TMM 2025 Fund Raising Target : Recollections of a Nostalgic Memory.

 

This post is courtesy of an Instagram post by the United Way Mumbai under the caption “Meet our Change Runners and Young Leaders” for the Tata Mumbai Marathon (TMM 2025), under which yours truly has also been featured. Although I have an Instagram account, I don’t use it but then this post by United Way Mumbai, which was shared with me by Ajay Mehta, a Trustee of Adhar, an NGO which I am supporting under the aegis of TMM 2025, has tempted me not only to revive my Instagram post but also to pen this article, whose caption may appear rather confusing.

The Instagram post, while coming as a pleasant surprise, also came in with a challenge, which perhaps was an ‘incentive’ - government type - for achieving a target of Rs 5 Lacs ( Five hundred thousand) that was set for me to raise, through crowdfunding, for Adhar, using the platform of TMM 2025. Adhar (An Association of Parents of Mentally Challenged Adults) an NGO that is working in a rather difficult area of addressing the challenges that parents and guardians of mentally challenged adults face. One of the main worries for these parents is a question that haunts them all - what happens to their special children after their demise? This question struck a chord with the visionary founder of Adhar (www.adhar.org) late Shri Madhav Rao Gore, who founded Adhar with a mission to take lifetime care of such special adults even after their parents and guardians breathe their last.  Passing through trials and tribulations Adhar has now established itself as a leading institute in providing lifetime care for special adults and has developed and is operating three Adhar units in Badlapur, Nashik, and Satara, Maharashtra, which take care of 350 plus special children, including 70 plus women, who require lifetime support and care. Adhar will need a separate write-up to describe their noble work, therefore, I am confining this post to the title of my article.

After reaching the target of Rs Five Lacs, assigned to me by one of the go-getter Trustees of Adhar who spearheads Adhar participation in TMM 2025, I thought I could relax in the glory of meeting my target. But then – surprise, surprise! – just as I crossed the finish line – the target of Rs 5 Lacs -, my target was doubled to Rs. 10 Lacs! The reward for success is… well, more target! A mantra that most successful senior government officials follow. This twist in the upward revision of the target as a reward for achieving one’s target brought back memories of my early days as Director at the National Science Centre, Delhi, where a similar situation had unfolded much to my annoyance and argument with my bosses, at a cost of course.

 In the middle of March 2007, I assumed the charge of Director of the National Science Centre, Delhi (NSCD). In one of those meetings of the heads of science centres, which decide the targets for science museums and centres, the then DG of NCSM, which governs all science centres and museums that function under the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, assigned visitor and revenue targets for each of the heads of the four zones, under which the NCSM science centres function. As the Director of the NSCD, my responsibility was the three science centres in the north zone – NSCD, RSC Lucknow, and KPSC Kurukshetra. I was assigned a visitor target of 2 Lac visitors for the year 2007-08 for NSCD. Although during the preceding couple of years, the visitors to NSCD had hovered around 1.4 to 1.6 Lacs, I did accept the target. Fuelled by an unending enthusiasm, I rallied my team, setting an ambitious internal target of 3 Lacs. We pulled together and brainstormed and evolved ideas and strategies that could help us reach this stiff target of 3 Lac visitors to NSCD, a target which was almost 50% higher than the highest ever achieved by NSCD, barring when the Dinosaur Alive Exhibition was presented. We had a series of follow-up meetings to monitor our set goals, and by December 2007, my team achieved a visitor figure of 3 Lacs, and we still had another three months to go before the financial year 2007-08 ended. My team, who spearheaded this initiative for which I was incidental as the head of the institute, did not rest and kept the momentum and when the financial year ended on 31^st March 2008, they had clocked an impressive 4,26,000 visitors, with a 50% revenue increase to boot! Here comes the twist to the tale.

During a meeting of heads of science museums to fix the targets for the next financial year (2008-09), the then DG, rather than going by established norms to increase the target by 10% of the previous year's target, strangely and much to my annoyance and heated argument used a yardstick completely unscientific to assign target for NSCD, which was an increase of 10% on our extraordinary achievement for previous year which was more than 100% of our assigned target. The target assigned was 4.70 Lacs. All my pleas and heated arguments had gone in vain while assigning a target for NSCD.

Now, here is another extraordinary twist to the tale: Another national-level museum, the Birla Industrial and Technological Museum (BITM), Kolkata, a much older museum, which too was assigned a target of 2 Lac visitors for the financial year 2007-08, had ended up achieving a paltry 1.30 Lacs visitors when the year ended. Since NSCD was assigned 4.70 Lacs visitors and a corresponding revenue for the year 2008-09, I expected that a similar target would be given to BITM, which too was headed by a new Director, my contemporary. But then, the adage “all are equal some are more equal” kicked in, and the DG based on his so-called discussion with the Director, BITM assigned a 1.7 Lac visitor target to BITM, and lo and behold, justified it by stating that he had increased the target by 20% over what BITM had achieved.

Notwithstanding the fact that any discussion on this matter with the DG, even with rational thoughts, would only result in vituperative arguments and perhaps would also adversely impact my career prospects, I could not hold back. At the end of the heated argument with the DG, I ended my argument by saying his decision has only disincentivized NSCD and its extraordinary achievement of more than doubling its target and incentivized BITM, Kolkata the unit which had fallen much short of the assigned target. It is another matter that all my arguments fell on deaf ears and perhaps may also have had an impact on my career.

The TMM 2025 target of Rs 10 Lacs has brought back those old memories, which I thought would be an interesting read for my friends. Interestingly, most senior officers in the government work with the same principle and assign more work and higher targets for those who work sincerely to achieve their targets and the ones who don’t, remain untouched, rather incentivized, which it was in our case.

This case is not unique or specific to NCSM, I am sure this cuts across government institutions. One can witness people who are problem creators are never targeted, and mostly kept at arm’s length, and no coercive action or otherwise taken against them, while those who work sincerely are rewarded with more work with no incentives to motivate them. It is this quagmire that, unfortunately, breeds inefficiency in government and no one wants to dive deep into solving this problem. Although things have improved, an introspection will reveal there is a lot that needs to improve. There is an unwritten belief that the more one works there is that much more chance of going wrong and even if one comes out successful with ten and fails in one, the concerned will have to answer for that one failure, while in another case if an officer has achieved nothing, but the fact that nothing wrong has happened will get him scot-free. It is time for these changes and those who achieve must be incentivized and those who don’t must be disincentivized. Will this happen? A million-dollar question for sure.

