When I heard the news of Mr. Tata’s passing, I was shocked. His presence in the world was my own selfish necessity. Souls like his give comfort to ordinary people like me, reassuring us that goodwill exists. He was the flag-bearer of goodwill. I wanted his physical presence—not just his memories, work, philanthropy, humanitarian efforts, or business acumen—I craved his tangible existence. I longed for his physical presence, but now he is gone.
When my wife was gone to office, in solitude, I was tearful. Hundreds of stories kept pouring in. They overwhelmed me. I had just finished reading of Dnyaneshwari (ज्ञानेश्वरी). It said, “Let there be a rows and rows of good people in the world.” (ईश्वरनिष्ठांची मांदीयाळी ). But Mr. Tata was the leader of these good people. I longed for his physical presence, but now he is gone.
I was lucky. I was hired by my boss and the Tata group at Tata AutoComp. I was lucky that I met him at the board meetings every three months. He even visited my office and had lunch with me and my boss. Maybe it was an assurance from the almighty that Mr. Tata would be around. Therefore, I was OK to be lucky. I will cherish those memories. But that was not my preference. I longed for his physical presence, but now he is gone.
I guess I am nobody! Just like billions of others, I am nobody! I am not lucky enough! Om Shanti!
