Ratan N. Tata: A Life

by Thomas Mathew

For the first time ever, the complete authorized biography is available to readers of one of the world’s most powerful business leaders, Ratan Tata. Ratan Tata’s story is that of a man who overcame extraordinary obstacles and whose compassion took priority over business profit objectives, uniquely achieving both goals. As the head of India’s oldest and largest business house, his story also encapsulates the narrative of India’s growing ambitions on the world stage and rising clout in the last few decades. During his tenure, Ratan Tata transformed the Tata Group from a collection of disparate companies into a unified powerhouse. Today, it is one of the world’s largest business conglomerates and is greatly admired for its compassionate capitalism and trusteeship model of holding wealth. This is the only comprehensive, definitive and authorized account of Mr. Tata’s life and times, his struggles and his important contributions to contemporary India. It is the story of a private individual, a great industrialist, and a remarkable leader who steadfastly believes, above all, in the values that he inherited, and who spent his life in the service of his fellow humans and a fledgling nation.

Genres: Biography, Business, Autobiography

608 pages, Hardcover

Published November 7, 2022

Reviews

[Dr Kashmira Gohil]

The book outlines mostly the professional life of one of the mega business tycoon, Mr. Ratan TaTa who successfully managed and augmented one of the giant, sprawling business empire of the founder Mr. JRD TaTa. From Tata steel to TaTa chemicals, from TaTa power, TaTa Motors, TaTa food and beverages to Tata industries, TCL and Taj group of hotels, how he steered these units to mega profit industries, managing various road blocks with a single focus, sheer determination and integrity, is highly insightful and inspiring. His love for cars and zeal for innovations lead him to put TaTa Nano for middle class indians and also acquiring or taking over the UK based car business of Jaguar and Land rover at the same. time were super amazing. Sir RNT humility to stand up for his employees through thick and thin and terrible time put him in a different legue altogether which was evident during terrorist attack on Taj hotel in Mumbai. After his retirement, the search and appointment of Cyrus Mistry as the new chairman, the upheaval and his sudden short stint in TaTa came as a revelation,so was the incident of Tata tea in Aassam. Throught out these all, the mighty, humble and handsome Ratan TaTa stood tall in stature, both in physical and mental virtues. The book did not reveal much on his personal life except the fact that he was single and so were each of his two siblings as sisters, and about his examplary love for his dogs Tito and Tigor who he adopted and taken under his care three times, as each pair of dog completed their lifespans. I liked to read about Shri Ratan TaTa and gain much wisdom on business, tactics and solutions presented in this book. I admire him for his sheer will and integrity amidst the rampant curruptions that invades various businesses across the country and world in various ways and making the TaTa group as one house of integrity and reliability as today. Here was the man, who stood tall, single, unbending and highly successful yet having this humility to touch millions of lives through his charity and help at the right time. Hats off to his business enterpreneur personality infused with a solid integrity. God doesn't make them like him anymore!
4 stars to this book as author has done too much research to collate the material from different sources to produce this time as Sir Ratan TaTa was clearly Never the one who blew their own trumpet. If some more personal details were included on life of Shri Ratan TaTa, then I would have easily given 5 of 5 stars to this book. Highly recommend read👍👍

[Mufeed Usman]

Words fail me at this elated moment after having just completed the book. To do justice to the work of the author and the life of Ratan Tata, I'll leave it to the readers to explore.

One thing I can say is that you'll not be disappointed.

[Krtin Narayanan]

Ratan Tata has remained as one of India's most iconoclastic business figures simply because of his unconventional obsession with business ethics and it's upliftment of society at large. In that regard, not only has Thomas Matthew covered this mogul's life in incredible detail, but he has also focused on the profound impact that Ratan Tata has had on the Tata group and Indian society at large.

It's a genuine enigma as to why JRD Tata chose Ratan to spearhead the loosely held federation of companies that one could barely call a conglomerate back in 1991, but understanding the various policies that Ratan Tata had implemented during his early years at the apex of the group post-liberalization and it's lasting impact after 2 decades was something that I found so intriguing. To implement those policies from the start and see how the raw numbers move in the upward trajectory was testement to Ratan Tata's unrelenting push for excellence above the rest. His uncompromising stance on his fundamental principles which focused on integrity, honesty, transparency and above all, a duty-bound need to uplift society in general really showed how his spirit is rooted in the nation's quest to become an economic superpower of the future.