Be that as it may, let me also take this opportunity to once again appeal to you all to please help me achieve the revised fundraising target of Rs 10 Lacs for TMM 2025 for Adhar by your kind donation using the link below.

https://www.unitedwaymumbai.org/fundraiser/23375

The Tango of Science (Brownian Motion) and Art (Virar Fast - Art Installation of Valay Shinde): A Personal Experience Working with Science and Art Museums.

 

After my retirement from service as the Director of Nehru Science Centre, Mumbai after a brief stint in Delhi and a break, I joined the CSMVS, Mumbai, as an Advisor. Contrasting experience of working with the science museums for 35 years and now - for nearly three years - with the CSMVS has been quite enriching and educative. It is this tango of science and art that has come my way and motivated me to pen this article, differently!

One of the many new exhibitions that the CSMVS has completed and thrown open to the public is the Mumbai Gallery, which was opened on 14 October 2024. This gallery is dedicated to the city of Mumbai. It features historical artefacts that narrate the story of the people of Mumbai who have made this city the economic capital of India and a cosmopolitan city, which is also a dream city and a city of opportunity, for those who wish to dream. One of the significant artefacts in the Mumbai gallery is the “Virar Fast” art installation created by Valay Shende, which is prominently displayed at the entrance to the Mumbai gallery.

Mumbai, a cosmopolitan city of hope and aspiration for millions is majorly dependent on the suburban electric local rail transport for commute. The Mumbai Suburban Rail (Central, Western, and Harbour line) on an average commute 7.24 million commuters daily and is inextricably linked to most Mumbaikars, for whom Rail is their lifeline. The crowded suburban trains in Mumbai are sites that Mumbaikars experience daily. Virar Fast local during peak hours, quintessentially represents this scene. This daily phenomenon, experienced by Mumbaikars has motivated artist Valay Shende to craft his beautiful art installation “Virar Fast” which now finds a pride of place in the Mumbai gallery at the CSMSV Museum. This installation, no wonder made it prominently to the headlines in the Times of India, which covered the Mumbai gallery. The concept note provided by the artist for his work “Virar Fast’ describes his work of art as a representation of the “essence of relentless battle faced by the working class in their daily grind (travel)”.

The EMU (Electric Multiple Unit) that is used to run the Mumbai suburban trains is a household name in Mumbai. Mumbai electric rail transport began almost a century ago, on February 3, 1925, when the Great Indian Peninsular Railway (GIPR) introduced the first electric run trains that ran between Bombay VT (now CSMT) and Kurla Harbour. Incidentally one of these earliest electric engines that ran the trains in Mumbai (Bombay then) is in the collections of the Nehru Science Centre, Mumbai, and this pride collection was restored to its pristine beauty during the COVID pandemic period.

The heading for this article - “The Tango of Science and Art” - comes from my experience from one of those typically crowded peak time travel days in the Virar Fast local (Western Railways) that I used for commuting to Church Gate from Andheri. Most rail commuters by the Virar Fast local, during the peak hours, are confronted with the challenge of searching for foot space in a train that does not even have an additional square inch of space left. Although it is a usual occurrence for daily commuters, however, for me who uses the Virar Fast rarely, something profound struck me while travelling in this crowded local. As I stood, barely able to move amidst the sea of passengers on the Virar Fast local - which I had boarded at Andheri for travelling to Church Gate - the familiar jostling, swaying, and chaotic shuffle of bodies, its indescribable odour, the sound, and noise, which I was experiencing, reminded me of something unexpectedly scientific: the Brownian motion.

For over 35 years, I worked with science museums, dedicated to science communication, immersed in the language of molecules, atoms, and scientific phenomena through my work with science museums across India. Creating exhibits to explain the microscopic world of science to the uninitiated visitor in science, almost always, makes a science museum curator rely on analogies. Brownian motion is one such scientific phenomenon, which was one of the first exhibits that I had developed as a young curator way back in 1988. I vividly remember having used a mechanical analogy to explain the complicated motions of molecules that constitute the Brownian motion. Post my retirement, I found myself stepping into a different realm - an art museum, the CSMVS Museum in Mumbai. At first, this transition was like moving to an entirely different universe. CP Snow’s essay on “The Two Cultures”—the stark divide between the world of sciences and that of the arts—suddenly made perfect sense to me. I felt the chasm between the analytical, data-driven logic of science and the subjective, emotional world of arts and literature. Yet, as the months passed, I began to realize that perhaps these two worlds weren't as distinct as they first appeared. Slowly, I started seeing how creativity was the common thread weaving them together, regardless of their different forms of expression or understanding.

But it wasn’t until that epiphanic moment in the Virar Fast Local train—a crowded, bustling, Mumbai local—that everything truly crystallized for me. The human movement in that compartment was not unlike the random motion of particles in Brownian motion, which Einstein predicted. In this seemingly chaotic environment, every jolt, every push, every nudge appeared to be dictated by some kind of an invisible force: the crowdedness of the train, the positioning of passengers, and their collective aim to reach their workplace – destination, in time. That instant of epiphany helped me see some kind of a parallel between the everyday scene of Mumbai peak time local travels and the microscopic world of science, Brownian motion.

Just like molecules in a substance, the crowd in the Virar Fast Local was densely packed, with passengers barely moving, constrained by those around them, pushing and shoving each other. This reminded me of how molecules in a solid vibrate but are confined to fixed positions, unable to move freely. As the density of the crowd decreased slightly at each station – with people alighting, it felt akin to the molecular behaviour in a liquid state—where the passengers (like molecules) could now flow past each other, with more freedom of movement, though still closely bound by the space limitations. Finally, as the train neared Churchgate, passing through intermittent stations at Bandra, Dadar, Mumbai Central, Grant Road, Churni Road, and Marine Line where more and more people alighted, few boarded, the compartment felt almost gaseous as it passed Charni Road, with passengers dispersed, with an ability to move freely and randomly in any direction, unlike what they could do earlier at Andheri, or Bandra and to some extent at Dadar. This experience helped me understand the Brownian motion as a fascinating and relatable way to conceptualize the movement of particles in different states of matter, described below

Solids and Packed Crowds: In peak hours, when the train is densely packed, people have minimal space to move, much like particles in a solid. Here, movement is constrained, and individuals can only shift slightly, often bouncing off each other within the confined space—analogous to the restricted vibrational motion of particles in a solid.

