T.M. Mathachan breaks into a smile as he recollects the time Ratan Tata walked up to him and asked, “Don’t we know each other? Then, why didn’t you come and say hello when you saw me?”
As young men, this former employee of TELCO (now Tata Motors) and the chairman emeritus of Tata Sons were hotel-mates in Jamshedpur. Now retired and settled in his home in Kandanad in Kerala’s Ernakulam district, Mathachan could not stress enough the warmth of the legendary industrialist.
Mathew, known locally by his family name as Thukalan Mathachan, and Tata were hostel-mates in 1962 when they were trainees in TELCO. He fondly remembers Tata as the personification of grace, nobility, and humility.
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After the training, Tata moved back to Mumbai. After a decade or so, Tata spotted Mathachan in the crowd when he was leading a delegation from Africa to the training centre in Jamshedpur. As he was an employee, Mathachan chose to be professional and stayed in the background. However, Tata spotted him immediately, walked over, and broke the ice with his friendly query.
No special service
The Jamshedpur hostel was managed by the trainees themselves. So, they devised a way to keep the mess bills down—providing room service to special guests. This and any other additional privileges were billed and the money was added to the common pool. Tata was given special service, but he was only charged the regular amount.
The following month, when Mathachan took over as mess manager, he mentioned the discrepancy to Tata and suggested that it should be corrected. The conversation was interrupted by a shocked hostel warden, but Tata intervened, saying, "He has the patience to explain it to me, and I have the patience to listen. Please don’t interfere."
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Tata explained that he assumed the meals were being sent to his room as his presence in the dining hall might inconvenience others. Mathachan assured him that his presence was always welcome. Tata smiled and added humorously, “By the way, my car is a bit large. Do I need to pay a parking fee?”
Tata, the ‘taxi driver’
Mathachan also recalled the time when Baiju, a canteen worker from Odisha, fell off his bicycle and injured himself. As Mathachan rushed around to find transportation to the hospital, Tata stepped in and offered his car. When Mathachan said a taxi might be more appropriate, Tata insisted on using his car and personally drove Baiju to the hospital.
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While returning, Tata asked Mathachan, “Aren’t you the one who insists on following all the rules? Shouldn’t I be paid taxi rates for this trip?” To this, Mathachan replied, “How could I ever think of you as a taxi driver?” The trainees both laughed at the banter as they drove down to the hostel.
Sitting in Kandanad, Mathachan today mourns a man who was his boss, and genuinely, a friend.
(This story first appeared in Malayala Manorama)