Despite being a really exhausting read that covers everything from Ratan Tata's early years to his post retirement life(more than 700 pages) , I never for a single second found the book to be dull simply because of the anecdotal richness that one can find in every nook and cranny of this biography. A quote here, a personal story there, a direct recollection of every possible instance of this life that was worth reading to the very end - this book really showed why the name "Tata" is a synonym for quality and above all, is a business masterclass on how to move businesses into the 21st century and beyond.

A thoroughly fascinating read.

Rating - 8.5/10

[Sidharth Mishra]

Detailed review: https://tinyurl.com/442fj82a

An exemplary book about an extraordinary human being.
It is difficult to fathom that a person like Ratan Naval Tata Sir walked on this planet and it is indeed a privilege to be born in the same country as him, and to have breathed the same air.

The book starts with his early life, born to Naval Tata and Soonoo Tata on 28th Dec, 1937. It sheds light on how his formative years were shaped by his Paternal Grandmother, Lady Tata who imbibed in him the quality to assess what is right vs wrong and to do the right thing. She led by example to accept when one is wrong with accountability and grace, helping him understand that being able to graciously accept one's mistakes is a sign of strength. RNT Sir deeply admired his Father from whom as written in the book he learnt value systems, kindness and humility.

The book then touches upon his schooling, his college years at Cornell from wherein he received a BSc in architecture. After working for a few years in the US with a design firm, he returned to India in Aug 1962 and joined IBM. But thankfully, he was convinced by JRD Tata Sir, to join the Tata Group. That is how his magnificent journey with the Group started, starting from the shop floors of TELCO (Tata Motors) and TISCO (Tata Steel), to the Chairmanship of the Group. The book highlights how Ratan Tata Sir's affable personality, ability to mix with all and a constant desire to learn, endeared him to the shop floor employees who after the initial apprehension of training the US returned apprentice, immediately opened the treasures of knowledge for him.

On 26th Mar, 1971 RNT Sir was appointed as a director in NELCO (National Radio & Electronics Company Limited) and later was made director in charge of operations. NELCO was financially shrinking and his appointment shackled his reputation to an organization hurtling towards closure. He focused on increasing sales, clearing unsold stock, expanding the product range, and raising funds. His leadership provided NELCO, the sense of direction it sorely needed. Its turnover increased over 62 times from 1971 to 1992. In 1977, NELCO suffered a lockout for seven months, when the workers made some unreasonable demands. He stood firm. RNT Sir always believed that the NELCO experience was filled with learning.

In 1974, RNT Sir was made a director in Tata Sons. Even till the mid 1970s he was still at the periphery of the Tata Group. During that time, Amar Bose, the founder of Bose Corporation offered the post of the President of the Corporation. RNT Sir declined because he wanted to bring NELCO back on track before leaving and second, his grandmother had impressed upon him the values that the Tatas were sworn to uphold and he too was committed to them.

In 1978, RNT Sir alongwith Jamshed J. Bhabha and S.A. Sabavala sent a note to JRD Sir on the challenges faced by the group and the steps needed. The part authored by RNT Sir was remarkable for its overarching group perspective. A meeting was immediately scheduled, for which RNT Sir prepared two additional documents - The Tata Plan: Strategic Plan for Tatas and Issues which Need to Be Addressed.

The study undertaken by RNT Sir alongwith his recommendations made him an ideational leader, separating him from the rest of the heads of the Group Companies. On 21st October, 1981 JRD Sir announced RNT Sir as the new Chairman of TIL, to the surprise of many. RNT Sir, with his characteristic humility, said that he was pleasantly surprised. The legendary JRD Sir explained later that RNT Sir was chosen because of his long term vision and his highly perceptive mind.

RNT Sir’s Mother, Soonoo Commissariat, got diagnosed with lung cancer and breathed her last on 7th Oct, 1982 in the US. Throughout those last few months of her life, RNT Sir provided her strength and even in such a deeply emotional situation of her death, he always maintained his composure, grace and stoicism.