Liquids and Moderate Crowding: As more passengers alight at Bandra, Dadar, and Mumbai Central, and few board, there’s a slight increase in movement of people. The density of commuters is lower than in the packed train, providing a bit more freedom for the commuters to navigate within the coach. This state is comparable to the behaviour of particles in a liquid, where movement is still random but particles can flow past each other within a confined space.

Gases and Spacious Trains: As the train nears the destination (Church Gate) the number of passengers in the coach decreases, and people have ample space to move freely. This situation mirrors the random, high-energy movement of particles in a gas, where they occupy more space and move independently without frequent interactions.

The Virar Fast train ride became a living analogy for me—a vivid, real-life comparison to the randomized movement of particles in different states of matter. The random movements of people mirrored the Brownian motion described by Einstein in the Annus Mirabilis year, 1905, in one of his five acclaimed papers, which were published in that year. Although Brownian motion, had been observed before Albert Einstein’s time, what made Einstein’s 1905 paper "On the Movement of Small Particles Suspended in Stationary Liquids Required by the Molecular-Kinetic Theory of Heat," the third of his five papers written in May 1905, remarkable was that the paper provided a theoretical explanation and a mathematical framework for understanding the motion of the particles in the fluid. His paper was one of the five revolutionary papers in Einstein's annus mirabilis (1905). The Brownian Motion - the random movement of particles in fluids - was already identified by physicists before Einstein. However, Einstein used the knowledge of this phenomenon to prove the existence of atoms, through his paper.

My personal experience of the movement of passengers in the Virar Fast Local and the clarity it provided for the Brownian motion, wasn’t just about physics or the scientific explanation of the movement of molecules in fluid. It made me realize how science and art—two seemingly separate worlds—intersect in ways I hadn’t previously considered. The Virar Fast Local art installation of Valay Shinde, displayed in the Mumbai Gallery, perhaps, helped me look at the experience of Mumbai local travel differently. Art, with its focus on the human experience and creativity, can be found in the very randomness of the movement in that train. Science, with its focus on understanding phenomena, finds itself expressed in the chaotic yet measurable motions of people.

As someone who has spent years working in a science museum including a few years heading an art institution – NGMA Mumbai, and now working at the CSMVS, I now fully appreciate the delicate balance between the world of science and arts, two worlds. They are intertwined more intricately than CP Snow’s "Two Cultures" would suggest. Art and science, both expressions of human creativity, aren’t just complementary—they are essential to one another. My experience in science helped me understand the structure and patterns of the physical world, while my exposure to art at the CSMVS Museum opened my eyes to the beauty and meaning that lie within those structures.

Today, as I stand at the crossroads of science and arts, I see the power of interdisciplinary understanding. My epiphany on the crowded Mumbai local has given me a profound appreciation for how science and art come together, just as the motion of particles can be beautifully reflected in the movement of people in the everyday chaos of life. Through this lens, I can see how the randomness of life—whether in a crowded train or a scientific phenomenon—holds both scientific explanation and artistic beauty, as articulated by Valay Shinde in his art installation. And in that realization, I feel more connected to both fields than ever before.

Long live Sciences and Arts and their practitioners and may they come closer than ever before.

Images: Courtesy CSMVS, Mumbai and After my retirement from service as the Director of Nehru Science Centre, Mumbai after a brief stint in Delhi and a break, I joined the CSMVS, Mumbai, as an Advisor. Contrasting experience of working with the science museums for 35 years and now - for nearly three years - with the CSMVS has been quite enriching and educative. It is this tango of science and art that has come my way and motivated me to pen this article, differently!

One of the many new exhibitions that the CSMVS has completed and thrown open to the public is the Mumbai Gallery, which was opened on 14 October 2024. This gallery is dedicated to the city of Mumbai. It features historical artefacts that narrate the story of the people of Mumbai who have made this city the economic capital of India and a cosmopolitan city, which is also a dream city and a city of opportunity, for those who wish to dream. One of the significant artefacts in the Mumbai gallery is the “Virar Fast” art installation created by Valay Shende, which is prominently displayed at the entrance to the Mumbai gallery.

Mumbai, a cosmopolitan city of hope and aspiration for millions is majorly dependent on the suburban electric local rail transport for commute. The Mumbai Suburban Rail (Central, Western, and Harbour line) on an average commute 7.24 million commuters daily and is inextricably linked to most Mumbaikars, for whom Rail is their lifeline. The crowded suburban trains in Mumbai are sites that Mumbaikars experience daily. Virar Fast local during peak hours, quintessentially represents this scene. This daily phenomenon, experienced by Mumbaikars has motivated artist Valay Shende to craft his beautiful art installation “Virar Fast” which now finds a pride of place in the Mumbai gallery at the CSMSV Museum. This installation, no wonder made it prominently to the headlines in the Times of India, which covered the Mumbai gallery. The concept note provided by the artist for his work “Virar Fast’ describes his work of art as a representation of the “essence of relentless battle faced by the working class in their daily grind (travel)”.

The EMU (Electric Multiple Unit) that is used to run the Mumbai suburban trains is a household name in Mumbai. Mumbai electric rail transport began almost a century ago, on February 3, 1925, when the Great Indian Peninsular Railway (GIPR) introduced the first electric run trains that ran between Bombay VT (now CSMT) and Kurla Harbour. Incidentally one of these earliest electric engines that ran the trains in Mumbai (Bombay then) is in the collections of the Nehru Science Centre, Mumbai, and this pride collection was restored to its pristine beauty during the COVID pandemic period.

The heading for this article - “The Tango of Science and Art” - comes from my experience from one of those typically crowded peak time travel days in the Virar Fast local (Western Railways) that I used for commuting to Church Gate from Andheri. Most rail commuters by the Virar Fast local, during the peak hours, are confronted with the challenge of searching for foot space in a train that does not even have an additional square inch of space left. Although it is a usual occurrence for daily commuters, however, for me who uses the Virar Fast rarely, something profound struck me while travelling in this crowded local. As I stood, barely able to move amidst the sea of passengers on the Virar Fast local - which I had boarded at Andheri for travelling to Church Gate - the familiar jostling, swaying, and chaotic shuffle of bodies, its indescribable odour, the sound, and noise, which I was experiencing, reminded me of something unexpectedly scientific: the Brownian motion.

