Dear Ratan Tata, an iconic corporate leader, retired as chairman of Tata Group after a 50-year run on Friday but kept away from the office on his last day at the helm of one of the country's oldest business empires. He wrote to the employees of the Tata Group. Here is the full text of the letter:
Dear Colleague,
As 2012 comes to an end, let me wish you and your family all the best for the New Year. I hope that 2013 and the future years bring you good health, peace of mind, and great happiness.
This is also the last time that I write to you before my retirement as the Chairman of the Tata Group, and I want to convey to you how privileged I have been to have had the opportunity of leading this great Group over the last two decades through good times and bad.
Whatever has been achieved has only been possible because of the amazing spirit, the dedication of each one of you, and the enormous support and faith reposed in me, for which I am deeply grateful and appreciative. I feel immensely proud of the manner in which the employees and the companies have come together in facing crises from time to time.
These have included adverse market conditions, natural calamities like earthquakes and tsunamis, and gruesome acts of terrorism.
The memories of personal sacrifices, loyalty, and individual acts of heroism will always remain in my memory, to reinforce the great sense of pride I have in having been a member of this team. We today are a $100 billion Group in revenues. Over the past 20 years, our revenues have grown about 20 times, and today 58% come from overseas operations. Our brand has emerged as the 45th global and the number one Indian brand.
Our products and services are present in 85 countries. We, therefore, have every reason to feel proud and confident in facing the challenges ahead. The difficult economic environment that we face in the current year will most likely continue through most of the next year.
We will probably see continued constraints in consumer demand, over-capacity, and increased competition from imports. There will, therefore, be great pressure on our companies to reinvent themselves in terms of business processes and to dramatically reduce costs, to be more aggressive in the marketplace, and to widen our product range to better address consumer needs.
We will also need to contain our borrowings and work hard to retain our margins. This environment would once again call on you for your support, your commitment, and your dedication to achieve success in these somewhat difficult times. This seemingly gloomy picture, however, will be a passing phase.
I feel confident that the robust growth that India has shown over the past several years will be re-established, and the strong fundamentals in the country will result in India once again taking its place as one of the economic success stories of the region.
The Tata Group will undoubtedly play an important role in the continued development of our country, providing leadership in various industrial segments in which they operate and living by the value systems and ethical standards on which our Group was founded. The future growth of the Group will be led in the coming years by Cyrus Mistry.
I am sure that he will receive from you the same support, the same commitment, and the same understanding that I have enjoyed over the years. Tatas are a Group where I feel proud to have belonged and proud to have been associated through the years. I wish the Group, Cyrus Mistry, and each of you great success in the years ahead. I hope the Group grows and shines in the coming years.
Yours sincerely,
Ratan N Tata,
Chairman, Tata Sons
From India, Thiruvananthapuram
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103Dear Colleague,
As 2012 comes to an end, let me wish you and your family all the best for the New Year. I hope that 2013 and the future years bring you good health, peace of mind, and great happiness.
This is also the last time that I write to you before my retirement as the Chairman of the Tata Group, and I want to convey to you how privileged I have been to have had the opportunity of leading this great Group over the last two decades through good times and bad.
Whatever has been achieved has only been possible because of the amazing spirit, the dedication of each one of you, and the enormous support and faith reposed in me, for which I am deeply grateful and appreciative. I feel immensely proud of the manner in which the employees and the companies have come together in facing crises from time to time.
These have included adverse market conditions, natural calamities like earthquakes and tsunamis, and gruesome acts of terrorism.
The memories of personal sacrifices, loyalty, and individual acts of heroism will always remain in my memory, to reinforce the great sense of pride I have in having been a member of this team. We today are a $100 billion Group in revenues. Over the past 20 years, our revenues have grown about 20 times, and today 58% come from overseas operations. Our brand has emerged as the 45th global and the number one Indian brand.
Our products and services are present in 85 countries. We, therefore, have every reason to feel proud and confident in facing the challenges ahead. The difficult economic environment that we face in the current year will most likely continue through most of the next year.
We will probably see continued constraints in consumer demand, over-capacity, and increased competition from imports. There will, therefore, be great pressure on our companies to reinvent themselves in terms of business processes and to dramatically reduce costs, to be more aggressive in the marketplace, and to widen our product range to better address consumer needs.
