The Eternal Icon

We are the Pilgrims,master; we should go
Always a little further: it may be
Beyond the last blue mountain barred with snow
Across that angry or that glimmering sea....

We travel not for trafficiking alone;
By hotter winds our fiery hearts are fanned,
For lust of knowing what should not be known,
We take the Golden Road to Samarkand.

- James Elroy Flecker


How true, after all our achievements and failures, exaltations and disappointments, we are ultimately pilgrims and our only duty is to ' move a little further' and finally meet the glorious sunset that awaits us.

But there was one man who was an eternal pilgrim. A pilgrim who blazed a new trail, showed India that true religion has to be practiced and not simply followed. A business man with a capitalist mind and a socialist heart. An entrepreneur who cared for others, least concerned with how will it affect his group's bottomline.

Bharat Ratna, Padma Vibhushan, U.N. Population Award, Tony Jannus Award for aviation... and many more. These awards were just incidental to his work.

Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata(1904-1993), known as 'J.R.D.' or 'Jeh' to friends and common man,would not have thought how important role he would play in the development of India and ofcourse the Tata group. Its interesting and important to know that how much a top businessman can do beyond business if he intends to.

Homi Bhabha, father of India's atomic programme, would have achieved nothing, if not for J.R.D. After returning from Cambridge, Mr. Bhabha was disappointed that there was no infrastructure for advance scientific research in India. Mr. Bhabha wrote to J.R.D. 'if an institute was establish, instead of returning to Cambridge or Princeton after the war, I would stay on in India and raise a team of highly qualified scientists'. J.R.D. asked him to submit a concrete proposal of his plan and if its accepted by the board of Sir Dorabji Tata Trust, he would support him in his endeavour. The proposal was passed in 1945 and Tata Institute of Fundamental Research was established.

J.R.D. played an active role in establishing the Tata Memorial Hospital. The board was debating about keeping the hospital's expenses at a mangeable level, they were not thinking of research. At that time J.R.D. came up with his own vision for the hospital ' This hospital should be able to carry out the triple objects of treatment, research and education. We should treat research almost as important as treatment.' In 1941 the hospital was inaugurated. Even today 33% of the patients are treated free of charge and most of the expenses are borne by the Tata group.

My intention behind mentioning these contributions is that every one of us have to do something for the larger good of the society. Otherwise what was the need for J.R.D to establish institutes and a hospital. He could have been happy as the chairman of the Tata Group. But he thought it was his duty to serve the society because he was blessed with far more riches than his poorer brethen. Bill Gates and Warren Buffet are following the same philosophy.

J.R.D. was the chairmanTata Group for 53 years (1938-1991). He put India on the civil aviation map of the world. Under the leadership of this unassuming visionary Tata became a household name. Tata means many things to many people. For some it means ethics, integrity and philanthropy; for some it means adventure and daring; for some it means a way of life.

A dashing debonair and a chivalrous man, he became a Pan-Indian icon. Even in his late eighties he could be seen skiing on the swiss alps. He had a wonderful sense of humour. While preparing for a heart surgery, he saidtoRusi Lala, "nobody cares for me...... except the ladies" Lala said " whose hearts have you broken" J.R.D. retorted " no, whose favours I seek."

He died a natural death in Geneva. His last words were ' You know, I am going to another world, and its exciting, very exciting.'


Oh Jeh,how I wish you were alive today. Nevertheless you will remain for me and this vast country with its myriad people, ' AN ETERNAL ICON'

In Gujarati,

Ek vyakti je saahas nu saakar rup hata

Ek Bharatiya je rashtra ni prerna che

Ek ehtihaasik purush je sada amar che

In loving memory of my hero, J.R.D. TATA.