For over 35 years, I worked with science museums, dedicated to science communication, immersed in the language of molecules, atoms, and scientific phenomena through my work with science museums across India. Creating exhibits to explain the microscopic world of science to the uninitiated visitor in science, almost always, makes a science museum curator rely on analogies. Brownian motion is one such scientific phenomenon, which was one of the first exhibits that I had developed as a young curator way back in 1988. I vividly remember having used a mechanical analogy to explain the complicated motions of molecules that constitute the Brownian motion. Post my retirement, I found myself stepping into a different realm - an art museum, the CSMVS Museum in Mumbai. At first, this transition was like moving to an entirely different universe. CP Snow’s essay on “The Two Cultures”—the stark divide between the world of sciences and that of the arts—suddenly made perfect sense to me. I felt the chasm between the analytical, data-driven logic of science and the subjective, emotional world of arts and literature. Yet, as the months passed, I began to realize that perhaps these two worlds weren't as distinct as they first appeared. Slowly, I started seeing how creativity was the common thread weaving them together, regardless of their different forms of expression or understanding.

But it wasn’t until that epiphanic moment in the Virar Fast Local train—a crowded, bustling, Mumbai local—that everything truly crystallized for me. The human movement in that compartment was not unlike the random motion of particles in Brownian motion, which Einstein predicted. In this seemingly chaotic environment, every jolt, every push, every nudge appeared to be dictated by some kind of an invisible force: the crowdedness of the train, the positioning of passengers, and their collective aim to reach their workplace – destination, in time. That instant of epiphany helped me see some kind of a parallel between the everyday scene of Mumbai peak time local travels and the microscopic world of science, Brownian motion.

Just like molecules in a substance, the crowd in the Virar Fast Local was densely packed, with passengers barely moving, constrained by those around them, pushing and shoving each other. This reminded me of how molecules in a solid vibrate but are confined to fixed positions, unable to move freely. As the density of the crowd decreased slightly at each station – with people alighting, it felt akin to the molecular behaviour in a liquid state—where the passengers (like molecules) could now flow past each other, with more freedom of movement, though still closely bound by the space limitations. Finally, as the train neared Churchgate, passing through intermittent stations at Bandra, Dadar, Mumbai Central, Grant Road, Churni Road, and Marine Line where more and more people alighted, few boarded, the compartment felt almost gaseous as it passed Charni Road, with passengers dispersed, with an ability to move freely and randomly in any direction, unlike what they could do earlier at Andheri, or Bandra and to some extent at Dadar. This experience helped me understand the Brownian motion as a fascinating and relatable way to conceptualize the movement of particles in different states of matter, described below

Solids and Packed Crowds: In peak hours, when the train is densely packed, people have minimal space to move, much like particles in a solid. Here, movement is constrained, and individuals can only shift slightly, often bouncing off each other within the confined space—analogous to the restricted vibrational motion of particles in a solid.

Liquids and Moderate Crowding: As more passengers alight at Bandra, Dadar, and Mumbai Central, and few board, there’s a slight increase in movement of people. The density of commuters is lower than in the packed train, providing a bit more freedom for the commuters to navigate within the coach. This state is comparable to the behaviour of particles in a liquid, where movement is still random but particles can flow past each other within a confined space.

Gases and Spacious Trains: As the train nears the destination (Church Gate) the number of passengers in the coach decreases, and people have ample space to move freely. This situation mirrors the random, high-energy movement of particles in a gas, where they occupy more space and move independently without frequent interactions.

The Virar Fast train ride became a living analogy for me—a vivid, real-life comparison to the randomized movement of particles in different states of matter. The random movements of people mirrored the Brownian motion described by Einstein in the Annus Mirabilis year, 1905, in one of his five acclaimed papers, which were published in that year. Although Brownian motion, had been observed before Albert Einstein’s time, what made Einstein’s 1905 paper "On the Movement of Small Particles Suspended in Stationary Liquids Required by the Molecular-Kinetic Theory of Heat," the third of his five papers written in May 1905, remarkable was that the paper provided a theoretical explanation and a mathematical framework for understanding the motion of the particles in the fluid. His paper was one of the five revolutionary papers in Einstein's annus mirabilis (1905). The Brownian Motion - the random movement of particles in fluids - was already identified by physicists before Einstein. However, Einstein used the knowledge of this phenomenon to prove the existence of atoms, through his paper.

My personal experience of the movement of passengers in the Virar Fast Local and the clarity it provided for the Brownian motion, wasn’t just about physics or the scientific explanation of the movement of molecules in fluid. It made me realize how science and art—two seemingly separate worlds—intersect in ways I hadn’t previously considered. The Virar Fast Local art installation of Valay Shinde, displayed in the Mumbai Gallery, perhaps, helped me look at the experience of Mumbai local travel differently. Art, with its focus on the human experience and creativity, can be found in the very randomness of the movement in that train. Science, with its focus on understanding phenomena, finds itself expressed in the chaotic yet measurable motions of people.

As someone who has spent years working in a science museum including a few years heading an art institution – NGMA Mumbai, and now working at the CSMVS, I now fully appreciate the delicate balance between the world of science and arts, two worlds. They are intertwined more intricately than CP Snow’s "Two Cultures" would suggest. Art and science, both expressions of human creativity, aren’t just complementary—they are essential to one another. My experience in science helped me understand the structure and patterns of the physical world, while my exposure to art at the CSMVS Museum opened my eyes to the beauty and meaning that lie within those structures.

Today, as I stand at the crossroads of science and arts, I see the power of interdisciplinary understanding. My epiphany on the crowded Mumbai local has given me a profound appreciation for how science and art come together, just as the motion of particles can be beautifully reflected in the movement of people in the everyday chaos of life. Through this lens, I can see how the randomness of life—whether in a crowded train or a scientific phenomenon—holds both scientific explanation and artistic beauty, as articulated by Valay Shinde in his art installation. And in that realization, I feel more connected to both fields than ever before.