We will also need to contain our borrowings and work hard to retain our margins. This environment would once again call on you for your support, your commitment, and your dedication to achieve success in these somewhat difficult times. This seemingly gloomy picture, however, will be a passing phase.
I feel confident that the robust growth that India has shown over the past several years will be re-established, and the strong fundamentals in the country will result in India once again taking its place as one of the economic success stories of the region.
The Tata Group will undoubtedly play an important role in the continued development of our country, providing leadership in various industrial segments in which they operate and living by the value systems and ethical standards on which our Group was founded. The future growth of the Group will be led in the coming years by Cyrus Mistry.
I am sure that he will receive from you the same support, the same commitment, and the same understanding that I have enjoyed over the years. Tatas are a Group where I feel proud to have belonged and proud to have been associated through the years. I wish the Group, Cyrus Mistry, and each of you great success in the years ahead. I hope the Group grows and shines in the coming years.
Yours sincerely,
Ratan N Tata,
Chairman, Tata Sons
From India, Thiruvananthapuram
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An excellent letter that captures the essence of Tata Group's growth, gives a snapshot of the reality of today's business climate, and outlines the Tata Group's challenges and possible solutions. It also reaffirms the group's emphasis on ethical business practices and officially hands over the baton to the new incumbent with good wishes and grace.
A very apt and timely sharing.
Regards
From India, Mumbai
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A very apt and timely sharing.
Regards
From India, Mumbai
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He spent the last day at various locations, including Tata Motors in Pune, as requested by his Union. This shows the mark of a leader who spent the day with people, not just the board or the top few, but across the continuum. Salute!
Here's a picture related to his message:
[img]rGeTUI5Egdn1jpPWDMAJ1s_[/img]
From India, Mumbai
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Here's a picture related to his message:
[img]rGeTUI5Egdn1jpPWDMAJ1s_[/img]
From India, Mumbai
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I am nowhere connected to Mr. Ratan Tata professionally, yet I feel blessed, inspired, and overwhelmed by the way he deals with people and situations. How lucky the Tata Group employees must feel to have him in their lives. May God bless him with all the happiness and good health in his coming years.
From India, New Delhi
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From India, New Delhi
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The speech by Mr. Ratan Tata reveals certain sterling qualities that the Tata Group has stood for over the years and also the impressive qualities of a dynamic leader. That he has completed 50 years, a Golden Jubilee of service, speaks of DEDICATION.
Years of meaningful experience to take the revenue tally to an astounding $100 billion is GROWTH.
Recalling the faith and support of his people is a testimony to his LEADERSHIP.
His outlook on current demand, competition, and the need to reduce costs show that he is PRAGMATIC.
Calling for the support and commitment of his people indicates that he is a strong TEAM PLAYER.
His views about India re-emerging strongly in times to come are PATRIOTIC.
The hope that he has expressed about the Tata Group doing well in the future shows that he is a VISIONARY.
His fervent call to his people to extend their support to the new incumbent shows his CONCERN for his CONCERN.
Regards,
V. Raghunathan
Navi Mumbai
From India
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Years of meaningful experience to take the revenue tally to an astounding $100 billion is GROWTH.
Recalling the faith and support of his people is a testimony to his LEADERSHIP.
His outlook on current demand, competition, and the need to reduce costs show that he is PRAGMATIC.
Calling for the support and commitment of his people indicates that he is a strong TEAM PLAYER.
His views about India re-emerging strongly in times to come are PATRIOTIC.
The hope that he has expressed about the Tata Group doing well in the future shows that he is a VISIONARY.
His fervent call to his people to extend their support to the new incumbent shows his CONCERN for his CONCERN.
Regards,
V. Raghunathan
Navi Mumbai
From India
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Celebrating Ratan Tata's 75th Birthday
Yesterday marked the 75th birthday of the Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan awardee, Ratan Tata Ji. He was born on 28th December 1937 in Mumbai. I would like to wish a happy birthday to Ratan Sir on behalf of all the CiteHR members.
He is a great man who brought TATA to the world. The spirit of his letters is indeed an example of his greatness and wisdom. There are no words to appreciate him enough. He is a living legend, an industrialist, and an icon for millions of Indians. A great salute to him...
From India, Delhi
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Yesterday marked the 75th birthday of the Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan awardee, Ratan Tata Ji. He was born on 28th December 1937 in Mumbai. I would like to wish a happy birthday to Ratan Sir on behalf of all the CiteHR members.
