"All in all, it was a big move. I remember after I was appointed Chairman, I walked with JRD to his office, where he told his secretary that he had to move out. I said, 'No, J, don't move out, this is your office for as long as you want'. He said, 'Where will you sit? I said, 'Where I'm sitting today - I have an office down the hall and that's fine'.
I was lucky to have him there. He was my greatest mentor and the years that he was alive, I used to go into his office and say, 'J, I wish this had happened 10 years ago, we have such a great relationship'. He was like a father and a brother to me and not enough has been said about that.
Ever since, my life has been for and about growing the company. When I was appointed Chairman, it was believed my surname got me the position but my focus was on creating something bigger than us all and on giving back, which has been in the TATA DNA since the start. With Jamshedpur for instance, while our workers were thriving, the surrounding villages were suffering. It became our goal to uplift their quality of life as well......things like these came naturally to us.
Even with the Nano - I remember seeing a family of 4 on a bike in the heavy Bombay rain - I wanted to do more for these families who were risking their lives for lack of an alternative. By the time we launched the Nano, our costs were higher but I'd made a promise and we delivered. Looking back, I'm proud of the ar and the decision to go ahead with it.
That's what my life has been about - work became a lifestyle. I was always at Bombay House or travelling, that's why even though I came close to marriage with 2-3 different partners, I ouldn't go through with it because they'd have to adjust to my lifestyle and that didn't sit right with me.
Now that I'm retired, that lifestyle has changed again. People ask if I'm truly 'retired' and to that I say - there's no doubt about it. I'm enjoying the separation from the company - I don't look at newspapers and worry about the bad stuff anymore.
But let me tell you, retirement isn't about playing golf or reading on a beach whilst sipping on a coctail. In fat, never before has the urge to do more, been greater. From affordable aner treatment, to making the lives in rural India easier - I'm looking forward to making it happen at the Tata Trust. I'm trying to enjoy myself to be honest - I'm spending time with friends - old and new, across age groups, who I'm constantly learning from.
At 82, I'm still learning, so when you ask me to give advice, I feel like the 'right advice' changes over a period of time - but the one thing that remains unchanged is the desire to do the right thing.
So I'll say this - leave the advice and do the right thing, even if it isn't the easiest thing to do. When you look back at your life, that's what's going to matter the most. Doing the right thing".
........concluded.
Tailpiece.
Got up at 6, lit the lamp at the puja room, opened up the house, put on the music. The chores and had breakfast before bath.
Washed down all the soiled clothes and completed my usual work.
Elsie, mom's friend from the LIC had dropped by to look us up. Damn sweet of her!
A quiet evening!
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