Long live Sciences and Arts and their practitioners and may they come closer than ever before.edia

Tata Mumbai Marathon 2025: Fund Raiser for ADHAR

Tata Mumbai Marathon 2025: Fund Raiser for ADHAR (Association of Parents of Mentally Retarded Children).

https://www.unitedwaymumbai.org/fundraiser/23375

 

Over the years, the Tata Mumbai Marathon has grown beyond a running event. It has evolved as a celebration of a unique, quintessential spirit of Mumbai embodied in its exemplary diversity, determination, and most importantly philanthropy. It exhibits the power of sports (marathons) to unite people, promote healthy living, and drive positive change in society by contributing to social causes.

Going beyond that magic finish line, the impact of the Tata Mumbai Marathon is felt through the wide-ranging charitable initiatives, the TMM 2025 supports, contributing to enriching the lives of the special needs community. As the Tata Mumbai Marathon continues to inspire, unite, and make a difference, it stands as a shining example of how sports can transcend human-made boundaries to create a lasting positive change. 

The Tata Mumbai Marathon has gained international recognition for its impeccable organization, strong participation, and its unique blend of competitive and community-oriented aspects. The race has attracted elite athletes worldwide, contributing to its reputation as one of Asia's leading marathons. This international appeal enhances Mumbai's global sports and cultural hub status.

 One of the NGOS that has been actively participating in the Tata Mumbai Marathon is the Association of Parents of Mentally Challenged Children – ADHAR www.adhar.org The Tata Mumbai Marathon helps the NGO not only in raising donations for the institution but also, most importantly, in creating public awareness on issues like the incurable mental disabilities. Adhar is an NGO that began with the vision of its founder to provide lifetime care and shelter to those adult mentally challenged adults who would need lifetime care and support to survive in society. This NGO ever since its foundation has been striving hard to serve the needs of such mentally challenged adults and their parents and caregivers.

Fund Raiser Appeal for Adhar – TMM 2025 

Last year, I was one of the members who joined the TMM 2024 campaign for raising funds for ADHAR – The Association of Parents of Mentally Retarded Children, which has changed the lives of 350 plus mentally challenged adults and brought in smiles and respite on the lives of their parents and caregivers.

 Some segments often go unnoticed and underserved in a society striving for inclusivity and compassion. Among these are mentally challenged adults, who require specialized care and support throughout their lives. ADHAR is one such organization that prides itself in providing meaningful lifetime care and shelter and makes these special children live a life of love, care, and dignity all through their lives. 

 I am using the platform of Tata Mumbai Marathon 2025 to make this humble appeal, seeking support for ADHAR, from friends, family, acquaintances, and colleagues, and appeal to you all to please contribute to this institution. Donations qualify under 80G of the Income Tax. Here is a link to my TMM 2025 pledge page for your kind consideration.

 https://www.unitedwaymumbai.org/fundraiser/23375

The Ratan (Jewel) in the Crown of the Tata Group - Ratan Tata – has Passed Away, Long Live his Legacy.

 

Ratan Tata, the man who steered the Tata Group to become a global brand with its acquisition of global companies such as Corus, Jaguar Land Rover, and Tetley and helped the Tata Conglomerate become a globally trusted brand, passed away on Wednesday at 11.30 PM – 9 October 2024, at the Breach Candy Hospital, Mumbai marking an end to an era that will be remembered not only for his outstanding contributions to Indian industry and nation building but also for his illustrious philanthropy and for the values he upheld throughout his life. He was 86.

I was among one of tens of thousands of people who lined up to pay respects to Ratan Tata, whose mortal remains, befittingly draped in the national flag, were placed for the public to pay their respect at the lawns of the National Centre for Performing Arts, Mumbai. The organisers had made excellent arrangements for the public to pay their respects to Ratan Tata by arranging an adequate water supply and very cordial volunteers and police who guided the people who stood in line in long queues to reach the place to pay their respects. There was a separate gate for VIPs to pay their respect, and another gate for the public, notwithstanding a temptation to use some contacts to pass through the VIP gate, I preferred standing in the public Q and paid my last respects by offering flowers and bowing down to bid goodbye to the true “Ratan of India” – Jewel - the one and only Ratan Tata. 

His humility and simplicity - and that too at a time when ostentatious living receives global headlines and who’s who line up for such events, as witnessed in the recent event that unfolded in Mumbai - stands testimony to the man, whose exemplary achievements notwithstanding, who earned the unending love and respect among his countrymen. This was evidenced by the rich tributes that have continued flowing in since his passing. Everyone, starting from the Honourable President of India to the Prime Minister and almost all Chief Ministers and innumerable other politicians, every businessman, celebrity, and hundreds of thousands of ordinary citizens - including yours truly - who paid their tribute to Ratan Tata. On his passing away, an era has ended. 

I am personally privy to the exemplary simplicity and humility of Ratan Tata, which I witnessed in December 2013, during the inauguration of an exhibition titled “The Cyrus Cylinder and Ancient Persia” at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMVS) Mumbai. This exhibition was organised by the CSMVS in partnership with the British Museum and Sir Dorabjee Tata Trust, Sir Ratan Tata Trust, and Navajbai Ratan Tata Trust. The Cyrus Cylinder is one of the most significant objects to have survived from the ancient world. This historically important clay cylinder object with inscriptions in Babylonian cuneiform, which is from the collections of the British Museum, evidences the proclamation of the Achaemenid King Cyrus the Great (539 BCE) at the time of his conquest of Babylon. This object has great significance to the Parsi community, many of who, including Ratan Tata, have made Mumbai their home.

