'Every Indian owes you a debt': Ratan Tata's unseen letter to PV Narasimha Rao from 1996 goes viral; read here

A previously undisclosed letter penned by the late industrial titan, Ratan Tata, has surfaced, shedding light on his deep admiration for the trailblazing economic reforms championed by former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao. Tata, who passed away last week, wrote this heartfelt note in 1996, praising Rao's transformative role in reshaping India's economic landscape.

The handwritten letter, dated August 27, 1996, was recently shared on social media by Harsh Goenka, Chairman of the RPG Group in a heartfelt tribute to the late industrialist Ratan Tata. Goenka expressed his emotions while sharing the image on X, stating, "Beautiful writing from a beautiful person."

Beautiful writing from a beautiful person…. pic.twitter.com/AOxJPmVqNL

— Harsh Goenka (@hvgoenka) October 15, 2024

In his eloquent message, Tata reflected on Rao’s monumental contribution to India's economy, expressing a sense of personal and national gratitude. He specifically addressed the criticism Rao had been facing at the time, writing, "As I read the recent spate of unkind references to you, I felt compelled to write you to tell you that while others' memories may be short, I will always recognize and respect your outstanding achievement in heralding much-needed economic reforms in India."

PV Narasimha Rao is widely celebrated as the 'Father of Indian Economic Reforms,' owing to his visionary leadership alongside then Finance Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh. Together, they spearheaded the 1991 Liberalization, Privatization, and Globalization (LPG) reforms, which catapulted India's economy onto the global stage.

Tata’s letter continues with an impassioned tribute, “Every Indian should owe you a debt of gratitude for the courageous and far-sighted ‘opening up’ of India.” He acknowledged Rao's pivotal role in putting "India on the world map in an economic sense," marking him as a figure of historic importance in the nation’s development.

The letter categorically calls it out as “personal”. It was written on August 27, 1996, on a sheet of paper from Bombay House, the head office of Tata Group.