The Hindu Business Line : J.R.D. Tata — the humane entrepreneur

I vividly remember my first meeting with J. R. D. Tata. I was a trainee in the Tata Trust at Bombay House. The suburban train I used to catch in the morning was delayed, and so I was late to the office. Doubling up the silent corridor of the Bombay House I thought, "why not use the east entrance lift to reach the office?" (This elevator was normally usedby J. R. D. Tata.) While I was waiting for the lift, I heard firm, rhythmic footsteps behind me. I turned around to see that it was JRD himself. My heart skipped a beat! The moment I saw him, I gave an apologetic smile and hurried to take the flight of stairs nearby.

Just a few steps covered; behind I heard the elevator door open, followed by a clap of hands. It was JRD, calling me. I froze. He then gesticulated to me, not condescendingly but with a gentle expression on his face, to join him in the lift. I got in, surprise writ large on my face. He then asked me which floor I wanted to go. When I told him that I was to the second floor, he instructed the liftman to stop there.

Rendezvous to remember

Before getting out at the second floor, I thanked him once again and he, with his characteristic smile acknowledged and went ahead to his office in the fourth floor. This accidental rendezvous and his genuine gesture of concern were an unforgettable experience.

After my training I joined the PR Department (PRD) at Bombay House. My boss was Mr S. A. Sabavala, PR Advisor to the Tata Group and Executive Assistant to the Chairman. (He became director of several Tata companies later on.) A senior journalist, Mr Sabavala was earlier Editor of Free Press Journal and Asia's Chief Correspondent for the Christian Science Monitor. It was a great experience working with him. And I had the privilege of working for JRD too on a couple of occasions. Once JRD was invited to be the chief guest for a function at the National Institute of Training in Industrial Engineering, Mumbai, by Air Chief Marshal P. C. Lal, who was the Chairman of the Governing Body at NITIE. JRD was to deliver an extempore speech as his keynote address.

Normally whenever the Chairman or any Tata Sons' Director delivered speeches, someone from the PRD would be deputed to cover the function. That time it was I who was on duty and I was told that since there would be no media persons I had to prepare a report to be released to the media later. When I reached the venue, there were half a dozen journalists gathered already in the hall. I wanted to tell JRD about it. But before I could meet him, he was off to the stage. And hence, I gave a chit to P. C. Lal to be handed over to JRD, which unfortunately did not reach him.

JRD, who was known for his outspokenness and boldness, made some highly critical comments about the economic policies of the Central Government. This I informed to Mr Sabavala, who after meeting the Chairman, told me that it was my duty to see that no newspaper carried the critical remarks of the Chairman the following day. There were six major dailies and I sprang into action meeting their correspondents. Early next morning I picked up all newspapers and read the reports. To my great relief JRD's trenchant attack of the government policies was trimmed down by the reporters of the dailies to appear very natural and constructive. My efforts were appreciated by my boss as well as the Chairman. But at heart I knew from the journalistic fraternity's gesture that it was their highest regard and respect for that towering personality called JRD that did the job silently. It was the same kind of respect from all sections of society that JRD enjoyed throughout his life. Writing speeches for JRD was a tough job. He was a perfectionist to the core. The speechwriters of Bombay House would stay very late flavouring his speech, which in his hands would thoroughly be redone!

One could see his unique stamp of diction and delivery in every sentence. He never minced words. He was against phrases and slogans. He would clear his final draft speech at the last minute, and the PRD would then spring into action to release it to the press. JRD generally shied away from media exposure and honours. Once Mr Venkatnarayanan, then Editor of Onlooker and Free Press Journal (Sunday Supplement) wanted to interview JRD and requested me to get an appointment. I took up his request with the Chairman's office. But I was told that JRD had gently declined it. I conveyed this to Venkat.

That Sunday morning however I was surprised to see a front-page exclusive interview report with JRD. When I checked with the Chairman's Secretary, she said that Mr Venkatnarayanan phoned up JRD that evening at his residence for a casual conversation. (Normally, at home JRD would pick up the telephone when it rings.) Then I knew that the chat had been converted into an exclusive interview.

There was another unforgettable incident with the media. This time it was Mrs Bhatia of AIR, who came to interview JRD as a part of their feature on Family Planning programmes in India. JRD was then the Chairman of the Family Planning Foundation of India. Mrs Bhatia with all her entourage entered JRD's office and started setting up mikes and so on. This annoyed JRD, who commented, "This is the whole problem with we Indians, we unnecessarily waste time on things like this."

The interview started. Mrs Bhatia asked her first question without addressing "Mr Tata". Indicating a pause, JRD politely suggested to her that she could begin the question addressing him as "Mr Tata". But Mrs Bhatia tried to explain to him that only his statements in edited format would be aired and not her questions. But when JRD insisted on this formality, I asked Mrs Bhatia, why she couldn't do what JRD wanted.

What I intended as an intervention to cool down tempers, on the contrary, infuriated JRD, who shouted at me to mind my own business. Finally, the programme was aired. JRD's interview was edited to sound as only statements from him, as just a part of a larger feature on family planning. That was my last meeting with the Chairman.

As a student activist, I had a totally negative view of industrial houses in the country. But later, working with the Tatas, I found that they belonged to a different kind of industrialists with their philosophy of nation-building through industrial revolution, constructive philanthropy, etc.

In 1968, I interviewed JRD for Mathrubhoomi Weekly, a leading Malayalam publication, in which I had reported the enterprising industrial initiatives of the House of Tata, the dynamism of JRD and how the Tatas were good corporate citizens. This surprised many of my former Communist colleagues and even enraged some hardcore elements. When my interview saw print, I was on my annual leave at my native place, a village on the outskirts of Thallassery, in North Kerala. That weekend I went to Thallassery town, blissfully unaware of the storm brewing in the teacup of the extremists. I got down from the bus only to land in front of some Naxalite leaders.

The legendary K. P. R. Gopalan was among them (K. P. R. Gopalan, a well-known Communist leader, during his days in the Congress as a freedom fighter was decreed to be hanged by the British rulers, but was saved from the gallows on Gandhiji's appeal).

As soon as he saw me, he caught me by my collar and scoffed at me, "When did you become the mouthpiece of capitalists, young man? Are you not ashamed?" The others too jeered at me. I quietly took KPR aside and sat with him for half an hour explaining about the Tatas and the good work they were doing. He may not have been fully convinced by what I told him but I could see a change in his eyes and facial expression.

`Captain' of India Inc

There were innumerable incidents and anecdotes quoted by many writers from the life of JRD that reflect the great personality of this Captain of Independent India Inc. One such happened years back during his visit to the Lockheed aircraft factory in the US. Feeling thirsty, JRD saw two water dispensers at the factory — one for blacks and the other for whites! JRD went straight to the one for blacks. The officials of the factory tried to lead him to whites' side. But he declined and drank water from the black's side, stating that he too was a non-white!

This act reportedly prompted the authorities of Lockheed to discontinue the practice of providing separate water facilities for blacks and whites in their premises. J. R. D. Tata's simplicity, honesty, fairness, fearless demeanour, patriotism, service mentality are all exemplary characteristics to be emulated by the entrepreneurs and industrialists alike.

(The author, Vice-President, Taj Group of Hotels, has been associated with the Tata Group Companies.)

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