Jamsetji Tata wanted to make textiles in Nagpur in the 1800s with the cotton grown there. Nagpur had no textile industry then, and in Manchester Jamsetji was told that Nagpur's weather was not suitable as it was too dry. He said, 'Alright, I will bring the Manchester weather to Nagpur.' He imported humidifiers and started India's first textile mill in 1874.
Jamshetji started the Tata Iron and Steel Company and wanted to export steel rails to Britain. A Britisher called Sir Frederick Upcourt scoffed, 'If Tatas make steel rails to British specifications, I will undertake to eat every pound of rail that they make.' History stands testimony to the fact that Tatas did manage to make steel rails and export them to Britain. No accounts are available about Upcourt’ tryst with gastric challenges. In fact, World War II British tanks were called Tatanagars because the steel was made in Tatanagar.
Jamsetji pursued his dreams, put together a team, raised the capital, created a product, and mainstreamed it. He did it sitting in India 125 years ago when India's technical capabilities were far less than they are now. When you dream a big dream, surely some of it gets translated into reality. If you do not dream at all, what do you finally get in reality? A century ago, Jamsetji took some foreign visitors to the Majestic Hotel in Mumbai but was denied entrance because he was an Indian. Jamsetji simply resolved to build a hotel that was even finer, and which would not discriminate against people based on colour or race.
Say ‘tata’ and ‘bye-bye’ to the same old way,
“develop new dimensions” to seize the day!
Regards
Pravin
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