Beyond the last blue mountain: A life of J.R.D. Tata

by R.M. Lala

This is the biography of J.R.D. Tata, the patriarch of the biggest industrial house in India, comparable in stature to Forbes, Rockefeller or Du Pont. He pioneered aviation in India, and presided over the development of the country's steel, cement, truck and vegetable oils industry.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Business, India, Autobiography, History, Audiobook

398 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1992

About the author

Russi M. Lala (Gujarati: રુસ્સિ લાલા) (22 August 1928 – 19 October 2012) was a Parsi author known for his chronicles of the Tatas, editor, and publisher. When he was 19, he entered the profession of book publishing in 1951. From 1959 to 1963, he established the first publishing house from India in London, 1959.
Russi M. Lala, graduated with History Honours from Bombay University. Journalism was his passion from his childhood. In his ‘early years’, he was fond of his father, Maneckshaw P. Lala, from whom he acquired an abiding love for literature. "The urge for expression marks the beginning of writing" says Mr Lala in his autobiography.[1] It was this urge that made him write letters to newspapers during his teens – about topics ranging from cruelty to animals, to Gandhi, and Roosevelt.

Reviews

[Dr. Appu Sasidharan (Dasfill) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhoy (J.R.D.) Tata was an industrialist, entrepreneur, and aviator from India. R.M. Lala tells us Tata’s story in this biography.

He was an aberrant to the supercilious business people in the early part of the 20th century. The ethics and values he followed while doing business were impeccable. Even after getting a lot of setbacks due to some government policies, he never wavered from his ethics. That is one of the reasons why Tata is still one of the biggest companies in India.

His love for aviation was unsurpassable. He once said that,

“The flying experience is one of the most satisfying experiences in my life. No other can equal the excitement of the first solo flight.”

His love for aviation led to the development of an excellent world airline called Tata Airlines (India’s first scheduled airline in 1932), which ultimately became Air India after the nationalization of airline carriers in the Air corporations Act of 1953. (Recently, Tata has again purchased this Air India back from the Indian Government.)

His penchant for perfection and zealous nature is well depicted in this book. Tata has now become one of the biggest companies in the world, with the T.C.S. becoming crème de la crème in the I.T. sector, Tata airlines (having both Vistara and Air India), and Tata Motors (after acquiring Jaguar Land Rover) in the automobile sector. Tata Steel is another multinational company owned by Tata based in Jamshedpur. This biography will tell us how Tata became the pioneers in all these sectors and their successful journey ever since Jamsetji Tata founded the Tata group in 1868. The younger generation still follows the tenets of J.R.D. Tata shared with the family regarding business.

If you are an entrepreneur or aviation enthusiast, you will never go wrong in picking this book.

[Ashish Iyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awe-inspiring. This book is more than just a biography. Its about TATA history and Indian political scenario. It was really good to know JRD Tata's business ethics. His contribution to various companies and especially aviation in India is unparalleled. His dedication to companies and nation reflected throughout the book. He was a great visionary. It also gives information about the growth of Tata companies under JRD's chairmanship.

This book also tell us how Nehru government killed industrialization and how India lost the golden years. Companies after companies which were nationalized and we can all see today where are they in terms of operational efficiency. Looking at the state of affairs now especially when Air India is so much in news one wonders to what height Tata's would have taken it if it wasn't snatched from Tata. He even tried to give economic plans to Indira govt for nation development but that plan was leaked to communist party of India. It is so sad to see how JRD Tata was betrayed and yet he always wanted to helped government and served the nation.

India as a country owes a lot of gratitude to this man who spearheaded the wave of industrialization in this country, there were other industrialist in his time but if someone established the real industrialization and laid the foundation of a robust and ethical corporate culture we all owe it to him. After reading this book. Now i so want to read books on JN Tata and Ratan Tata.

[Ashraf Abbas · Rating 4 out of 5]

on Jamsetji - "He was decades ahead of his time & miles ahead of his competitors"...

Jamnalal Bajaj on R.D Tata - "If all businessmen in India would acquire half his love for things Indian, there is no reason why all our enterprises should not flourish"...

