Page 12 - sands of time

12 SANDS OF TIME VOL. XVI, ISSUE 3, 2020

NANI PAlkhIvAlA – INvAlUABlE lEssONs AND ANECDOTEs
BY ARvIND P. DATAR, sENIOR ADvOCATE Of ThE sUPREME COURT Of INDIA...

It is difficult to believe how times had changed. Ravinder
Narain recollected that Hotel Ashok in New Delhi was
the first hotel which had a shower with hot and cold
pipes that were interconnected and enabled guests to
regulate the water temperature. This was completely
novel in the 1960s. Palkhivala was so thrilled with this
facility that he told Ravinder Narain that he should
book his room only at the Hotel Ashok!

Apart from the above anecdotes, what must also be The First Day Cover and the Postage Stamp released by
FROM THE
remembered is the compassion that Palkhivala had for the Department of Posts in honour of Nani Palkhivala
others. All his employees continued to get the same on his Birth Anniversary on January 16, 2004.
salary even after they left the service on retirement. his life. With this precaution, it is up to all of us to aim

He was a great man indeed and a true role model. for the stars and work as hard as we can but without
It is up to all of us to take advantage of the lessons neglecting our health. Each of us has the potential
COLLECTION
which I have mentioned above. The only caveat is that to be outstanding in our chosen field and the life
Palkhivala ignored his health and paid the price later of Palkhivala reminds us that, even from humble
as he was ill for almost three years towards the end of beginnings, we can achieve greatness.

hOMAGE TO ThE fOUNDER
OF THE
March 3 , the birth anniversary of our Founder,
rd
Jamsetji Tata is celebrated as Founder’s Day by Tata

group companies.

It was D.M. Madan, Chief Accountant, Tata Steel,
TATA CENTRAL ARCHIVES
Jamshedpur, who started the Founder’s Day
celebrations on March 3, 1932 in Jamshedpur. The
thought behind holding such an annual gathering
was to give each employee an opportunity to pay
respect to Jamsetji Tata, the genius to whose faith
and judgment, energy and perseverance, the Tata Dr. K. Venkatesham garlanding the bust of Jamsetji Tata.
group bears enduring witness. At the same time, the Dr. K. Venkatesham (IPS), Commissioner of Police,
ceremony was devised so as to enable each worker Pune, the Chief Guest on this occasion, garlanded the
to demonstrate his pride of membership in the bust of our Founder and the portrait of J.R.D. Tata.
organisation.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. K. Venkatesham stated
This year marked the 181 birth anniversary of Jamsetji that the celebration of Founder’s Day is a fitting tribute
st
Tata. The employees from the Tata Management to Jamsetji Tata whose unique vision and foresight
Training Centre, the Tata Business Excellence Group brought about the industrial development of India. He
and the Tata Central Archives gathered at the TCA also recalled his association with the Tata’s through his
foyer to pay homage to Jamsetji Tata as part of the interactions with R.M. Lala, who was one of the key
Founder’s Day celebrations. pillars in the founding of the Tata Central Archives.

TATA CENTRAL ARCHIVES NEWSLETTER