“I had a strong conviction that our engineers, who could put a rocket into space, could produce our own car.”

It was this very conviction of Ratan Tata that led to the birth of Indica - the car that put India on the automobile world map. Developing an indigenous Indian car was a daunting task. One that Tata Motors took head-on, encouraged by the faith and confidence Chairman Ratan Tata had in the Company’s engineering skills. Conceived within a time frame of 31 months - from concept to commercialization - at a total cost of $ 400 million, the Indica is a small step towards fulfilling Ratan Tata’s vision of Tata Motors as a great car manufacturer.

On the Tata Motors board since 1981, Ratan Tata continues the traditions of Jamsetji Tata and JRD Tata, instilling ethics and credibility in the Company. He has steered the Company in challenging times, emerging victorious under even adverse conditions. Under his leadership , Tata Motors is charting for itself a global path in the automotive world. The agreement with MG Rover, UK to manufacture and sell Rover branded Indicas in UK and Western Europe is a step in that direction.

Ratan Tata’s global ambitions for Tata Motors have taken wing with the recent acquisition of Daewoo Commercial vehicle Co., South Korea and Tata Motors’ entry in the South African market. The Daewoo acquisition will give Tata Motors a substantial presence in the Korean market in addition to synergies in manufacturing, marketing and research. According to Ratan Tata, the acquisition is a historic occasion for Tata Motors and the Tata Group as this is the largest acquisition by any Indian company in Korea. He believes that the South Africa could be a possible stepping stone for other countries in Africa.

Among the many firsts Tata Motors has achieved under Ratan Tata’s leadership is the listing of the Company on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) - the first company in the Indian engineering sector to list its securities on the NYSE.

His next mission for Tata Motors is the development of the Rs 1 lakh car - the people’s car. As he says, “India is capable of doing anything it wishes to do if you do not constrain the people...”