RNT Sir prepared a strategic plan for the Group, revealed in Dec 1983, which became the blueprint for the group over the next 3 decades and more. However some of the powerful executives within the Group ignored the plan as they saw it as a threat to their independence. But, since the outlining of the plan and its adoption in TIL, there was an unprecedented momentum and energy in the group towards technology adoption and modernization. The wider business community and the press started to take notice of RNT Sir.

In Dec 1988, RNT Sir was appointed as the Chairman of TELCO (today’s TATA Motors) but not by design. Sumant Moolgaokar played a key role in the same (yes, TATA Sumo is named after him!). In Apr 1988, on the insistence of Mr Moolgaokar, RNT Sir was appointed as the deputy chairman of TELCO with the responsibility of the day to day operations. This put a hurdle to the plans of Russi Mody, who was also gunning for the post of TELCO Chairman. JRD Sir and Russi Mody thought that RNT Sir could be persuaded to declare that he would not work under Mr Moolgaokar, only Mody. But this proved to be the inflection point, not only did he refuse to do the same, he also offered his resignation instead of going against his principles, from the directorship of TELCO and TATA Sons. He only took his resignation back after a letter request from Mr Mody, requesting him not to resign and also acknowledging the importance of Mr Moolgaokar, and on being persuaded by JRD. Ultimately RNT Sir became the Chairman of TELCO and soon had to deal with a labour strike. Many had thought that the shy RNT Sir, will not be able to handle the strike where the union leaders could use militant methods. But RNT Sir, held his nerves and combined with his sincerity of purpose was able to break the strike in a way that made TELCO stronger without meeting any of the strike demands.

The question of the Chairmanship of TATA Sons was imminent, with JRD Sir’s advancing age. There were several contenders in the fray: Darbari Seth, Ajit Kerkar, Naval Tata, Nani Palkhivala, Russi Mody and RNT Sir. Russi Mody was JRD’s favourite but ultimately on 25th Mar 1991, RNT Sir was made the Chairman of TATA Sons. The most identifiable factors were his opinion on the License Raj and the imminence of its dismantlement, his young age, courage, enterprise, group outlook, emphasis on technology and global outlook, compassion and unwavering commitment to ethics, and honesty of purpose. His appointment did not go down well with the Group’s veterans. While facing resistance from the satraps, he went about institutionalizing reforms starting with introducing a new retirement policy for the directors and chairmen of the Group companies.

In Jan 1990, RNT Sir had sent a note to JRD Sir mentioning his intent to update the original Strategic Plan. The goal of The Strategic Plan 2.0 was to further strengthen the group spirit and to make the group along with the group companies ready for a liberalized economy. When JRD Sir, was The Chairman, he had held the Group together through the sheer dint of his personality and informal relationships, even though the holding of TATA Sons in many group companies was very low. But as the leadership guard was about to change, this informal matrix could not continue and it was needed that the Group be held together through a more formalized structure without relying on individual personalities. RNT Sir took several steps in that regard and by 1999, he increased TATA Sons stake in most of the key companies to around 20%. In addition, he formulated other initiatives to achieve the group spirit.

RNT Sir in parallel empowered the heads of the major companies. From increasing TATA Sons’ stake in its companies, to divesting from non-core companies such as detergents, cement, cosmetics and textiles to strengthening the existing ones, the transformation was all-encompassing.
For Tata Steel, his strategy focused on 4 pillars: cost-cutting, modernization, customer focus and overseas expansion.
At Tata Power, he helped it achieve scale by first merging Tata Hydro-Electric Power Supply and Andhra Valley Power with Tata Power Company in Jun 2000. Via this merger, the company was able to go after mega projects.
At Tata Chemicals the focus was on the product portfolio - concentrating on 3 core businesses: soda ash, salt and fertilizers. The other key focus area was overseas expansion.
At Tata Motors his first emphasis was on modernization and upgradation of technology to benchmark the company’s products and to have a keen focus on becoming more cost-efficient, productive and increased total quality. Current Tata Motor employees credit him for its current design and engineering prowess. To increase the quality of the products, under his leadership the company laid a significant focus on exports. He diversified the portfolio from just commercial towards passenger vehicles and vehicles at the intersection of pure passenger and commercial.
At Tata Consumer Products Limited, similar themes of achieving scale and having an overseas outlook continued. He underscored the need for the company to transform itself from being ‘a manufacturer of a commodity’ into ‘a consumer products manufacturing company’.
At TCS (Tata Consultancy Services), a doyen of the Indian software industry, his leadership proved extremely crucial for both the company and the group. From a group perspective, his decision to not give stock options in Tata Sons was monumental - not only it prevented the dilution of the stake of Tata Trusts in Tata Sons but also prevented the possibility of any competitors acquiring shareholding in Tata Sons. Many veterans commended him for having the strength to not take such a decision. He was however supportive of greater autonomy for TCS and public listing of the same separately, which was crucial for the company. TCS also benefited from his urge to go global.
He wanted to fill the gaps in India’s defence production capability and this led to the creation of Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL).
For the Taj group of hotels, his pioneering contribution came in the light of creating a cohesive brand story and growth strategy around it.