The depth of J R D Tata's love and passion of India can be understood by comparing the following statements;

Alfred Solan : "What is good for General Motors is good for America"...
J R D Tata: "What is good for India is good for Tatas"...

Today's profit mongering (socially blind) businessmen-politician nexus are really destroying the foundation on which modern India's path to development is build on...

A very good book that throws light on the life of J R D, Tatas commitment towards Indian development and the contribution of Tatas towards the industrial development of Independent India. This was exactly summarized by R M Lala, when he said " When freedom came. at the pinnacle of politics stood Nehru and at the apex of Industry stood JRD "...

[Ketan Nadar · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was always fascinated by this gentleman Mr. JRD Tata whenever my father used to tell stories about him when I was in my teens.
I wanted to read and know more about him. Picked up this book "Beyond the last blue mountain" by R.M. Lala. It was an amazing read about this great man. This book tells about his life and his journey with TATA industries. It gives in detail about the many industries which started under his leadership and his personal life.

I know that aiming at perfection has its drawbacks. It makes you go into details that you can avoid but that is the only way you can achieve excellence. So, in that case, being finicky is essential.” – J.R.D. Tata

When JRD was 61 he wrote to Calcutta educationist :

That nothing worthwhile is ever achieved without deep thought and hard work;

That one must think of oneself and never accept at their face value slogans and catch phrases to which, unfortunately, our people are too easily susceptible;

That one must forever strive for excellence, over perfection, in any task however small, and never be satisfied with the second best;

That no success or achievement in material terms is worthwhile unless it serves the needs or interests of the country and its people and is achieved by fair and honest means;

That good human relations not only bring great personal rewards but are essential to the success of any enterprise.

[Sourabh Rohilla · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an insightful read, into the journey of JRD Tata and his wonderful multi-dimensional life, spanning defining-decades of 20th century India. To put things in perspective, he was the first commercial air-pilot of India, had his schooling done in Paris, Yokohama and India, and was chairman of Tata Sons, holding company of all Tata companies for 52 years. The turnover of Tata group rose from Rs. 17 crore to Rs 10,000 crore. He founded first commercial airlines of India, Air India, and nurtured companies in sectors as diverse as trucking, chemicals and electronics. JRD Tata, at the apex of biggest industrial empire of the time was one of the important people of the country. He had a vantage point, from where he made important contributions to Tata empire and India. TIFR, TAS, TISS, IISC were some of the institutions that were started in his tenure. Reading it gives an glimpse into the Tata ethos of nation-building and trusteeship of shareholder's wealth. As you walk through his life, you invariably glean insight on his contemporaries and other important people from 1930s til 1980s. Jawaharlal Nehru, Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, GD Birla, Morarji Desai, Dr. Homi Bhabha, Tata directors, civil servants and people from other countries.

[Girish Joshi · Rating 5 out of 5]

When a biography leaves you overwhelmed and floods your bloodstream with admiration for a man you hardly knew before you started reading the book, you find it really hard to compose yourself to write a review. It's like those times when you churn your mouth to say something but then your heart asks you to quiet down. It's really hard to express yourself when there is so much you want to say and everything seems so important that you don't really understand how to coherently frame your words so that you can infect others with your enthusiasm for the man. It is then you know for sure; you have been fanboying. And as a reader of my review; you have been warned.

Schopenhauer, the German philosopher, on being once asked 'Who are you?' said, 'I wish I knew.' And so it goes without saying that it is a ludicrous to think that we can know a man in all his entirety. The best a biographer can do is to capture the glimpses and details and try to paint as embellished portrait of his subject as possible. R.M. Lala with the intimacy he enjoyed with Jeh and with his impeccable writing skills has done a masterful job of awe-inspiring his readers by telling the story of J.R.D. Tata. The story of the man who gave aviation and pioneered industrial production for the country had to be told. 'What is good for India is good for Tatas.'

In the five years I have spent working on this book I have got to know him intimately. In this short span of time I have been able to see how his sympathies have widened. His sensitivity to other people has sharpened as one year yields to the next. The body weakens as it must, but the spirit shines brighter. And as the evening mellows and the shadows lengthen, somewhere above in the sky, in an invisible Puss Moth, is a voyager still pressing ahead to cross beyond the last blue mountain where a glorious sunset awaits him.

