Ratan Tata is one of the few billionaires in India, who has received prestigious awards like Padma Bhushan (2000), Padma Vibhushan (2008) and Maharashtra Bhushan (2006) for his incredible contribution to society through his work. He served as the Chairman of the Tata Group from 1990 to 2012 and currently serves as the Chairman of the Council of Management of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research. On one hand, his professional decisions never skip a chance to break the headlines, it is his personal life that has been under the spotlight for numerous reasons.
It's fair to say that Ratan Tata is the kind of entrepreneur, who has proved that money and philanthropy can work side by side. Over the decades, Ratan Tata has impressed people across the world with his life's values and philosophies. For the unversed, he has donated over 60 to 65 percent of his income to charity and the fact that he had chose to work in his own company, Tata Group as an employee instead of accepting a high-paying job at IBM.
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In this age of social media, Ratan Tata has gained the title of 'Legend' from netizens, as the billionaire's small gestures never skip a chance to win their hearts. From sitting in the front seat with his driver to requesting people to adopt Indian dogs, Ratan Tata is one of the most-loved and followed billionaires in India. The business tycoon made its way into the headlines once again back in May 2024, when AIRCEL's founder, Chinnakannan Sivasankaran shared Ratan Tata's near-death experience when he was flying in an Air India flight.
In a conversation with Raj Shamani on his podcast, Figuring Out With Raj Shamani, AIRCEL founder, Chinnakannan Sivasankaran opened up about Ratan Tata. The entrepreneur shared an interesting anecdote from the past in which he recalled the time when he and Ratan Tata were travelling on the same flight, and something terrible happened. C Sivasankaran shared that one of the engines on the flight he and Ratan Tata were travelling failed. It was a serious situation as Ratan Tata's secretary had warned them of the plane crash. Recalling the same, C Sivasankaran said:
"I and Tata were on a flight from Singapore to Seychelles when we learned that one of the plane's engines had failed. A secretary of Tata's said that if the other engine also failed, the plane could crash within 30 minutes."
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Further, in the same interview, Chinnakannan Sivasankaran admitted that it was a scary situation and a near-death experience for him. However, when he was asked to reveal Ratan Tata's reaction, Aircel's founder revealed that the billionaire was calm and composed. Revealing what Ratan Tata had said to him, C Sivasankaran stated that the former was not worried and told everyone to calm down. Recalling the conversation he had with Ratan Tata, Sivasankaran said:
"Let the pilots do their job. One minute before landing, I saw whole airport was lighted up, ambulances and firefighters were standing. I was told these arrangements were made to protect the plane from being consumed by flames once it lands in the airport."
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During his conversation about Ratan Tata, Chinnakannan Sivasankaran also talked about the former's philosophy and the way he led his business. The entrepreneur lauded Ratan Tata for always prioritising nation over money. C Sivasankaran explained that Ratan Tata was always a balanced person and money was a byproduct for him, unlike other entrepreneurs. He further added that Ratan Tata's sole ambition or primary goal was to serve the nation, which is quite rare today. Lauding the business tycoon for the way he has transformed India's economy and various sectors with his work, C Sivasankaran accepted that Ratan Tata's mentality is centred around the country, and he doesn't have the same kind of mentality. He said:
"What is so special about Ratan Tata is his selflessness and patriotism. He is a very balanced person, always focused on excellence and the good of the country, unlike me, who is always after money. For him, money is just a byproduct. His objective was always about what he could do for the country, even if it took 20 years. He was planting seeds for the future, like a banana tree. I don't have that kind of mentality."
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It's incredible the way Ratan Tata has given so much to this country and always lived a life away from the spotlight. The little fame he is getting right now is also due to the emergence of social media, otherwise he would've been in the shadows. There's no denying the fact that we are lucky to have a businessman like Ratan Tata in our country, who has always prioratised the country and its people above everyone else.
What are your thoughts on Ratan Tata's cool response to C Sivasankaran about the plane crash warning? Let us know.
Also Read: Meet Ratan Tata's Young Assistant, Shantanu, Who Is Rs. 3800 Crore Industrialist's General Manager
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