As the Group Chairman, RNT Sir would always be remembered as the ‘architect of the group’s global expansion policy.’ RNT Sir looked at the global markets for 2 main reasons - the cross pollination of technology, and to attain the presence and scale to tide through difficult times in India. This was later emulated by other Indian companies.
The first major acquisition was that of Tetley by Tata Tea in 2000. It was the largest overseas acquisition by an Indian company until then and was crucial for Tata Tea from a scale, technology and brand positioning perspective.
One of the other major acquisitions was that of Corus by Tata Steel. In the initial phases the discussion was around a JV but RNT Sir was clear - “It is inconceivable that Tata Steel could give up a part of its sovereignty.” Tata Steel acquired Corus for $ 12.1 B in Jan 2007. In terms of output, this acquisition catapulted Tata Steel to be the world’s 5th biggest steel maker. With the global financial meltdown, the Tata Group did all they could to keep the English facilities going. As reported by The Telegraph, ‘Given the state of Tata Steel UK’s finances, it is a wonder the Indian conglomerate kept the operations running for as long as it did’. Across the globe, all lauded RNT Sir not only for the acquisition but the way he spearheaded the operations.
RNT Sir led Tata Motors to acquire the iconic automotive brands Jaguar and LandRover from Ford Motor Company on 25 Mar 2008. In 2015, RNT Sir was inducted into the hallowed Automotive Hall of Fame, for returning ‘Jaguar and Range Rover to eminent status and profitability, preserving the auto industry in the UK.’

RNT Sir had to tackle unforeseen and grave challenges. A deputy general manager of Tata Tea’s Guwahati office was kidnapped in the 1990s and there was a ransom demand of $ 15 M but RNT Sir refused to yield to the demands. Ultimately after 11 months the employee was released with no money being transferred. Tata Tea continued to focus on welfare investments. The company was unfairly targeted as having links with terror outfits. The targeting continued and also threats emanated from ULFA. But RNT Sir remained steadfast and handled the situation with his grace, his public outreach, his reliance on procedures and clarifying the Group’s stand with the Government.

RNT Sir decided to create a people’s car for India, ‘Nano’. The idea came from him thinking about how to make the scooter safer. Tata Motors initially finalized setting up of the Nano plant in Singur, West Bengal but was caught in the political unrest. Seeing his employees’ safety at stake he decided to move the plant out to Sanand, Gujarat. True to his word, the car’s dealer price for the base model was kept at Rs 1 lakh without compromising on the quality. The car was launched at Auto Expo 2008. The car put the Group and India’s automobile engineering capabilities onto the world map.
It brought about a streak of innovation in the organization, received universal praise for design and was an inspiration on frugal engineering for companies all over. In 2008, the Financial Times wrote, ‘The project has led some to dub the Tata Group’s chairman as a latter-day Henry Ford.’

