A bit of a unique story

Seema Sachdeva

When 23-year-old Shantanu Naidu, an automotive design engineer with Tata Elxsi, came up with reflective collars for stray dogs to make them visible at night and prevent accidents, he didn’t know that this simple act of kindness would be instrumental in his bonding with none other than Ratan Tata. While his venture, Motopaws, got the support of Tata Group, he earned for himself the lifelong friendship of India’s beloved icon. The short memoir is as much about Shantanu as about Ratan Tata.

Shantanu’s life in itself is no less interesting. Five generations of his family have been working with the Tatas. Every evening, his 90-year-old great grandmother lights up incense sticks in front of Jamshetji Tata’s picture in their house shrine. From composing music videos for social causes to establishing himself in animal welfare, and finally working in Ratan Tata’s office, Shantanu’s life has been one big adventure.

Written from Shantanu’s perspective, the book, a tribute to his unusual friendship with Ratan Tata, presents another version of the octogenarian: the sprightly sunflower. Here, one can find Tata whistling, indulging in light banter, getting lost in his own stories, playing with his dogs Tito and Tango, or simply teasing ‘Shantaa nu’ for his pigeon’s hair. Looking beyond his business milestones, the book can serve as a guide for those who want to know the lesser-known facts about the doyen of Indian industry. From his love for driving convertibles top down to his favourite restaurant, Thai Pavilion, to his fetish for buying bed linen at Macy’s in New York, the book brings to light the man beyond the great steel wall. One gets to know a side of Tata that’s goofy, witty and as someone who would not mind sticking his tongue out.

Subjects close to him, like the housing scheme for poor that he plans or his disappointment at Nano failing to capture the hearts of those it was aimed at, are all touched upon, as also the legal troubles around leadership of the Tata Group.

On his part, Shantanu comes across as a fun-loving person who keenly observes people around him. From joining Tata’s office as Deputy General Manager to assisting him with day-to-day activities, including philanthropic initiatives, start-up proposals and social media, Shantanu takes it all with much humility. It takes courage to admit when he says that while he was grateful for Tata’s Harvard recommendation, he was secretly happy that he could get into Cornell University without one.

Written straight from the heart, his ‘dramesque’ style amuses the reader. Adding colour to his stories are delightful illustrations by Sanjana Desai.

That Shantanu loves telling stories is evident in the vivid pictures he paints. From describing Tata as ‘Millennial Dumbledore’ to describing his colleagues Deepthi, Parizaad and Denese as tiny, strong guardians of the Tata lighthouse, his is a fairy tale in which Ratan Tata is his guardian angel.