When he died, his obituary read: "...his sturdy strength of character prevented him from fawning on any man, however great, for he was great in his own way, greater than most people realised. He sought no honour, he claimed no privilege, but the advancement of India and her myriad peoples were with him an abiding passion."
The spirit of Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata, the founder of the group, lives on in the stories of the individuals profiled here.
Inspired by the selflessness of Covid-19 frontline heroes — doctors, paramedics, non-clinical staffers, municipal corporators, public servants, technicians, public health and sanitation workers, countless private individuals — hundreds of Tata employees stepped up to offer help wherever required, in work spaces, streets, villages and urban clusters.
These are their stories.
Stories
Cleanliness First
If there is one thing that the coronavirus has impressed upon us, it is the need to practice good hygiene to ward off the virus. At the 160-room Ginger Bhubaneswar, named a quarantine centre, this learning has been honed to perfection by hotel manager.
Serving a Nutritious Meal
From the kitchens of The Indian Hotels Company Ltd’s (IHCL) various hotels and TajSATS, a leading player in airline catering and institutional catering, more than 1.65 million free meals have been provided so far to medical personnel, police personnel and those impacted in the lockdown.
The Power of 'We Can'
If you thought that the fight against Covid-19 was happening only in hospitals and quarantine facilities, think again. Devang Pandya, chief manager and lead – CSR and Ethics, Tata AIG General Insurance Company, and other colleagues played a stellar role in the fight without stepping out of their homes.
In The Driver's Seat
No matter how crazy the traffic on the road is, Abhishek Shinde’s vehicle of choice always commands respect and attention, turning heads and earning right of way. Not that it matters to him. Sitting behind the wheel, all he’s conscious of is a deep sense of commitment and responsibility.
Dispelling Darkness After 9 Baje 9 Minute
On April 5, 2020, practically the whole country switched off their lights for 9 minutes in response to the ‘9 baje 9 minute (9 minutes at 9pm) diya jalao’ call by the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, to show courage and determination in overcoming the novel coronavirus.
Building to Heal
The art of construction is the art of getting over the obstacles that stand in your way. That is just what a team from Tata Projects has done in its endeavour to construct facilities for treating Covid-19 patients at KEM Hospital in Mumbai.
Served With Kindness
English novelist Graham Greene once said, “A thought from you could be a prayer in the eyes of God.” That’s just what Tata Steel Foundation’s (TSF) initiative, #ThoughtforFood, has proven to be for those stuck in lockdown with no idea where their next meal would come from.
Doctor On Call
Sometimes life puts you to the test early on in the game, even before you’ve had a chance to prepare. Something similar happened to Dr Abhipsa Raut. Having graduated in December 2019, she has been working as a medical officer with Tata Steel Rural Development Society (TSRDS) in Jamshedpur since late February 2020.
Keeping The Novel Coronavirus at Bay
Keeping one’s surroundings clean is half the battle won when it comes to the battle against the novel coronavirus. It is with this view that three Titan Company employees took it upon themselves to sanitise their neighbourhoods.
Our Retail Heroes
Rakesh Mane hasn’t seen his newborn baby, his older child and his family since the lockdown began, but he makes sure South Mumbai’s Star Market outlet in Churchgate, where he is the store manager, opens on time every morning despite the lockdown. He is one of the three heroes profiled here.
Flying Essentials
To support the Government of India in its initiative, ‘Mission Lifeline UDAN’,
Vistara has operated over 30 special cargo flights since mid-April to transport over 200 tonnes of relief material, essential commercial goods and medical supplies such as personal protective equipment (PPE), medicines, blood samples and more during the lockdown.
