Ratan Tata Birth Anniversary: The unlikely bond between Tata and Shantanu Naidu that shaped a lifelong friendship
31-year-old Shantanu Naidu formed a close bond with Ratan Tata in his final years, transitioning from his assistant to general manager. Their friendship began after Naidu reached out to Tata with an idea to save dogs from speeding vehicles, leading to years of shared experiences and a deep personal connection.
In the final years of Ratan Tata's life, a curly-haired young boy was often seen by his side ¡ª sometimes celebrating his birthday, other times offering a helping hand as the beloved Tata grew older. This boy, Shantanu Naidu, gradually developed a deep bond of friendship with the businessman, transitioning from being his assistant to becoming his general manager and more.
How did Shantanu Naidu meet Ratan Tata?
After completing his education, Shantanu Naidu began his career as an automobile design engineer at Tata Elxsi in Pune.
During his time there, he became deeply concerned about the number of dogs killed by speeding vehicles.
This issue motivated him to come up with an innovative solution: designing collars with lights to improve the visibility of dogs at night, especially in poorly lit areas.
Driven to make a difference, Naidu wrote a letter to Ratan Tata, outlining his idea and seeking his support.
Credit: LinkedIn/ Humans of Bombay
Tata responded positively, inviting Naidu for a meeting to discuss the proposal.
This meeting in 2014 sparked a deep and lasting friendship between the two, united by their shared love for animals.
Naidu eventually became Tata's assistant and later moved up to the role of general manager.
Credit: horizons.tatatrusts.org
In 2021, Naidu published his first book, I Came Upon a Lighthouse, which reflects on his journey with Ratan Tata and the bond they shared.
After Tata's passing on October 9, 2024, Naidu expressed his grief, saying, "The hole that this friendship has now left with me, I will spend the rest of my life trying to fill. Grief is the price to pay for love. Goodbye, my dear lighthouse."
In yet another post he had written, "Still coming to terms with the fact that I will never see him smile again, or get to make him smile."
After Ratan Tata's passing, his will revealed that he not only gave up his share in Naidu's startup, Goodfellows, but also covered Naidu's expenses for studying abroad.
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Srishti B Dutta brings you everything from rags-to-riches tales and inspiring student success stories to those "No way, this can't be real!" moments. Whether it's intriguing, heartwarming, or just plain quirky, she's got it covered.
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