One of the most emotionally challenging ordeals faced by RNT Sir, the Group, and our country was the 26/11 terrorist attacks on Mumbai, with the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel being one of the main targets. But in less than 21 months, the Taj reopened and was back in business. On that fateful night, RNT Sir stood on the footpath in front of the hotel, looking up in horror with ‘tears in his eyes’ as the landmark was engulfed in flames. He was effusive in his praise for the approximately 600 employees of the Taj for their handling of the situation. Some 3 years later, he said, ‘The Taj, despite its solidarity, its majestic being, could never be what it has turned out to be without that spirit, without the selfless spirit, embodied in the staff and the management. They stood by at great risk to themselves and in some cases at the cost of their lives to protect the people who were here. And that became the symbol of the strength of Mumbai, the strength of the city. They did get hurt, but they did not fail. I [pay] my tribute to the edifice and the people of the Taj who are the light and spirit of this great institution.’ RNT Sir and Krishna Kumar Sir were very dedicated during the siege. Noshir Sanjana, the group security manager of the Taj, remarks, ‘Ratan Tata and Krishna Kumar are heroes’; they were closely involved in the salvage operations and rendered virtually every type of assistance to those affected. RNT Sir displayed indomitable and unflinching courage during the 3 days and also demonstrated exemplary empathy in how he stood by those who were affected. His unparalleled handling and support for the rebuilding phase of peoples’ lives, led many to describe him as ‘their God’.
One person said, “I have not seen God. But that day I saw God in him. God was in front of me.” Another said’ “All this happened because of Sir Ratan Tata. He is God.”

In 2010, RNT Sir declared his intention to step down as the Chairman in 2012 when he turned 75 and appointed a committee to select a successor. Mr Cyrus Mistry was chosen. Quite a few Tata veterans were uneasy, especially given the past history of how Pallonji Mistry had gone about acquiring Tata shares from JRD Tata Sir’s siblings. RNT Sir, however, gave his full backing to Mr Mistry based on the recommendation and genuinely wanted him to succeed. Serious issues started to develop when Mr Mistry stopped consulting Tata Trusts - which has a 66% stake in Tata Sons - on important decisions. Mr Mistry’s tenure was ‘marked by repeated departures from the culture and ethos of the group,’ commented the Financial Times. The other issue was that while there was an agreement that Mr Mistry will dissociate himself from his family business but even after repeated prodding, it was not done.
In Oct 2016, RNT Sir inclined towards the decision to replace Mr Mistry as the Chairman. RNT Sir knew that he would be misunderstood, but he was willing to sacrifice some of his reputation to do the right thing.
Post his removal as the Chairman of Tata Sons, by Dec 2016, Mr Mistry was not the chairman of three companies: TCS, Tata Steel and TGBL. The shareholders, the trade unions and the employees were overwhelmingly in support of RNT Sir. Finally on 5th Feb, 2017, in the EGM convened for Tata Sons, a resolution to remove Mr Mistry from the directorship of Tata Sons was passed. Mr Mistry filed cases against the Tata Group on the decisions taken at the NCLT. A 5 year legal battle ensued across NCLT, NCLAT and the Supreme Court. On 26th Mar, 2021 the Supreme Court set aside the NCLAT order and virtually upheld the NCLT’s decision - stating that Mr Mistry’s removal could not be termed as prejudicial or oppressive. This five year long battle took a toll on RNT Sir’s health.

Mr N Chandrasekaran (then CEO of TCS) was appointed as the new Chairman on 12th Jan 2017. One of the major factors, apart from his adherence to ethics and humility, was increased digitalization. Chandrasekaran’s appointment restored dignity, growth, and energy rekindling innovativeness. Since then, Tata Sons has seen a phase of sterling growth and smooth relations with Tata Trusts.

In 2017, the Government decided to divest the loss-making Air India and the Tata Group saw an opportunity. In 2020, the Government invited expressions of interest for a 100% sale of the airline and on 8th Oct 2021, Tata Sons emerged as the winner.

As the Chairman of Tata Trusts, RNT Sir continued the legacy he inherited. RNT Sir’s focus was always on ‘making a difference’, through philanthropic efforts. His belief was that communities do not require ‘handouts - they need prosperity and dignity’.

RNT Sir continued to receive praises and accolades from all sections of the society throughout his life. Many have described RNT Sir’s personality as being easy to misjudge. As much as Sir was genteel, he was unbending in his resolve to stop what he saw as wrong. But he was a man of equableness and of great depth.

This book deserves a place on every bookshelf. While technically it is a biography, one can also think of it as a self help book or a business book or a book on patriotic values or a book on ethics and character building. It is many genres rolled into one, such was the personality of RNT Sir.
A note for the author - he might be another Walter Isaacson in the making. An extremely well researched and highly lucid book.

