A TRUE GENTLEMAN LEADER OF OUR TIMES

Highly misunderstood, misjudged but silently respected

I HAD BARELY LEFT MUMBAI Airport in a car towards the city when an anxious TV anchor called me for my reactions on live television. What is the topic, I asked. Cyrus Mistry had died in an accident and the news had just been broken.

I remember the utter shock and the deep sadness which engulfed me. In such a situation – totally unprepared and stunned – whatever we say comes from the bottom of one’s heart. I will build on those five minutes with the anchor on the national network to articulate my thoughts for this column.

Cyrus epitomised that life isn’t easy even for the most privileged and that we are ultimately defined based on how we face the challenges life throws at us. Not many would have had the courage of conviction to take on the mighty Ratan Tata knowing fully well that the conclusion was a foregone one. Not many would have had the grace to take the insulting manner of his ouster as chairman of Tata Sons without playing dirty.

His ability to grasp complex issues was evident as a leader in the Tatas, when his approach to resolving the legacy hot spots were based on objectivity and not on the easy path