A Sharp, Focussed Mind

From taking over the reins of the Tata group to his sudden exit, Cyrus Mistry’s life was a roller-coaster ride that ended abruptly

- HOMI P. RANINA

MY EARLIEST memory of Cyrus Mistry—and that was the first time I met him—goes back to 1975. He was a young boy and all of seven. The occasion was his navjote (the ritual through which a Parsi child is inducted into the Zoroastrian religion) and that is the age when it is normally done. It was held in the family’s home in Juhu Tara Road, a suburb in western Mumbai.

My connection to the family has been there for many years. I was familiar with the business of the Shapoorji Pallonji Group, having been involved in various issues related to taxation. As a result of that nature of work, I came into close contact with his father, Pallonji Mistry, and advised him not just on taxation but on areas related to legal issues as well.

For a degree in civil engineering, Cyrus went to Imperial College in London, which is one of the most prestigious institutions in the UK. Securing admission there can only happen after going through a very competitive process and that alone is ample proof of his intelligence. As a person, he was by and large introverted, very focussed on work and showed a high level of dedication. I would describe him as someone who was definitely anything but “socially active” and Cyrus was a workaholic.