Tributes to Ratan Tata: Heartwarming encounters from friends and neighbours

(From right) Railway officials V Chandrasekar, Narendra Patil and A K Jain along with Ratan Tata on his birthday in 2016

Abhishek Deshpande, a chemical engineer based in the US and a former neighbour of Ratan Tata, told mid-day, "He was a true gem. I felt he was genuinely warm and approachable, despite his status and wealth. It's rare to find such people today. He exuded class like very few in his world. The first time I met Ratan Tata was when I was growing up in Mumbai. He was on his regular evening walk with his dogs at the United Services Club in Colaba. How down-to-earth can someone be? When he saw that I wanted to shake his hand, he stopped and talked to me about my school."

The Udasi family from Bandra posted a tribute to Ratan Tata on the pet's Instagram account

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"My father was in the Indian Army, and we used to live close to the United Services Club, where Ratan Tata was a member. He often visited the club for walks with his dogs, probably because he enjoyed the peace and quiet, with only restricted access for Indian forces officers and a select few civilian members. I'm glad he was a member. It was my first interaction with Ratan Tata, 24 years ago, but it remains a vivid memory. He stopped immediately when he saw this young starstruck boy just wanting to shake his hand and say hello. Remember, there were no ‘selfies' back then, so the time spent was truly quality. He asked me what school I went to and what I was studying. He showed genuine interest in my educational aspirations, even asking what I wanted to study after my 12th standard," Deshpande shared with mid-day.

Other interactions

Abhishek Deshpande, a former neighbour of Ratan Tata

"I met him on a flight to Doha on Qatar Airways. He was seated next to me and my mum many years ago. It was lovely chatting with him, as we were the only ones in the cabin. We talked about our mutual love of dogs, art, culture, philanthropy, and much more," PR professional Lorraine Khatau told mid-day. Mumbai-based author Savitha Rao said, "When I wrote my first book, I sent him a copy and requested a meeting through his office. Within a few weeks, I received a wonderful email from them. They mentioned that he was unwell and, therefore, meetings were restricted (and it was during the pandemic). They said they had shared my initiative with him, and he sent his best wishes. Ratan Tata is the gold standard for most people who aspire to do social work. So it meant a lot to get that message," she said.

Pet Instagram tribute

The Udasi family from Bandra, who have a pet dog named Nino, posted a tribute to Ratan Tata on the pet's Instagram account, Ninobabachronicles.

‘We met him and left feeling truly blessed'

A team of senior railway officials, who met Ratan Tata in 2016, said they felt blessed by the experience. Senior railway official Narendra Patil told mid-day that after meeting Ratan Tata, their team felt fortunate. "He offered us tea and greeted us warmly. It was his birthday. We met Ratan Tata on behalf of Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu to wish him on his birthday. When we informed him that we had come on behalf of the Government of India's Ministry of Railways, he immediately invited us inside his house. We wished him, and I called Prabhu sir, handing the phone to Ratan Tata to offer his birthday greetings. He warmly offered us tea, and we left feeling truly blessed. Later, he even wrote me a letter thanking me for the birthday wishes," Patil told mid-day. Patil and his team, who were part of the Central Railway's public relations department in Mumbai, proudly shared photos of their memorable meeting.