Don't forget it's easy to have largeness of heart when you are indestructible yourself in this sense. When a man like him was fighting me, it was not a question that he could destroy me. He could be destroyed. He was the weak one, he knew all the time that he was vulnerable. So it's easy for me whenever I have a thing like that happen to me—what am I afraid of? All that they could do, was get rid of me. Largeness of heart is required when you're vulnerable.

[Rounak Nayak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Phew! What a detailed book about the life of JRD Tata.


JRD was a great man and an even better visionary. He lead the Tata group for over 50 years. This book goes in detail, too much detail about the man and his predecessors. Although I love details but the writing of the book was very dry and at times felt like a research paper and not a biography.

This is the only complain that I have from the book - the writing style. Apart from that, this book serves justice to the life of such a great man who played a key role in building the private industry infrastructure in India.

This book will be a great read for anyone who wants to learn about Indian business tycoons and early developers of the nation but keep in mind its going to be long. And there will be times when you'll have to force yourself through the book.

[Khushbu Raval · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 A Life of J.R.D. – Beyond the Last Blue Mountain (Audible Review)

Having just finished "Beyond the Last Blue Mountain" on Audible, I can confidently say it's an absolutely essential listen for anyone interested in leadership, Indian history, or the story of a true pioneer.

Narrated brilliantly by Shernaz Patel and Boman Irani, their performances bring J.R.D. Tata's incredible life and profound impact to vivid life, capturing the essence of a man who built so much more than just businesses. From his relentless pursuit of excellence to his unwavering ethics and deep commitment to nation-building, this biography paints a comprehensive and inspiring portrait. It's a masterclass in how vision, integrity, and perseverance can shape a legacy.

Highly, highly recommended!

[Varun · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had often heard mentions of Tata’s and their legacy but knew close to nothing about vastness of their contribution to India’s foundation until I picked up this biography “Beyond the last blue mountain” by R. M. Lala.

After finishing this book I was left in a state of awe and admiration for J. R. D. Tata (Jeh). Its unbelievable that a person can be so humble yet so determined and has such humongous achievements under his belt.

Read the full review here: https://varunest.com/blog/a-biography...

[Dr. Tathagat Varma · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great story of a true son of the soil narrated beautifully. Though it is a short audiobook, it was a wonderful production!

[K · Rating 5 out of 5]

Does this man need any review ?
No . This book gives all the info one needs to know .

[Swateek · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful, long book on the life of this great man, a lot bit about the Tatas but specifically on JRD who was chairman for more than half a century! Quite a feat for someone to stay so positive throughout, and being fondly remembered afterwards.

Highly recommend reading!

[Abhishek Amar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating - 4.5 out of 5.

Terrific read overall. My rating, however, is prejudiced by the fact that I admire the Tatas and this book gave me more reasons to feel that way. The book is full of lovely anecdotes and is tight in its overarching analysis of the key components of JRD's life. What makes it even more enjoyable is JRD's introspection on his own life. What inspired me the most was reading the growth story of India through the growth story of the Tatas - be it the setting up of the steel plants, the aviation sector, the research institutes - there are so many things that Indians take for granted today that required monumental efforts of several men and women many years ago. I found myself overcome with emotion (both happy and sad) at several points in JRD's life, partly due to the events themselves and partly due to the extraordinary writing of Mr Lala.

The only significant drawback for me was the rather large chapter on aviation. While it is only apt that India's first licensed pilot gets a chunk of his biography devoted to his first love, there were certain parts that were needlessly lengthy and rather boring. However, this wasn't enough to stop me from loving the book.

[Kr Abhishek · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy read.. An insight into the life and times of one of the greatest industrialists is India.. Filled with interesting anecdotes and inspiring incidents, it's a breeze to go thru..

However, it completely steers clear of any controversial or grey aspects of JRD's personality.. Which is a shortcoming

[Rishi Prakash · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super Man and super book :) A must read to know about the greatest Indian Company.