He is a great man who brought TATA to the world. The spirit of his letters is indeed an example of his greatness and wisdom. There are no words to appreciate him enough. He is a living legend, an industrialist, and an icon for millions of Indians. A great salute to him...
From India, Delhi
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Such an inspiring letter by Ratan Tata towards his employees. This letter shows that he gives recognition to each and every employee of the Tata Group, which is the basic expectation of mankind. He makes his employees have a clear view of the concern and the path it should travel in the future.
As a leader, he has been an inspiration to many people, and I salute him for his commitment towards the concern as well as society.
From India, Coimbatore
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As a leader, he has been an inspiration to many people, and I salute him for his commitment towards the concern as well as society.
From India, Coimbatore
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Great you are, Ratan ji! India has few leaders like Ratan ji. In a world where people cling to power they never deserved nor worked for, intoxicated with the thirst for power, they grab it and hold on at all costs! Ratan ji let go so gracefully of all his hard-earned glory over two decades. It is difficult to climb the uphill of fame, to hold on to one's achievements, but much harder to let go. Ratan ji is a great leader who aspired to promote his TATA brand, but unknowingly he himself has become a brand for corporate leadership! Mother India has every reason to be proud of Ratan ji.
Regards
From India, Madras
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Regards
From India, Madras
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Such an inspiring letter. It is a great honor for all of us as Indians that such a great company has been contributing to the welfare of society in so many ways. Words cannot convey my feelings as I feel so proud to be an Indian and salute Mr. Ratan Tata for valuing and acknowledging the contributions of each employee.
Regards,
Lakshmi
From Singapore, Singapore
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Regards,
Lakshmi
From Singapore, Singapore
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Thank you for distributing this important news among Cite HR members. In India, Tata is the company that truly cares about its employees along with the company's growth. I have many friends who work at Tata, and they are very happy. They don't face any problems regardless of their long tenure at Tata. I also dream of working at Tata, but my limitations always seem to hold me back.
All my best wishes to you, Mr. Ratan Tata, and I hope to be a part of Tata in the future if it becomes possible.
Regards,
Kasim
From India, Mumbai
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All my best wishes to you, Mr. Ratan Tata, and I hope to be a part of Tata in the future if it becomes possible.
Regards,
Kasim
From India, Mumbai
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Dear All, I am attaching the letter from Mr. Cyrus Mistry, the new chairman of Tata group addressing all the people related to tata group. Thanks & Regards, Bhavin Mehta
From India, Mumbai
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From India, Mumbai
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That is a good post carrying the message of Mr. Cyrus Mistry, an able successor stepping into the shoes of his illustrious predecessor. Certainly, these are tough times as rightly observed in his speech. When the going gets tough, the tough get going. Tough times bring out the best from top leaders.
Regards,
V. Raghunathan
Navi Mumbai
From India
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Regards,
V. Raghunathan
Navi Mumbai
From India
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I join you all in celebrating the noble leadership that has become an aspect of the TATA brand. It is said that "People get the leader they deserve." Congratulations to TATA forces, I mean employees, because both in the past as well as in the present, they have a leader who syncs with the heartbeats of employees, feeling for their well-being and that of their family members, who builds on the past dreaming into a future ahead, who has trust in the stakeholders, and who possesses a sense of nationality and global humanity. I am sure Mr. Mistry will stride forward carrying the baton handed over by his predecessor, Mr. Ratan Tata.
Regards,
SP Joe
From India, Madras
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Regards,
SP Joe
From India, Madras
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He is truly a man of honor. JRD did not hand over the power to him; in fact, he earned it. He used to work at Nelco along with floor workers and climbed the ladder slowly. This is one of the main reasons he always believed that an organization is not run by the top executives but by the lower-level people. He always took time to answer the letters sent by low-level persons, and any hardship faced by them was addressed immediately too. Strict actions were taken against the topmost person of the organization if he or she was involved in the person's suffering.
That is why people are proud when they are associated with the company run by him; hope his legacy continues.
Regards,
Anita
From India, Mumbai
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That is why people are proud when they are associated with the company run by him; hope his legacy continues.
Regards,
Anita
From India, Mumbai
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Ratan-Tata.pdf
Ratan tata - words of wisdom.pps