Ratan Tata: The Single Biggest Brand Creator for India’s Tourism!

The good news is that the successor to Mr. Ratan Tata, his half-brother Noel, is equally grounded, sedate, ideally suited to carry the huge legacy forward.

The end was a rude shock; only a day before he passed on, he had tweeted he was well, and there was nothing to worry. But then he was kind of unwell for some time. I never met him. Yet, I did, though so briefly and so endearingly.

Just two summers ago, I was staying at 51 Buckingham Gate, the residential wing at Taj St James in London. Coming down the elevator, as the doors opened at the lobby level, who did I see outside, waiting for the lift to come down, for him to enter. Yes, it was Ratan Tata himself, in flesh and blood, standing with two friends, both Indians, just as a nobody in his own hotel, with not a single staff around him. Not even in the far distance. He was slightly stooped; I thought one of his friends was discreetly lending him support. I recognised him instantly, bowed and wished him, he responded most gracefully, with more than a nod. I made way for him to enter.

Just then, a group of other guests joined us, identified Mr. Tata, and started taking out their mobiles to take photos and perhaps even a selfie. Who would not wish to have one? Mr. Tata’s friend spoke out, asking to not take photos, please. I had instinctively stayed back, joined the chorus, suggesting them not to take photos, respect the reservation and reluctance of Mr. Tata to have any picture taken. His privacy was to be respected. I was glad, the group paid heed and in fact, pulled back to allow Mr. Tata to take the elevator in comfort.

The next day, I saw him again, coming out of one of the hotel’s standard limousines; must be coming back from a meeting. Here, one of the richest Indians, if he had only wanted to store all the group company profits to himself, build tony homes for himself to live in, he was yet choosing to stay in one of his own hotels, like just any other guest. He could have bought a hundred cars for himself, asked his own company owned range Rover to send him any car of his desire for his personal use while he was in London, and yet choosing to be driven in one of the hotel’s transport fleet – looked like a ten year old well kept Mercedes or something, I cannot remember.

The proof of the pudding is always in the eating. No amount of articulation on ideas is enough; action is what makes the difference. Mr. Tata lived by his ideals. Like a greatest of the halwais, he did not eat up his own sweetmeats, he made them for others to buy and create profits that he would then share among society. Or employ the profits for further growth of his enterprises.

Mr. Tata finds the most honourable mention in these pages, for being the single biggest brand creator for India’s tourism and travel industry. Between the Taj hotels and Air India, the house of TATA’s has given India two most sought-after brands in our space. Both firmly established, and yet initiating further journeys onto newer frontiers. For all its successes in recent years, with enviable profits like never seen or imagined before, The Taj Hotels seem poised for still greater successes. Puneet Chhatwal, IHCL CEO, could not have given Mr. Tata a better send-off with his 1000 crores profits in two consecutive years!

It was only Mr. Tata who imagined his return to Air India, he had his passion alive for aviation and flying. A most ambitious program of mergers within the group, a most arduous task, is presently underway to reclaim the space in global aviation that had been Air India’s in its heyday.

India’s tourism industry needs to pledge itself to the ideals of Mr. Tata. No compromises, integrity first, and the best of experiences for the consumer.

What has been his hallmark has been his humility. It would be no exaggeration to say he was humility ‘personified’. A most important lesson for an industry and a country that too often falls prey to hubris, the big destroyer of character and humanity in all of us. A lasting tribute to Mr. Tata would be to embrace humility in all our endeavour. As a people, as a nation. Hospitality could do with this even more so, as it is a people centric activity, in the service of the customer.

This issue coincides with this sad occasion, a moment in our history, when we should pause and reflect. The passing on of Mr. Ratan Tata is an occasion to pledge to adopt his ideals, his lifestyle, his rare pedigree, that of simplicity, living with honour and in all humility. With all his material possessions, he chose to shun the luxury and high-flying opportunities; as we embrace new opportunities to make our tourism inclusive, in all its multi splendored colours.


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