It was for the first time that the Crus Cylinder was traveling to India from the British Museum as a part of the exhibition. Mr Mukherjee, DG of CSMVS, informed me how Mr Ratan Tata came to the rescue of the CSMVS Museum when they were finding it difficult to arrange financial resources for the exhibition. Mr. Mukherjee, met Mr. Ratan Tata at the Tata House soliciting his support for the exhibition. Mr Tata’s words made a huge difference and the Sir Dorabjee Tata Trust, Sir Ratan Tata Trust, and Navajbai Ratan Tata Trust came forward to support this exhibition and the rest is history. In December 2013 when this exhibition was inaugurated at CSMVS, I was the Director of NGMA Mumbai. CSMVS had invited the then Honourable Culture Minister, Ms. Chandresh Kumari Katoch for the opening of the exhibition and I was tasked to be the nodal officer in Mumbai for the Ministry of Culture, and I had to accompany the Minister and make all the arrangements as per the protocol. The inaugural event went off smoothly and during the vote of thanks Mr Mukherjee, rightly heaped praises on Ratan Tata and recalled how his support made this exhibition possible. Lo and behold, to all our surprise and also the surprise of everyone sitting on the dais, including the Hon. Culture Minister, someone mentioned that Ratan Tata was present in the audience and he was somewhere in the back rows. This exemplifies the simplicity and humility par excellence of the man. Although the exhibition was funded by the Tata Trusts, and Ratan Tata was the Honorary Chairman of the Tata Group, yet Ratan Tata preferred to be in the audience like any other common invitee. It was only after the appeal and request by Mr. Mukherjee and Ms. Katoch, the Honourable Minister, that Mr. Ratan Tata hesitantly walked towards the front rows and received a warm welcome and appreciation from the Minister, Mr. Mukherjee, and other dignitaries from the dais and I was one of those who had the honour to shake hands with him on that day. This event and the simplicity and humility exhibited by Ratan Tata have remained etched in my memory.

As the torchbearer of the illustrious Tata group leadership legacy that began with the legendary founder of the Tata Group – Sir Jamshedji Tata (1868-1904) who founded the company in 1868, and passed the baton to his able son Sir Dorab Tata (1904–1932), followed by Sir Nowroji Saklatwala (1932–1938) and JRD Tata  (1938–1991) – Ratan Tata who served as the Chairman of the Tata Group from 1991-2012, has upheld the ideals set by his worthy predecessors while steering the Tata Group to new heights with grace, humility, and a deep commitment to philanthropy not just for human society but also for animals, and societal welfare. He was also a great supporter of art and culture and the CSMVS Museum is one of the major beneficiaries of the Tata philanthropy.

Ratan Tata’s leadership is best defined by a rare combination of business acumen and genuine care for people. Whether it was his audacious decision to take over international brands like Jaguar Land Rover and Tetley Tea, or his relentless push for the "people's car," Tata Nano, his vision extended far beyond immediate profits. Though the Nano project faced several hiccups including a shutdown in Singur, West Bengal, and may not have achieved the financial success he had hoped for, the Nano car sparked a culture of innovation within Tata Motors, laying the groundwork for a range of world-class vehicles the Tata Motors produces today. I am privy to the extraordinary quality of Tata Motors courtesy of my close friend Mr Sangamnath Digge, who was the plant head at Tata Motors in Pune. Ratan Tata’s ability to dream big, coupled with his perseverance in pursuing even the most challenging goals, was a testament to his unwavering belief in Indian industry and ingenuity.

Ratan Tata's legacy goes beyond the boardroom and financial bottom lines. His decision to acquire Corus Steel was more than a strategic move —it was a symbolic moment of redemption for India and for the founder of the Tata group, Sir Jamshedji Tata, who had faced humiliation when he proposed to establish a Tata Steel Company to the British who were then ruling us in the early 1900s. An apocryphal belief has it that when Jamshedji Tata approached the British to start the steel company, he was challenged by a British Officer, that if Tata could produce steel to the exacting standards of British Steel, he would be happy to chew that steel. Lo and Behold within a few years of this humiliation, Tatas successfully established their Tata Steel plant in Jamshedpur, under the able leadership of Dorabjee Tata, Tata Steel was able to produce tonnes and tonnes of steel. It was providential justice that Tata Steel under the leadership of Ratan Tata ended up buying Corus Steel a company that had acquired British Steel company. Tata Steel company grew in stature under the leadership of Ratan Tata from a company that was once ridiculed by the British to one that could stand toe-to-toe with its former colonial rulers. Ratan Tata’s business moves were not just about growth—they were about restoring pride and building on the indomitable spirit of Indian enterprise, which has not only paid off for the Tata Group but also has helped in establishing brand India globally whose benefits the Indian Industry is now reaping. 

What truly set Ratan Tata apart was his humility, simplicity, and his grounded nature, besides his philanthropy and compassion for the poor and marginalised and so also for animals – street dogs, in particular. In a world where wealth often leads to extravagance, Ratan Tata remained humble, living a life that was in stark contrast to the ostentatious lifestyles of many of his peers. His decision to appoint Natarajan Chandrasekaran as the Chairman of Tata Sons, someone from outside the Tata family, speaks volumes about his meritocratic approach and his desire to see the Tata Group thrive under capable leadership, irrespective of lineage.

It was providential that Ratan Tata was handed over the baton of the Chairmanship of Tata Group from another legendary Tata – Bharat Ratna, JRD Tata, in 1991, a period when India opened up its economy to the world and an era of economic liberalisation was set in courtesy the policies of the Narasimha Rao Government, under Dr. Manmohan Singh, who was then the Finance Minister responsible for economic liberalisation. At that time, the Tata Group was mostly an Indian conglomerate with annual revenues of around 4.5 billion, US $. Under the visionary leadership of Ratan Tata, the Group expanded to over 100 billion US $ in revenue by the time he passed on the baton to his immediate successor, in 2012.

Ratan Tata also played a crucial role in shaping Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) into a global IT powerhouse. He had the foresight to support leaders like Ramadorai, under whose leadership TCS would become a beacon of Indian technological prowess. Ratan Tata must also receive due credit for TCS's rise to international prominence and for shaping the IT industry in the country, which is now a force to reckon with in international forums. Incidentally, TCS Foundation has supported CSMVS, where I work now as an Advisor, in the major restoration of the CSMVS building and also in modernising the two Tata galleries. Courtesy of the support of TCS, the CSMVS was awarded the highest Award of Excellence at the UNESCO Asia Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation 2022. Today, the Tata Group, leveraging on the foresight and visionary leadership of Ratan Tata, operates in over 100 countries, with a strong presence in industries, ranging from steel and automobiles to IT services and consumer goods, 

Through all these achievements, Ratan Tata remained the same person, a man of vision, compassion, wisdom, and extraordinary leadership. Ratan Tata was not only a giant in business in which he excelled but also a philanthropist who true to the ideals of the founder – Jamshedji Tata - believed that businesses must serve society. The Tata Group, under his leadership, continued its long-standing tradition of philanthropy, contributing to education, healthcare, and rural development, ensuring that the company’s growth always had a positive impact on society, which it continues to do so.

