Zoheb Hassan, Pakistani singer and part of the legendary musical duo Nazia and Zoheb, took to social media to share a touching memory of his first meeting with Ratan Tata, following the industrialist’s passing on October 9 in Mumbai. In an emotional Instagram post, Zoheb recounted his and his sister Nazia Hassan’s first encounter with Ratan Tata and expressed admiration for his humility and kindness.
Zoheb shared that it was a casual phone call from the industrialist that marked the beginning of a collaboration with CBS India, Ratan Tata’s music company.
Sharing an anecdote, he wrote, “‘Nazia and Zoheb, you have a telephone call from some gentleman by the name of Mr. Ratan,’ my mother said while handing Nazia the phone.”
It was Ratan Tata himself on the other end of the line. He had called to propose a collaboration, saying, “My name is Ratan, and I am starting a music company by the name of CBS India. I would like you and Zoheb to record an album for us if possible.”
Tata enquired if he could meet them to discuss the project. Nazia excitedly asked her mother, “Mama, can Mr Ratan come over to discuss a music project with us?” After scheduling the meeting, a tall, ‘impeccably dressed man in a suit’ arrived at their Wimbledon home. “He had a gentle smile on his face and was extremely soft-spoken,” Zoheb recalled.
Despite being one of the most influential businessmen in India, Ratan Tata did not boast about his achievements and came across as a humble man.
During the meeting, Tata offered sound advice, telling the siblings to involve their parents and a lawyer before signing any contracts. “If you don’t agree with anything, speak to me directly,” he said.
Zoheb also recalled the album’s tremendous success. Young Tarang featured what were among the first music videos in India and South Asia, which were played on Doordarshan and outsold even their previous hit, Disco Deewane. Zoheb shared how MTV took notice, commenting that they had “never seen anything like this.”
It wasn’t until the album’s launch at the Taj Hotel in Mumbai that Zoheb and Nazia discovered the ‘true stature’ of the man they had been working with. Ratan Tata later invited them to his home for dinner. “We thought he probably lived in a palace,” Zoheb wrote, but they were surprised to find that the powerful industrialist lived in a modest two-bedroom flat.
Opening up about the dinner, Zoheb mentioned, “It was a simple dinner with a great man which, to this day, I will never forget,” he wrote. He ended the post by praising Ratan Tata’s character, describing him as “a true gentleman and an icon of the business world.”
Ratan Tata’s death
The demise of veteran industrialist has left the entire nation, including members of the film fraternity, saddened. He was 86 when he breathed his last at Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital, where he was admitted for certain age-related health issues.
Ratan Tata, born on December 28, 1937, was the Chairman of Ratan Tata Trust and Dorabji Tata Trust, two of the largest private-sector-promoted philanthropic trusts in India. He was also the Chairman of Tata Sons, the holding company of the Tata Group, from 1991 until his retirement in 2012. Then he was appointed Chairman Emeritus of Tata Sons.
He was honoured with Padma Vibhushan in 2008.
