Ratan Tata, the perfect renaissance man

By Gautam Adani

An entire nation of 1.4 billion is now mourning the passing of Ratan Tata. To describe him merely as one of the greatest industrialists of our time is a gross understatement. Ratan Tata was a remarkable individual, possessing extraordinary capabilities that transcended traditional business boundaries. There is hardly any field where he has not left his mark.

It is no surprise that his journey and body of work have inspired legions of generational entrepreneurs, both in India and abroad. I am just one of the countless individuals who have benefitted immensely from his influence. While an anatomy of his legacy will occupy thousands of pages, I am briefly sharing three major areas where he shaped my business decisions and philosophy.

First, our international ventures are deeply influenced by Ratan Tata-one of the first to truly believe in India and the potential of Indians. Among his many legacies, one that stands out for me is how he took Tata and corporate India global. He was among the first to let the world know that India stands tall and can compete on the global stage. He carried the Indian flag across shores, not only to build a bigger company but to establish an Indian imprint, rooted in our heritage, culture and pride. His international forays through Tetley, Corus and Jaguar Land Rover were inspirations for me, when we decided to go beyond the comforts of our own country into Australia, Sri Lanka, Israel and now Africa.

Secondly, the development of our greenfield Navi Mumbai International Airport had multiple challenges and was a Sisyphean project. While I was evaluating it, in that crucial moment, it was Ratan Tata's words of encouragement which moved the needle for me. Now as this airport is soon going to become reality, he will be greatly missed.

Lastly, for him, success was never just about profit, but about purpose. His deep commitment to nation building and his belief that businesses must serve the greater good have left an indelible mark on us. For us, as one of the leading infrastructure developers in India, there is no purpose bigger than serving India. The idea behind our endeavours is that every Indian should stand to benefit from what we do. On this very philosophy, we formulated a vision and took the most challenging responsibility of transforming Dharavi into a modern oasis of dignity. Ratan Tata's humane vision provided a framework that continues to resonate with our 'growth with goodness' approach to development.

Ratan Tata was the perfect renaissance man. In his passing, not only have I lost a mentor and my north star, but the nation too has lost one of its most brilliant and humanistic sons. The outpouring of grief and the recollection of numerous anecdotes reflect the giant of a man he was and the lasting impact he had on innumerable lives. May he rest in peace, and may we strive to be even a portion of what he was. That will be our greatest tribute to this extraordinary soul.