Ratan Naval Tata was born in Mumbai on 28th December 1937 to Naval Tata (the adopted son of Sir Ratan Tata - son of the founder of the Tata group Jamsetji Tata and younger brother of Sir Dorabji Tata) and Sonoo Tata. Unfortunately, when Ratan Tata was just 10 years old, his parents got divorced. Ratan Tata and his brother, Jimmy Tata, were brought up by his paternal grandmother, Lady Navajbai, wife of Sir Ratan Tata. Navajbai Tata and her husband, Sir Ratan Tata were connoisseurs of art. They acquired best of art collections of jade and European, paintings and other artefacts from across the world, which they travelled extensively. After the death of her husband, who died at a young age of 41, Navajbai Tata donated most of their art collections to the CSMVS (formerly the Prince of Wales Museum) when it was opened to the public in January 1922. One large exhibition hall on the second floor of the CSMVS museum, which has completed its centenary, befittingly called the Sir Ratan Tata gallery, houses these art collections that have been seen been tens of millions of visitors ever since the opening of the CSMVS museum in 1922. Navajbai Tata, after the death of her husband settled in Mumbai in the house which we know today as Tata House, and lived there for the rest of her life. It was here in the Tata House that young Ratan Tata and his brother grew up under the motherly love and care of their grandmother, Navajbai Tata.

Navajbai Tata was a great philanthropist whose philanthropy extended beyond the donations of art which she made to the CSMVS Museum. In fact, she also bore all the expenses for the best of display cases where these arts could be displayed in the museum. Her philanthropy went beyond donating her art collections to the CSMVS Museum. She gifted in charity various houses which she inherited from Sir Ratan Tata for the aged and poor Parsi women. Navajbai became the Chairperson of the Sir Ratan Tata Trust, and also a key member of the Tata Sons board. Using resources from the Trust, she undertook several philanthropic initiatives in various spheres to alleviate poverty and improve the quality of life of the economically challenged. Perhaps these philanthropic attributes and love and compassion for the poor and marginalised, which Ratan Tata exhibited all through his life was imbibed in him from his younger days living with his grandmother, Navajbai Tata, whom he loved immensely.

Young Ratan Tata bloomed under the love and care of his loving grandmother Navajbai Tata. He completed his early schooling at Campion School and John Connon School in Mumbai. He then left Mumbai for the US to pursue his graduation. He was advised by his father to pursue his engineering degree, although architecture was what he wished to study. Ratan Tata completed both his engineering degree and also received his degree in Architecture with structural engineering from Cornell University, U.S.A. Later he also completed an advanced management programme at the Harvard Business School. 

Life in the US, Los Angeles, where Ratan Tata lived fascinated him and he had more or less decided to settle in Los Angeles, California. It must be remembered that the decades of the later part of the 50s and sixties were a fascinating time in the now famous Bay Area, Silicon Valley, California. Nobelist, William Shockley had started his Shockley Semiconductor company in the Bay area and eight of his best engineers and scientists deserted Shockley to start Fair Child Semiconductor company which became the starting point for the growth of unending innovation in the area which believed in a completely different lifestyle under which creativity and innovation thrived leading to the Silicon Valley which we see today that has given birth to giant companies like Google, Apple, Facebook and many others. Ratan Tata must have been witness to this culture in his days in the US.

His life in the US was short-lived. In early 1962, Ratan Tata got a message that his grandmother, Navajbai Tata was unwell motivating Ratan Tata to change his mind and return back to India to be with his grandmother. Incidentally, on his return to India, Ratan Tata wanted to join IBM Company. In one of his interviews, he talked about this and said that he did not even have a CV when he went for a Job at IBM, which he had to share with the company for his interview. He had to type out his CV on the spot. However, his interest in joining IBM was interrupted when he was asked to join the Tata Group company. 

Ratan Tata started his career in the Tata Group companies in 1962. His first job was to work on the shop floor. From the kind of Hippie culture that he was becoming habitual of living in Los Angeles, he had to adapt to this new lifestyle of a strenuous and difficult shop floor job in Tata. This experience later came in handy for Ratan Tata in gaining experience and understanding of the business from bottom up.  Ratan Tata got his first opportunity to exhibit his leadership qualities when he was made the Director-in-charge of the NELCO (National Radio and Electronics Company Ltd) in the year 1971. NELCO was passing through a phase of financial crisis phase. Although, Ratan Tata worked hard to build an improved consumer electronics division, but the problems that the company faced due to unyielding union issues, and also the extant economic recession, made it impossible for the company to succeed.

He got another opportunity to prove his efficiency in management, when he was transferred to Empress Mills, in the year 1977. This was another struggling Tata Group unit. Although Ratan Tata tried his best to revive this century old textile company by working out a plan for its revival, the existing union issues and so also non-cooperation from the company executives in accepting his plans resulted in yet another failure for Ratan Tata and the result was the mill had to shut down. 

This led to Ratan Tata moving back to the Tata Industries. In 1981, he was named Chairman of Tata Industries, the group’s other holding company, where he was responsible for transforming it into a group strategy think tank and a promoter of new ventures in high-technology businesses. This experience helped Ratan Tata to be recognised by the legendary JRD Tata who mentored Ratan Tata. JRD Tata had led the Tata group from 1938, when he had become the Chairman of the group at a young age. One fine day, after JRD Tata was discharged from the Breach Candy Hospital where he was admitted for an ailment, he called Ratan Tata to his office in the Tata House and expressed his desire to anoint him as his successor to be the Chairman of the Tata Group. It was a momentous occasion for Ratan Tata, who willingly agreed to the advice of his mentor. JRD Tata took his recommendation to the Board and convinced them to accept Ratan Tata, his choice, to be his successor as the Chairman of the Tata Group. There were murmurs of objections from other executives amid concern regarding his ability to manage the responsibilities, which were short-lived.