Detailed review: https://tinyurl.com/442fj82a

[Roopa Prabhu]

I picked and read this book only to better understand the legendary visionary, Ratan Tata. The book is rambling in bits and disorganised in many parts. Still I had no heart to leave it as I wanted to know more about Ratan Tata, his legacy and his service to Tata Group. The magic of Tata, the culture, is some thing I live and experience on a daily basis. It was beautiful to understand the genesis of it, to get some clarity how we are still able to experience this amazing culture and yet reach newer heights as a group.

[Arjun K]

There's an old joke from the JRD Tata (Ratan Tata's illustrious predecessor) era about Bombay House, the headquarters of Tata Sons. Once a Parsi walked into that building, he did not leave until his death. The journey, people quipped, went straight from Bombay House to Dungarwadi, the Parsi cemetery on Malabar Hill. No retirement, no exit, just a slow walk from the office to the graveyard. Ratan Tata took over as chairman and killed that joke (no pun intended!), bringing age-related retirement to every company in the group. Keep that image in mind, because this 600-plus page book, spread across seven parts, is essentially the story of a man dismantling an old world without ever raising his voice.

The book begins by knocking down the first assumption a lot of us carry, that the son of a rich family has it easy. His parents divorced when he was young. The parent he truly looked up to was his grandmother, and it was from her that he picked up the values he became known for. Even his education was a negotiation. He wanted design and architecture in the US. His father wanted him to study engineering in the UK. The uneasy compromise was engineering at Cornell University, which he quietly switched to architecture once he got there. Reading this, you start to see the pattern early. Ratan was firm and steadfast in his principles.

In his conversations with Thomas Mathew, Ratan admits he would have liked to just keep living in the US, where he was working for an architectural firm. A quiet design life, nobody watching. But being a Tata came with obligations, to the country and to the company that carried his surname, plus a promise he had made to his grandmother. So he came back to India and joined the group as just another worker, overseeing operations in different Tata companies, and started the long climb up.

The climb was brutal. He failed to turn around NELCO's sagging fortunes. He couldn't save the once-thriving Empress Mills from sinking. And the group he was climbing through wasn't some harmonious family concern. It was, as former Union Minister Arun Shourie famously described it, a set of fiefdoms, each company run by a veteran who treated it as his own kingdom.

The book's finest stretch is the contrast it draws between Ratan and his predecessor. JRD Tata, the only Tata to receive the Bharat Ratna, was the 'chairman of chairmen'. Charismatic, revered, and at the helm for decades, he was never questioned. But his style, personal and patriarchal, was a product of the License Raj, the protected pre-1991 economy where companies answered to the government and never faced foreign competition. That world died in 1991, the very year Ratan took charge. What worked for JRD would have buried the group now. Ratan had seen it coming, having drawn up a strategic plan a full decade before liberalization and even advising JRD that his successor should institutionalize rather than personalize systems. He was doubted and criticized throughout, from inside the group and outside it, which JRD never had to face. He just kept building anyway.

Some chapters are so dramatic they could be commissioned as films. An ailing Sumant Moolgaokar fighting off Russi Mody, who wanted the chairmanship of Telco (now Tata Motors), with the verbal diatribes and shadow boxing and one-upmanship until JRD himself had to step in. Ajit Kerkar, handpicked by JRD to head the Taj, expanding the empire through business practices that went against the group's ethos, and then being eased out slowly, room by room. Ratan's own uneasy relationship with Russi Modi of Tata Steel, which makes his magnanimity in 2004 all the more striking. When Muthuraman, then chairman of Tata Steel, invited Russi Modi to a commemorative event, Ratan simply took no umbrage. Small moment, but it tells you how the man operated.

Then there are the crises. As chairman of Tata Tea, he had to steer through the ULFA militancy in Assam, navigating politics and gunfire while people tried to tarnish the group's image and take personal shots at him. At the Telco factory in Pune, a violent and self-serving union leader named Rajan Nair had virtually brought operations to a standstill. Ratan refused to give in to him and instead won over the workers themselves, through sheer honesty and integrity, without triggering further unrest. These chapters are genuine lessons in leadership, and the book is worth reading for them alone.