[Avid · Rating 3 out of 5]

The name Tata is not new to Indians and is taken with great reverence. It is synonymous with integrity and ethical practice. The company has seen many a visionary leaders at the helm who have played their part in expanding the business while keeping the company’s core principles intact. The founder, Jamsetji Tata, is credited for sowing the seeds and the Chairmans who took up the baton are equally respected for nurturing the plant and for making it a mammoth tree which it is today. Jamshetji passed on the baton to Dorabji Tata, who in turn brought J R D Tata as the leader. When JRD took over, Tata already had established itself in 14 enterprises and when JRD retired from the company, it had more than 90 enterprises, the most noteworthy of these being the aviation industry – domestic and international airlines.

R M Lala’s book chronicles the life of JRD Tata, from his birth to the last leg of his life, while focusing on how his childhood was influenced by the tall leaders in the family and how he was groomed to be the future leader of Tata & Sons. It is very clear JRD was born with a silver spoon – born in France, educated in elite schools and frequent trips to foreign locales, but a point to note is how grounded he still was to the reality and understood the pain of the masses. His humility is celebrated through the various anecdotes. When JRD established the first mail airline service, he flew the planes himself since there weren’t many pilots, while managing his other responsibilities as a Chairman.

JRD was a visionary. He predicted the importance of airlines in the commercial success of a country and established one even when the country was under the influence of the British. He expanded the Taj group of hotels, envisioning the tourism industry which was to bloom. He was a stickler to punctuality and would ensure that every Air India plane took off and landed at the right time – even if it meant that it flew in circles over the airport to avoid landing early.

This biography does justice to the tall image of JRD and gives glimpses of JRD as a Chairman, as a father and as a person. The latter part of the book goes into JRD’s introspection of his life and his contribution to Tata. However, the author often digresses into irrelevant things – a description of Winston Churchill, the number of dishes and gifts offered at a banquet, a few pages on the qualities of Kish Naoroji and Dr Matthai – how do these help in understanding JRD better? If the author had focused only on the personality under discussion, the book could have been easily half its current size. I had hoped to get more insights into how JRD ran his business – the kind of decisions he made, how he weighed his options, how he took risks and how he ran such a mammoth company. The book gives tiny glimpses into this, which is fine, since this is a biography and not a management book.

Despite the length and at times boring narration of incidents, this biography is still a worthy read if one wishes to understand the person behind the name JRD Tata.

[Ashish Bhattarai · Rating 4 out of 5]

TATA. Has already a brand name installed on it. It is considered and viewed as a national institute rather than a private enterprise. The book left me with awe. A strong sense of will got installed in me. Going through a book I am so much fascinated to see the simplicity of every tata director.
A vision was set and seen by Jamsetji tata at the end of the 19th century when India has no idea how industrialization can impact the economy. He saw and started laying a path which later continued by JRD tata pioneered in Aviation, steel, chemical, electric power, technical education, and every other field. Jamsetji allowing their employees insurance and their rights when nobody knew what it was set him aside and proved his vision is for India and for the people of the country. When we talk about India in the 20th century you must talk about TATA and its contribution to the development and future of India.
I am left with imagination and admired JRD when he takes the competition and travel in plane solo from India to England. It was that time when aviation has just started as a mail service. How adventurous it was to him to ride a solo plane across the sea. Also very much dangerous as there was no landing aid and no radio, and no aerodrome. There were three of them to accept this challenge in the whole world and one of them is JRD. Tata son without the help of the government taking the risk of air service and running it under the strong guidance of JRD seems outrageous. JRD has a love for it and a vision it will be the service like any other if the government could lay their hand and invest from their level which later happened. JRD is termed as the father of aviation in India as he started it. Also, he was the first First Licensed Indian Pilot.
The culture TATA has set and they continue to foster, is something to learn and I admired that from the whole of my heart. I think I stand and viewed the same way. I also felt that during the time of JRD everything was around him the whole of India. people admired him he was successful and he was thinking about what India needed right now and worked accordingly. He has a very good relation with Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi. He was a chairman of ample organizations and industries. He was admired by many.
The foundation was laid well and even today Tata holds the same value and is working for the people with the same energy and culture.
Thank you to R. M. Lala who take the courtesy to write a history on a paper.
Boone lecture!