On becoming the head of the Tata Group in 1991, he used the opportunity of economic liberalisation, which was beginning to unfold in India, to chalk out plans and strategy to successfully improve the organisation’s overall position. He modified the management and vision of the division and also managed to increase the dividends. His achievements as the Chairman of the Tata Group have been elaborately listed earlier in this essay. He expanded the vision of the group and helped the Tata group to go global. Among the global companies that Ratan Tata helped Tata’s acquire, during his leadership include the acquisition of Tetley the British tea giant, which was acquired by Tata’s for 450 million US $. This was one of the first major overseas purchases by an Indian company. This marked Tata's entry into the global beverage market. In the year 2007, Tata Steel acquired Corus for 13 billion US $. The acquisition of Corus made Tata one of the world's largest steel producers. Tata Motors acquired the internationally famed automobile company, Jaguar Land Rover in the year 2008. With this 2.3 billion US $ acquisition, Ratan Tata transformed Tata Motors into a global automotive player in control of these iconic British car brands. This deal helped Tata Motors resurrect the luxury car brands.

Mr Ratan N. Tata was the Chairman of Tata Sons, the holding company of the Tata group, from 1991 till his retirement on December 28, 2012. During his tenure, the group’s revenues grew manifold, totalling over $100 billion in 2011-12. After retirement, Mr Tata was conferred the honorary title of Chairman Emeritus of Tata Sons, Tata Industries, Tata Motors, Tata Steel and Tata Chemicals. He also served as the Chairman of the Sir Ratan Tata Trust and Allied Trusts, and the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust and the Allied Trusts. He was also the Chairman of the Council of Management of the premier research institute in India, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR). He also served on the board of trustees of Cornell University and the University of Southern California.\

For his yeomen service to the nation, he was awarded innumerable awards and recognitions including the coveted Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan awards from the Government of India. The Government of Maharashtra has unanimously moved a resolution to nominate his name for the highest honours of the country, Bharat Ratna, posthumously. He richly deserves this recognition from the country for whose development he has strived all through his life contributing immensely in nation building the fruits of which India is beginning to harvest.

Ratan Tata’s legacy will endure in the institutions he nurtured, the lives he touched, and the countless innovations that bear his hallmark. In his demise India and the world has lost not just a great industrialist, but a greatest of human being. His vision, humility, and contributions to the nation will be remembered for generations to come.

Rest in Peace respected Ratan Tata.

Om Shanti. 

Image Credits :

First Image : Courtesy CSMVS, Mumbai

Second Image : Wikipaedia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

15 September, Engineers Day

15 September, Engineers Day - Remembering Bharat Ratna Sir MV: The Legendary Engineer and a Statesman Par Excellence, on his Birth Anniversary.

15 September is celebrated as Engineers Day in India in memory of the legendary Engineer, Statesman and a great nation builder, Bharat Ratna, Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya (Sir MV) who was born on this date in 1861 - as per the official records in his passport, some scholars say that he was born on 15th September 1860. The Government of India, in the year 1968, decided to befittingly celebrate the legendary Sir MV’s birth anniversary - 15 September, as the Engineers Day. Ever since, this day is celebrated as Engineers Day to honour and acknowledge the contributions of engineers in nation building, which Sir MV exemplified. 

I had the honour to lead the team in Visvesvaraya Museum, Bangalore, when I was posted as its Director, to curate an exhibition on the life and works of Sir MV, entitled ‘Sir MV: The Legendary Nation Builder’. The year 2011 was special. It was the sesquicentennial year of birth of Sir MV and also the fiftieth year of his punyatithi. This exhibition was opened at the Visvesvaraya Museum in August 2011. It received an outstanding media coverage a glimpse of which can be seen in the images which accompany this post. Subsequently, on my transfer from Bangalore to Mumbai, I had the honour to obtain financial support from JSW for publishing a well-researched and a richly illustrated exhibition catalogue, which I had the honour to author and publish in the year 2015. This exhibition was befittingly featured in the prestigious India Science Congress in Mumbai in 2015. Here is a link for downloading the soft copy of this exhibition catalogue.

https://www.nehrusciencecentre.gov.in/pdf/Sir%20M%20Visvesvaraya%20%E2%80%93%20The%20Legendary%20Nation%20Builder.pdf 

In the annals of human history very few people have had the honour of celebrating their own birth centenary; from amongst those few who have, there are no parallels to the veritable and a nation building life that Sir M Visvesvaraya lived for all of 100 plus years (died on 14th April 1962). His achievements as a nation builder both as an engineer and as an administrator, were truly incredible. Sir M Visvesvaraya, popularly referred to as Sir MV, was an engineer par excellence, statesman, visionary, a staunch votary for industrialization, proponent of education and women empowerment, a visionary who started the Mysore Bank - which later became the State Bank of India - the man who improved transportation, the father of planned economy etc. Sir MV has made enduring contributions, not just as a civil engineer with the British Government - two plus decades in the Maharashtra province - but also for the development of the state of Mysore, where he worked as the Chief Engineer and the Diwan of Mysore (1912-1918) and for his many other contributions in regions of the sub-continent including Karachi and Hyderabad, which are now in Pakistan and so also in Aden, which is now in Syria. Sir MVs works remain eternally etched in the annals of Indian history. There, are very few fields of thoughts and constructive endeavours, of technical advancement and nation building, in which Sir MV has not made a significant contribution in his nearly eight decades long service to the nation. 

It is therefore no wonder that Sir MV was bestowed with the highest national honours, the Bharat Ratna, in the year 1955, which he shared with Pandit Nehru and Bhagwan Das. 

Engineers are among those beautiful minds who harvest the applications of science for the benefit of human society, an exemplary evidence of which was demonstrated by Sir M Visvesvaraya. Interestingly ten years after the exhibition was opened in 2011 in Visvesvaraya Museum Bangalore, in the year 2021, suddenly I received invitations to deliver lectures on the life and works of Sir MV from different institutions – Department of Science and Technology, Government of India to deliver lecture on Sir MV during National Technology Day (May11, 2021) and another prestigious invitation to deliver the 17th VN Bedekar Memorial Lecture on 14 April 2021, whose abstract can be found here

http://www.vpmthane.org/VPM/Abstract_Shri.Khened_14.04.2021.pdf 

In the same year (2021), I penned a detailed blogpost while commemorating Engineers Day whose link is given below. 

https://khened.blogspot.com/2021/09/engineers-day-remembering-sir-mv.html 

Here is a link to my talk delivered for DST on 11 May 2011

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OUNqr6Feds

Images : Courtesy Nehru Science Centre, Mumbai and Visvesvarya Museum, Bangalore