such as Rahul Bajaj, who defended his sovereignty and did not part with his equity, Tata was open to cooperation with foreign partners. It went a step further with a series of acquisitions abroad, notably Tetley, Corus and Jaguar Land Rover.

What he did at home was equally significant. He always dreamed of building a people's car for India, combining the comfort of an Ambassador with the economy of a Maruti. This is how Indica was born, which for some time held its own among international brands. However, the more ambitious Nano proved to be a challenge. Tata had promised a car model for India at around Rs 1 lakh, but despite keeping that promise, the Nano failed to capture the imagination of the Indian public, who balked at touting it as the cheapest car to own.

Then came the episode with the Radio tape. Tata and Nira Radia met in the 1990s when the group was trying to launch an airline with Singapore International Airlines. Radia, who moved to India with her three sons, advised SIA. Following the release of tapes showing Radia engaging in questionable conversations, their connection was investigated, although Tata has repeatedly said that Radia was indicted for a negative campaign against the group.

Nevertheless, when Tata handed the company over to Cyrus Mistry in 2012, it was clear that he had left behind a great legacy. However, dissatisfaction with Mistry's leadership led to a boardroom battle in 2016, with Tata returning as interim chairman before embarking on a more permanent succession.

It has been an eventful journey for someone who was not destined for this role. He might not have been Dad either. His father, Naval, adopted Ratanji Tata, the son of the group's founder Jamsetji.

Ratan Tata could have remained an architect, but his grandmother's illness often brought him to India, and one thing led to another. He remained, writing an indelible chapter in the history of Indian business.