The book isn't perfect. The middle parts, which trudge through the different phases of various Tata companies after 1991, drag badly. The author is also needlessly uncharitable in places, dismissing Russi Modi as someone without strategic vision and putting down Darbari Seth (former Chairman of Tata Chemicals) quite acerbically. Both men were JRD's handpicked choices and their contributions were profound, and a little more generosity would have been fair.

But just when your attention wavers, the fourth part arrives. Aptly titled "The Empire Strikes Back", and it earns the name. Ratan's entrepreneurial fire is on full display as he wrestled control of Tetley, Corus, Jaguar and Land Rover, all British companies, from the very nation that once ruled us. The manner is which Corus was acquired by the Tata Group is described beautifully by the author in a suspenseful tone. The author also deserves credit for honestly covering the Tata Nano's failure instead of airbrushing it out of a celebratory biography.

The 26/11 chapter is where the book stops being a business story and becomes something else entirely. Not a single Taj employee scampered for cover while bullets flew. They put the guests above themselves, in the true spirit of Atithi Devo Bhava, and many of them died doing it. Ratan Tata tried to walk into the hotel while the combing operation was still on. When he couldn't, he stood outside for hours through the night, taking updates from people inside a building under fire, and left only after it ended. He then made sure every affected family was compensated and the children's education was taken care of.

And then there is the Mistry thread, which the book lays out like a slow-burning tragedy. JRD's siblings were not as wealthy as everyone assumed, and they kept selling their Tata Sons shares to raise money. Cyrus's grandfather Shapoorji Pallonji Mistry gathered these up, gradually and through some chicanery, until the Shapoorji Pallonji Group held nearly 18 percent. JRD never forgave that family. Which makes it almost cinematic that decades later, it was Cyrus Mistry who was picked to succeed Ratan, ahead of even Indra Nooyi and Muthuraman. Ratan later admitted he was probably blinded by Cyrus's British education, an alumnus of Imperial College and London Business School, and had naively assumed such a pedigree meant a different DNA. The aftermath, years of slanderous allegations and court battles that took a real toll on his health, is painful to read. Yet he stuck to his principles and eventually won in the Supreme Court.

The book is generous with smaller gems too. Ratan was a serious scuba diver who hurt his eardrum 5-6 times before giving it up in the 1980s. Jamsetji's (the Tata Group founder) younger son, also named Ratan Tata, part-funded India's first archaeological excavation at Pataliputra, which found the throne room of Emperor Ashoka. The Tata Trusts' giving over the last century exceeds even the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation's. The popular Tata Sumo car of the 90s was actually named after the illustrious chairman of TELCO, Sumant Moolgaokar. One thing does perplex me, though. JRD refused the knighthood from the British queen, and young Ratan grew up opposite Azad Maidan watching protests against imperial rule, once mixing petrol with sugar into the fuel tanks of British police vehicles. Why, then, did he accept a knighthood himself when he could have followed JRD's example? The book never quite answers that.

Minor quibbles aside, this is a gripping read about a genuinely extraordinary man. A reclusive billionaire who lived modestly, if you set aside his fondness for fine suits and fine cars. His refusal to be venal, to cut corners, to treat business as anything other than an instrument of social good, these are lessons anyone in a leadership role should sit with. As Jamsetji Tata himself put it, what advances a nation is not so much propping up its weakest members as lifting up its best and most gifted, so as to make them of the greatest service to the country. Thomas Mathew interviewed a whole generation of Tata veterans to put this together, and the effort shows on every page.

[R Venkitachalam]