[SB · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a magic that revolves around the main character of this book.
Some books are famous because of the prose and language artistry that the author has been able to impart in to the strokes of pen.And some books become famous because of the story that the writer weaves around the character or the other way round.

This book comes in the later category,where the character is the reason behind anyone loving or hating or just passing this book with little effect.

J.R.D Tata is character whom you will find lucky and lucid at times and strong and stern at other. He was a real thinker, thinker of his deeds and of his decisions, constant reviewer and regardless to say a well established visionary who saw things coming years before they actually arrived!

The one thing that holds you in the whole book is the lesson you learn to actually not just think about any issue/topic/problem but to start working on the same at the ground level, no matter however slow or small but efforts need to be constant and consistent in their approach and sure they will reach a certain height at their own course.

J.R.D Tata was man of stature and constant doer, the book reveals at many times that he believed in work more than worship and found his joy in accomplishing things from zero to end!

Needless to say that this a book whoever wants to learn and grow in life and who believes that being able to do something is the reason of their existence or else everything is going on anyways, whether they deem fit to bother themselves with any thought or not!

[Krtin Narayanan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This might frankly be my book of the year. What really stands out is the sublime period colour that was added throughout the biography. With so many fascinating quotations by the legend himself, it becomes incredibly simple to understand JRD Tata's thought processes and vision for not just the House of Tatas but for all of India. His humility and simplicity on life and his perseverance to grow the country despite being held by the shackles of the government were insightful while his take of post-independent India's economic policy remained fascinating to me. It opened me up to a universe of what could and should have been and for that it deserves to be credited handsomely.

RM Lala had managed to somehow fit nearly a century's worth of critical information and instances into a thrilling read of a biography which never remained dull for even a second. It remains an addicting read throughout which also makes it really comprehensible for beginners to understand the behind-the-scenes action of one of India's largest industrial powerhouses at the time of Independence. Despite being nearly 40 years old at the time of reading, so much of JRD Tata's vision and policies for the country remain relevant to this day, which is why he was one of the foremost thinkers of this country. For RM Lala to bring this out in the flesh so vividly is why I loved reading this book so much.

Rating - 9.5/10 (would totally recommend)

[Charvie Mishra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've had this book since my second sem at TERI, and borrowed it from Robin. Now I'm at the end of my 4th semester, it's literally the last week. I decided to finally read and give it back to him. If I had known what a truly delightful read it was I would not have wasted two years.
I wish all non-fiction were written like this, it's a beautiful and even poetic narration of a brilliant man's life. R.M. Lala did a great job writing this. I could see his admiration for the subject, but he didn't shy away to show the flaws as well.
Regarding JRD Tata himself, he was a visionary, a man of action, and a man of a thousand pursuits. I did not know that Tatas made such a big mark on India's path to development. He worked 75-80 hours a week! No doubt, he pioneered the aviation industry, started various educational institutes, and introduced management concepts and depts in India which feel the most basic things now.
"What is good for India, is good for Tata", pursuing excellence, being kind, etc are traits I want to work on.
Such an inspiration, it's crazy how he has touched the lives of each citizen of the country and continues to do so. I studied at TERI!
I have to read more about the Tatas and Birlas now and get more book recommendations from my friend.

[Kaustuv Baral · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book to read. This book not only encapsulates the zestful, effervescent life of JRD but also goes on to illustrate the wide-ranging contributions of JRD and the Tata group to India. One gets to experience a slice of history -years after Independence-especially in the areas of industrial and public policy sector - the state of industries and how policies were made then.

What was surprising for me is the degree of contributions. JRD spearheaded and helped in the establishment of all premier institutions which I had known till date namely - TISS, IISc, TIFR, the lush green Tata Management Center (it was behind my hostel room in Wadias hostel), NFAI, etc. The man's penchant for perfection and dedication to country and his work comes out clearly through the pages. What appealed me the most about JRD is he was an adventurer at heart and used to regularly exercise till his twilight years. One needs to read this book to get to know how the Tatas and JRD himself has contributed to the growth of India. Thanks to the author for bringing such a close portrayal of the great man to us.

