I spent more than 50 years with the Tatas. In fact I always consider myself to be a Tatas’ man. I joined the Tatas in 1939 as a young man of 21 and retired in 1993 at the age of 75. I joined them at the bottom level and ended up at the top. I was an expert of nothing (I still am not). But I worked my way up the ladder.

I worked with the legendary J R D Tata. He was a great man, a big man. I am 92 now. And my mind is not functioning properly, but I distinctly remember how much I used to enjoy working with him. Having said that, I must also add that no two persons can be the same. Therefore you cannot expect J R D Tata to be Ratan Tata and vice versa, or Ratan Tata to be Russi Mody and vice versa.

Two persons have to be different in their attitudes, approaches, style of functioning and what not. I never worked with Ratan Tata as chairman. It was only after I left the Tatas that he became chairman.

One has to change oneself and mend one’s ways according to the period in which he works. I guess Ratan Tata is doing just that. Me and Ratan Tata have to be different — that’s the way life is. You like it or not, you have to accept it.

In my time, I did my best for the Tatas and the Tatas did their best for me. I didn’t do anything special. I just led a normal life and that suited the Tatas. That’s how it was. Time goes on and everything grows with time. You either grow or you fall behind.

At this age, it’s difficult for me to judge logically and, considering all business nuances, whether the recent acquisitions by the group have been justified or not, but the present chairman, I guess, is trying to ensure by all means that the organisation grows with time.

With time, more activities have come along and the company under the present leadership is responding to that.

I never consider myself having left the Tatas (although there was a bad period, which I don’t want to talk about). But after I officially retired no one from them came to me for any advice or suggestion and I did not give them any unsolicited advice either.

When (possibly in August, 2007) Ratan Tata came and met me at the Taj Bengal after a long interval, I really felt I belonged to the Tatas. Even after my official retirement I have been living with this feeling of belongingness. Once you work with the group, you are attached to the group forever. That’s the beauty. And mind you, I spent 54 years of my life there.

And it’s not just the employees of Tata Steel, but people of Jamshedpur loved me so much. I tried to reciprocate that in whatever best way I could. Even at this age I spend at least five or six days a month at Jamshedpur. That’s the kind of attachment I have for the organisation and its people.

When I was there at the helm, I always nurtured the dream that it would be the best-run steel company in the country and in the world. I am sure that the present leadership under Ratan Tata must have the same dream. Whether they have succeeded or not, it’s not for me to say. But yes, it’s certainly a very well-run company.