Ratan Tata wasn’t just another business leader; he was truly one of a kind: Raj Nayak

Raj Nayak, founder of House of Cheer and former COO of Viacom18, has paid tributes to Ratan Tata, remembering him as someone who always led with purpose.

“Sad to wake up to the news of Mr. Ratan Tata’s passing. He wasn’t just another business leader; he was truly one of a kind—kind, humble, and always leading with purpose. He touched so many lives in such a profound way.

I still remember the first time I met him, over two decades ago. We were on a flight to Singapore, and my colleague Shivnath Thukral introduced us. I was sitting across the aisle from him, and you can imagine my nerves—it’s Ratan Tata! But what really struck me wasn’t just who he was, but how incredibly down-to-earth he seemed. I still recall, after we landed at Changi International Airport, watching him stand at the baggage claim, waiting for his bag like everyone else. No entourage, no assistants hovering—just him, minding his own business. It was such a quiet, unassuming moment, and I couldn’t help but admire how grounded he was. We chatted again briefly, and he casually mentioned he was there for a Temasek board meeting, like it was just another day at work. That moment stuck with me, seeing how effortlessly he blended into the crowd despite his stature.

Another memory that stands out was during the first NDTV Indian of the Year awards. Mr. Tata was supposed to receive an award from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh himself. It was a huge event, with the who’s who of politics, business, and entertainment in attendance—people like Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj, LK Advani, Mukesh Ambani, Sunil Bharti Mittal, Rajinikanth, Shah Rukh Khan, and top bureaucrats. It was the event. But Mr. Tata wrote to us, apologizing because he had made a commitment over a year ago to attend the IIT Chennai convocation on the same day. In true Ratan Tata fashion, he didn’t want to break his promise.

He even tried to figure out the logistics—asking us what time our event would end, trying to see if he could fly from Chennai to Delhi right after the convocation. Unfortunately, the timing just didn’t work out. So, he humbly requested if his sister could accept the award on his behalf. Of course, we said yes. That night, he was the only awardee not present in person, yet when Manmohan Singh was giving his award to his sister, he spent the most time talking about Mr. Tata, even calling him a friend. It showed just how respected and admired he was.

The interesting part of the evening was when his sister arrived. None of us had ever met or seen her before, so we had no idea who to look for. She quietly slipped into a seat in the fourth or fifth row, without making any fuss. That was the simplicity of the Tata family—no show, no drama.

Mr. Tata’s values were rare, and his loss touches all of us. His love for dogs, of course, was legendary. But more than anything, it’s the way he made people feel—valued, respected, and seen—that I will always remember.

You will be deeply missed, Sir.