Ratan Tata: Video: When Ratan Tata fact-checked a reporter to find a quote attributed to him

Ratan Tata, the chairman emeritus of the Tata group, died in a Mumbai hospital on October 9. Ratan Tata was admitted to Breach Candy Hospital in south Mumbai on October 7 due to age-related problems and to control his blood pressure. Tributes and condolences poured in from across the country after Ratan Tata’s death. Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled his death, calling him a “visionary business leader, compassionate soul and an extraordinary human being”.

Ratan Tata stood out as a prominent business tycoon and philanthropist whose success story has profoundly impacted the Indian economy. Known for his vision, strong work ethic and business acumen, Ratan Tata was one of India’s most internationally recognized leaders. While Ratan Tata will always be remembered as a revolutionary businessman, not much is known about his witty side.

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Fact-checking journalist Ratan Tata

Now, an old video of Ratan Tata fact-checking a reporter has surfaced on social media and is doing the rounds online. In the purported video, the reporter asks the veteran business leader about one of the quotes widely attributed to him: “I don’t believe in making the right decisions. I make decisions and then I make them right.”

Responding to the scribe, Ratan Tata laughs and adds that although the phrase has been attributed to him online, he never said it.

READ ALSO: Ratan Tata was one of the giants of globalization “I’m sorry. I’m going to bother you. Facebook or Twitter made this statement. I never made the statement. It became a default statement. You know when people read it to you and there’s no action you can take on social media. So you live with it. Some people think it’s arrogant of you to have stated this and not have a chance to defend yourself by saying it. Some people think it’s a fancy statement and you stay silent,” said Ratan Tata.
The business leader went on to clarify that there was not much anyone could do to stop this type of widespread misattribution. The video showcased Ratan Tata’s ability to gracefully address misunderstandings and consider the effects of social media throughout the interaction.

Ratan Tata

Born in 1937 into the illustrious Tata family, Ratan Tata faced personal challenges early on, with his parents separating at the age of 10 and being raised by his grandmother. Ratan Tata studied at Cornell University in the US and turned down a job offer at IBM. He started working at the Telco (now Tata Motors) shop in 1962 where he removed limestone and was a team member in the blast furnaces.

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Ratan Tata became the chairman of the company after JRD Tata retired from Tata Sons in 1991, he became the chairman of the company. Tetley, Jaguar Land Rover and Corus were acquired by the Tata group during his leadership, as part of an effort to transform the primarily Indian company into a global company.

The government recognized his contributions to industry and society and awarded him Padma Bhushan in 2000 and Padma Vibhushan in 2008, both among India’s highest civilian awards. He had also received honorary doctorates from various universities in India and abroad.