When Ratan Tata, the most celebrated industrialist from the most celebrated industrial house from India died last year, several books made their appearances on the first anniversary of his death, by various authors and it indeed was a problem to decide which one to pick up to read. My final choice fell on the book “Ratan Tata: A Life” by Thomas Mathew primarily because of the number of pages in the book (more than 700) and not by any relative comparison among the books on the Tatas. The author is not a well-known writer yet and you do not have a lot to write home about his writing style. However, once you pick up the book, it keeps you engrossed and engaged at the same time. But during his book promotion tours the author talked a lot about anecdotal milestones that lent further credence to some of the important events that the author covers in his book. However, the author and the publishers could have done a better job of tackling sloppy editing in the book. The book is broadly structured in three parts – one part about the family background of Ratan Tata, then short histories of the major events in Tata companies (though here the author has not done justice to Tata Tea) and some major events that had taken place under Ratan Tata’s watch that affected the Tata companies in general. The book succeeds in offering an authentic portrayal of Ratan Tata as a business leader with uncompromising ethics, a humanist and a patriot deeply invested in India's progress. However, the author’s take on the initial years of Tata is extremely sketchy. The authors meandering style of writing in certain places looks quite contrived and at times, totally unnecessary like when he goes out of the way to describe the standoff between the Tatas and the Assamese rebels in Tata Tea, the Chapter on Tata Trusts and some others. The book seeks to explore Tata’s challenges, setbacks, values and achievements, including the transformation of the Tata Group into a modern conglomerate and his lifelong commitment to philanthropy, free markets, and social upliftment. The author could have covered a little more ground after the Bombay blasts and the way the Taj responded to it. It covers some grounds of the company’s stand on corruption and how Ratan Tata made a mark there. The protagonist is known as a reclusive and reticent person. He is also projected as a complex, warm and compassionate person. The book covers Tata’s childhood struggles, his Cornell years, his early assignments in the Tata Group. The book gives examples of his leadership style (Tata’s consultative, values-based approach), culture building within a large conglomerate, challenges in managing legacy companies and employee relations. It provides illustrations of how an Indian conglomerate navigated economic liberalisation, globalisation, diversification and how it helped the evolution of corporate governance in India. There are important takeaways from the Tata story for today’s corporate India. In the autobiography, “Straight from the Guts”, Jack Welch, the Chair and CEO makes us aware of how picking a successor is far more important than any other managerial task for a top corporate honcho. Ratan Tata failed spectacularly when he threw in the towel and walked away from the task of selecting his successor, only to come back from retirement to repair the damage done. The act of Mr. Ratan Tata for not wanting to be part of the selection committee for identifying his successor is nothing short of plain abdication on his part. All said and done, the book is a detailed, well-researched biography of a major Indian business figure; good for understanding the broad arc of his life and the development of the Tata Group under his leadership. It is useful for leadership studies, corporate strategies values studies. The book is exhaustive research with balanced perspectives and a comprehensive portrayal of one of India’s most influential industrialists. The author’s idolatry for Ratan Tata, the book’s protagonist makes one suspicious of the author’s objectivity. The book is a sure-shot recommendation.
Thank you.

[Abhishek Dafria]

“Ratan Tata: A Life” is one of the most comprehensive business biographies I’ve read. I already knew about his integrity, but this book deepened my understanding of him as a visionary. What stood out was not just the milestones, but the why behind key decisions that reshaped the Tata Group. The detailing, especially around the Tetley acquisition, read almost like a case study and showed the foresight, conviction, and perseverance needed to pull off what seemed impossible. I also loved the long list of anecdotes in the book that gave texture to his leadership.

What I valued most was the book’s reminder that leadership is as much about steady principles as bold bets. Time and again, Ratan Tata’s choices reflected a long horizon, the courage to take calls others hesitated on, and a deep respect for people. That’s why the narrative stays with you. Despite the size of the book, it never felt like a dry corporate history. It just flowed, descriptive, engaging, and reflective !

[Irfan Adam M]

Good biography if you want to learn of his life at one go. My gripe would be it could've been edited to be a shorter read. That said it's a respectable homage for an inspiring figure.

A quote I love, paraphrased in the book

“Businesses need to go beyond the interest of their companies to the communities they serve”

[Solitude Bird]

A great book on one of the greatest Man ever lived. Though a detailed information on his personel life is scarce as he was really shy in sharing, but still a rare insight into how this legendary Chairman built a conglomerate empire not just to put the name TATA on the world map but also to try and enrich the needs of the poor.
A loving man, a caring man.

[Meet Patel]

Simple, lucid, yet excellent writing of Thomas gives deep insights of man who will be revered for generations.

If you are someone who reads biographies of influential people in various fields, and now thinking of picking a book about an industrialist, this should be the one!

[Yuvaraj]

Interesting to know more about a great soul Ratan Tata via this biography.