Ratan Tata could see ‘beyond what other people are used to looking at’

From the Nano at one end, to Jaguar Land Rover on the other end of the passenger vehicle spectrum, and from the Tata Ace to the ‘World Truck’ Prima in commercial vehicles, Ratan Tata had some unusual, ambitious, and audacious goals for Tata Motors.

“He could see beyond what other people are used to looking at. He used to always think in a big, bold manner, not where we are, but where we could be,” Ravi Kant, former Vice-chairman and Managing Director of Tata Motors tells ETAuto.

Kant, who worked quite closely with Tata recalls that when the ambitious idea to bid for Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) was mooted, it didn’t received much support from stakeholders.It was pretty much Tata and him who were convinced of the idea, and therefore mutually supported and did what was required for a successful deal, and as they say, the rest is history.

“It's not that I merely supported him, but I gave him reasons why I would support. And, if you were to add the strengths of Jaguar Land Rover, and strengths of Tata Motors, you have a winning combination,” says Kant, who considers himself “extremely fortunate to have had the opportunity” to work with and learn from Tata.. Kant superannuated from Tata Motors over 10 years ago.

Much of what Tata Motors is today have their roots in the period when Tata was at the helm of affairs. It’s common knowledge that Tata Indica was India’s first indigenously developed car. But, what may not be common knowledge is that its maker, under the leadership of Ratan Tata, is the first carmaker in India to invest in an in-house crash test facility, in 1997. Not surprising then that India’s first passenger vehicle to secure a 5-star rating from safety watchdog Global New Car Assessment Programme (GNCAP) happens to be a Tata vehicle in the Nexon.

Supporting small players with big ideas

It’s not only the big deals, and ambitions. Ratan Tata was also a supporter of ideas that could make a difference. And, in his later years one of the bets he made was on electric mobility. Ampere Vehicles, founded as a small electric vehicle (EV) start-up in Coimbatore, and later acquired by Greaves Cotton is one example. Ampere Vehicles became the first automobile entity to receive an investment by Tata in his personal capacity.

Recalling how it started, Ampere Vehicles’ founder-CEO Hemalatha Annamalai says after much persuasion she found an audience in Ratan Tata in one his visits to Coimbatore in late 2012. After seeing what Ampere Vehicles was planning to do – ground-up EVs, it didn’t take much time for Tata to sign the first cheque. Tata’s investment, reported to be around INR 3 crore, carried much higher value as an endorsement than the invested amount.

Infosys co-founder Kris Gopalakrishnan followed as an investor in Ampere Vehicles, and an existing investor matched the amount that Tata invested. Hemalatha believes that Tata gave a benefit of doubt to those who are deserving. “Ratan Tata’s loss feels so personal to me. I had the good fortune of meeting him twice, a simple benevolent persona. He had invested, supported, changed policies for growing entrepreneurs and the ecosystem,” she says.

After receiving the funds, Hemalatha and team worked as per the guidance from Tata, who told her, “Don’t worry about profit. Focus on quality”. He also advised her not to make a mistake of selling the EVs as a poor man’s vehicle, something that Tata Motors learnt from the Nano story.

In tune with the times

Though Tata remained an investor in Ampere vehicles only for 2-3 years, his belief in the EV trend led him to found Electra EV, an EV powertrain supplier, in 2017. Starting with the Tigor EV, and Tata Ace EV as key projects from customer Tata Motors, Electra EV is now expanding its customer base to include non-Tata companies too.

“All of us at Electra EV, a company borne out of Mr. Tata’s love and passion to contribute to societal improvement and to the environment, are deeply saddened by his passing away. We will continue to be guided by his vision and legacy of empathetic leadership,” says Samir Yajnik, CEO, Electra EV.

Sandeep Singh, MD, Tata-Hitachi, and also a former Toyota executive, had the “privilege” of meeting Tata “several times”. “One memorable moment was at the Auto Expo, where I had the honor of showcasing Toyota's products to him. Our half-hour conversation left a lasting impact,” recounts the industry veteran.

The meetings would continue in Tata Hitachi too, during Founders Day celebrations in Jamshedpur. ”Mr. Tata's legacy will forever be etched in my heart. May God grant him eternal peace and tranquility,” says Singh.

Yajnik, who periodically would report updates on the EV technology venture to Tata, also says, “For me personally, the bond of friendship and constant mentorship will remain forever as a huge source of inspiration to take his dreams forward”.

Many many more professionals, within the Tata Group, its associate companies, and outside of the Group may continue to draw inspiration from the industrialist, leader, and a human being that Ratan Tata was. Many, if not most, could agree with Hemalatha when she says, “India needs more Tatas”.