THE LEGACY AND THE PLEDGE

The memory and humanity of Ratan Naval Tata would be remembered best by continuing to champion the cause of social development and a better India. By Noel N Tata, chairman of the Tata Trusts

The passing of Ratan Naval Tata marks the end of an era, and not just for the million-strong Tata family. The Tata Trusts — as an institution and as a force for the good of India — are a critical part of this family. Ratan Tata’s allegiance to the cause of social development reflected the commitment and substance at the heart of the numerous endeavours undertaken by the Trusts to lend a hand to people and communities across our country.

“Philanthropy starts with the donor, which may lead you to say it’s personal ... but philanthropy in its true sense is not personal; it is humanity-based. It’s about the sensitivity you have to all the hardships that people face.” That was Ratan Tata in a 2016 interview and it encapsulates a characteristic of his that stood apart, the essence of a philosophy rooted in empathy and the realities of India.

 In the years after he stepped down as chairman of the Tata group, Ratan Tata was able to devote much of his time to recasting the Tata Trusts in a comprehensive effort to enhance their impact and reach.

“We felt the Tata Trusts should be in a league where we pursue important causes that are good for society and India as a whole,” he said in a 2017 interview. “The objectives of our philanthropy remain largely unchanged but we are now more deeply involved on the ground with how the projects we support are implemented.”

And that’s what the Trusts have been doing, with results that reinforce Ratan Tata’s objective “to have our grants create sustainable solutions and bring self-sufficiency to communities”. It means augmenting and amplifying the effect of the Trusts’ interventions on the ground and making our philanthropic work more meaningful and dynamic — in livelihoods and education, nutrition and healthcare, education and the environment.

Partnerships, particularly with governments, have been the bedrock of multiple initiatives of the Trusts. Collaborations with other entities in the social sector — fellow philanthropies, nonprofits and companies from within and outside the Tata fold — are also vital to the well-being of many Trusts programmes in many themes. The intent and the idea here is to come together with, in Ratan Tata’s words, “those who want to join hands with us … in a field that we want to be in.”  

We owe it to ourselves to persist and to persevere in doing all we can to help make India a better country. That is what the Tata Trusts are about. That is our legacy. Our pledge should be to sustain this enriching legacy to the best of our collective ability. That would, I believe, be the most worthwhile way to honour the memory of our founders.