[Ayshwarya · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful and interesting read into the life of J.R.D.Tata who was a true visionary and a patriot. His patriotism was through entrepreneurship to make the country self-reliant in many industries. This can be seen in Tata's initial investment in establishing Tata Chemicals. Social welfare seemed to be in the DNA of the Tatas. Every Tata company is pioneer in it.

The chapters on civil aviation in India are very detailed and it is clear that JRD played no small part in establishing Air India before the government took over and brought it to where it is now.

The book was very well structured in themes or on specific industries. There was a lot more focus on JRD's personal relationships. It was not always chronological which makes it difficult to see parallels in Tata's approach to different industries.

[Mahesh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gives a very detailed account of JRD’s life, which also seems to reflect the workings of TATA as a company. The chapters do not fall in chronological order but rather dealt as major events in his life. The book also reflects the “how things are done” during the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s of India. Detailed summaries from letter correspondences between JRD and other personalities finely illustrates his eloquence in communication. Many detailed aspects into his life could have been avoided to keep the narration to a minimum, but at the same time portray the personality of JRD. I had to stop reading in between, as the narration changed from interesting events to rather mundane. The collection of photographs included within offers a rather nice distraction from the text.

[Vinay · Rating 4 out of 5]

JRD and independent India. How things could have been different. How Air India could have been still the best in the world. How the country's progress could have been on a faster pace. How politicians can change the course due to their ego and belief once in power. And yet the patience and resilience the man had to get there was tremendous. It was a month later I completed reading this book, we heard about Ratan Tata's sad demise (adding this review late). I cannot fail to notice how each Tatas set a standard for the next chairman. Acing in leadership, decisions and eventually progress. The book is a journey which will take you flying from where Jamsethji left in 1910s to 1980s. Nice book.

[Lalit Singh Tomar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this as I was particularly interested in knowing the history of civil aviation in India.
this is a wonderful read ..... What was stated in 1932 with a puss moth just to carry mail services now have become the obvious mode of transport . JRD Tata was the first licensed pilot of India and used to fly earlier planes him self .....

this a quite and informative book and after finishing this book I can better appreciate the role of TATAs in shaping our country and the wonderful civil aviation .

[Vinod Pal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really a great book. It captures the pre and post independence era of India and specially the important role played by the Tata family in building India in the field of industry and aviation. It is difficult to imagine where India would be today without the contribution of Tata family. JRD Tata had a great passion for aviation and with this passion he was able to make Air India among the top airlines of its time. It feels me with immense sense of pride that a person like JRD Tata lived in my country.

[Prakash Iyangar · Rating 5 out of 5]

When you read a book like this you are clear why big business will always be better than big government.

The life of JRD TATA is one which is an inspiration for many and the institutions which he has built are a lasting legacy. As I read this book, recently Air india was again privatized and the really great news is that TATAs will run it in the future. I hope they bring it back to the former days of glory.

The Father of civil aviation in india would be glad to see the company back in the Tata fold.

[Shrikant Jangam · Rating 4 out of 5]

For every Indian knowing TATA empire is the most facinating thing. I started reading this book for the same reason. This is the best book to understand TATA.
You will learn many aspect about TATAs. and reluctance between TATA and Indian government with strategy to development of the India.
How Tata gave up their dream of Air India and other companies for India's prosperity.
Book is written so buetifully narrated.

must read!

[Rudro Mukherjee · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book worth reading more than once....

A while back when I read Nudge, it was stated that to considered a critic of repute one need to find flaws.
To be honest, I am guilty of not giving ratings below 3 but this book deserves 5 or more than 5.
I shouldn't say any more but knowing about the great man has been a revelation. The TATA are already known for the way they conduct business but how instrumental they have been in India's development cannot be enough said.

[Urvir · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would call this a novella , an entry into a big world of JRD. People might complain that this doesn't provide details on what all happened in his life but I don't think that was the purpose. This book is to inspire you to take the path which won't be taken by one and all. This book enables you to move forward, belive in your self, live your dreams yet return many fold over to society which helped you to stand and receive.