7/27/2019 Book Review Beyond the Last Blue Mountain- A Life of J.R.D. TATA

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Book review

BEYOND THE LAST BLUE MOUNTAIN-

A LIFE OF J.R.D. TATA

A uthor: R.M.Lala

Today Tata is the largest private corporate in India. It has reached thisstatus through the persistent handwork by its employees and its motto of gaining perfection. One of the men who should be given credit for its statustoday is J.R.D Tata, an icon who was recognized by all and known by few.

Beyond the Last Blue Mountain by R.M.Lala, a biography on him, helped usunderstand the man behind the curtains.

The book is divided into 4 parts describing his childhood, his contribution toIndian Aviation, his outstanding personality in Indian industry and hispersonality, respectively. We come to know of his childhood days throughPart I. His was perhaps an eventful life without the sight of boredom. Heexperienced the air raids of Paris at the age of ten, went on joyrides onplane, enlisted in the French army in 1923, owning a car etc. But he too hadhis own share of sorrows. He always wished he had finished his education inCambridge and achieved an engineering degree. However, he made the bestof it. His mother died in 1904 while his father died later at the age of 70leaving him to take care of the family. His brother Jimmy followed them,dying in an air crash. For man credited for his cheerfulness he had manythings to grieve about.

Part II describes J.R.Ds real ambitious and goal - Aviation. Here we come toknow of his relationship with the politicians, his various flights (one at age of 70!) and his disinterest in politics. He started the Air India with its symbol,Maharaja bowing over, at your service. He had an eye for details and everytime he travelled in Air India he used to makes notes on what needs to beimproved and gave credits where it asked for and send this to the managingboard. His thirst for perfection got Air India the reputation it has today. Hisrelationship with his employees was that of friendship and openness. He was

known to be just and fair and he pointed out mistakes not as judgment butas a way of improvising. Due to this perfection, Air India topped list of airlines surveyed by Julian Holland of Daily mail, London in 1968. However,here too, he faced many setbacks such as the nationalization in 1949 by thegovernment and his sudden dismissal from the chairmanship of Air India in1977 due to political feuds. But , despite all this, J.R.D Tata still set thestandards for the Aviation industry which were never again reached.

7/27/2019 Book Review Beyond the Last Blue Mountain- A Life of J.R.D. TATA

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Part III tells us about his life as the Chairman of Tata from 1938 onwards.Here, Jamsetji, his grandfather had great influence on him. He lived by hisgrandfathers philosophy of supplying what the nation demanded. He madeup to his lack of engineering degree to his advantage by self-learning and bybeing to open to new ideas, criticisms and suggestions from his advisors and

employees. In 1944, along with other industrialists, he visited England andAmerica to study the industrial plans, advances and organization. Here hecame to know G.D.Birla better. Though both respected each other, theirpaths were different and so a friendship that would have benefited all, didntblossom. J.R.D played major role in the starting of TIFR. By 1990 under hisguidance Tata Steel was ranked no. 1 industry of India by the EconomicTimes.

Part IV is perhaps the part which interested me the most. It shows us thepersonality of J.R.D Tata- his humbleness linked with determination to getsomewhere, his appreciation of philosophy, art and drama, his trustfulnessand his humor. One of the event described in the book is how he calledevery Sunday a friend of his, who had lost his memory and talked to himabout the old days till his friends death. This humanity behind the idolendears us more to him.

The Biographer has done full justice to his personality. The book has rightamount of facts mixed with everyday stories and details of J.R.Ds life.Humors as well as philosophy present themselves side by side here. Readthis book to see the living proof of how humbleness and humanity can be yeta virtue of leaders.