Ratan Tata – The man with a nano idea who made it big

“I don’t believe in taking right decisions” – Ratan Tata

A man who never knew what right or wrong was, but believed in making his ideas work, Ratan Tata is an inspiration to generations. Saying that with his success, came the success of Indian economy as well, would not be incorrect.

His professional experience began in 1960 when he joined Tata Steel. Irrespective of the fact that he belonged to the Tata lineage, he joined there as a general worker and learned the nuances of the business.

He was appointed as the chairman of the Tata Group in 1991 after J R D Tata resigned from his position. Despite the fact that his appointment made quite a few people unhappy, he proved his worth by bringing in revolutionary ideas for all the brands under the umbrella of Tata Group.

Making it a global brand, major acquisitions including JLR, Tetley, Corus and more happened under his watch. Tata Consultancy Services, one of the biggest companies in India, was built under his vision.

Apart from his efforts, what showcases his out-of-the-box thinking capabilities, was the idea of launching the world’s cheapest car, Tata Nano. His vision brought this idea to life and changed the Indian automobile market forever. The success of other cars such as Tata Indica also speak of the quality that the company delivers.

Ratan Tata resigned from his position in 2012 and all his responsibilities were taken over by Cyrus Mistry. He is currently the chairman of Emeritus of Tata Sons, and has been a former member of Prime Minister’s Council in Trade and Industry. A director on the board of Alcoa, he has received multiple award and accolades for his exceptional work.

Personal life

Born to Naval Tata and his first wife Sonoo, Ratan tata was raised by his grandmother after his parents were divorced. He was seven at that time. Tata was schooled in Campion School and Cathedral and John Connon School. He did his B.S. degree in architecture in structural engineering in 1962 from Cornell University, and went to Harvard Business School for an Advanced Management Program in 1975.

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