‘Ratan Tata never jumped queues’: UAE business leaders share life lessons they learnt from the titan

Indian billionaire and national icon Ratan Tata, former chairman of well-diversified conglomerate Tata Group, passed away at the age of 86 in Mumbai late on Wednesday. But his legacy has stamps all over the world, including the UAE.

The regional headquarters of Tata Group’s 25 companies are in the UAE. In an interview with Khaleej Times on Tuesday, Sunil Sinha, director, Tata International West Asia, said these firms employ around 17,000 people in the Middle East with a majority of them in the UAE.

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With interests in aviation, e-commerce, F&B, hospitality, IT, retail and telecom and many other sectors, the $365 billion (Dh1.34 trillion) conglomerate’s subsidiaries have a strong presence in the UAE.

From flying with Air India or Air India Express, driving a Ranger Rover, using consultancy services of TCS, buying jewellery from Tanishq, staying in Taj hotel, or riding in Tata buses, UAE residents have greatly benefited from the vision and legacy of India’s iconic businessman.

Sinha, who is also vice-chairman of the Indian Business and Professional Council (IBPC), worked with the Tata Group for 40 years.

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Walk the talk

“I had the opportunity to work with him on several occasions. I was leading one of his signature programmes started in the early 1990s. Called the Tata Business Excellence Model, the programme was to make the group excellent and high-performing companies. I have fond memories of working with Ratan Tata who personified excellence and humility. A man of few words, he never imposed his thoughts on his colleagues,” Sinha told Khaleej Times in an interview on Thursday.

“Tata always spoke about doing the right things, keeping ethics at the top of it. He walked the talk. We never had a doubt in our minds that if we lost a business because we maintained Tata’s ethics, something could go against us. He also never allowed the spotlight to come to him. He never jumped the queues at airports or hotels and waited for his turn despite being such a big human that reflected humility and simplicity,” said Sinha.

Mentor for generations

UAE-based Indian businessmen have paid glowing tributes to Tata, with one calling him a “mentor for generations”.

Yusuffali MA, chairman and managing director of LuLu Group, said: “This is indeed a very great loss. I have had few opportunities to personally interact with the great personality and learn a lot from him which I have followed in my business journey so far. His life in itself was a book which all of us can learn from. He was a mentor for both the young and old generations.”

Dr Azad Moopen, founder and chairman, Aster DM Healthcare, said Tata showed the world that “compassion and social responsibility can co-exist with corporate success.”

“His leadership has shaped industries and touched countless lives, driven by a quiet commitment to ethical principles and long-term societal value… His support for initiatives such as cancer research, rural healthcare programs, and the establishment of advanced medical facilities has addressed critical gaps, creating lasting benefits for underserved communities. His leadership continues to serve as a model for future generations, illustrating that progress is achieved when success is measured not just in profits, but in the lasting difference it makes in people's lives,” said Moopen.

Rizwan Sajan, chairman and founder, Danube Group, said through his leadership and entrepreneurial spirit, Tata brought global recognition to India. “India has lost a true gem, but his invaluable lessons will endure.”

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