In light of Tata's demise today, the 2009 interview with Charlie Rose has been resurrected on social media, serving as a reminder of the inspirational CEO.
It's pleasant to come across an instance when tech millionaire Elon Musk complimented India's Ratan Tata, in a world where tech giants often trade jabs rather than accolades. In light of Tata's demise today, the 2009 interview with Charlie Rose has been resurrected on social media, serving as a reminder of the inspirational CEO.
In the interview, which has been lost to the ages, Rose asked about Tata's grand project of bringing a low-cost automobile to the Indian market. Just a few months had passed since Tata Motors debuted the notorious Tata Nano, which retailed at a very reasonable ₹1 lakh.
"Leave for a minute Ratan Tata and his work creating a small car in India for $2300. Where does it fit into the overall picture of where autos are headed?" Rose posed the question, laying the groundwork for Musk's analysis of the initiative that aimed to transform accessible transportation in India.
In addition to expressing his love for Tata, Musk—who is now the wealthiest man on the planet—also voiced his doubts about the Nano's future. "I think having affordable cars is a good idea, but I think the problem with something like the Nano—well, I wouldn't say problem because I think it's probably a great idea and Ratan is a gentleman and scholar—I wouldn't say it's a problem."
The CEO of Tesla did, however, issue a warning. He continued, hinting at the difficulties the Nano would eventually encounter: "But where it's going to become problematic in the future is when the price of gasoline rises; the cost of having the car is much less of an issue relative to the cost of running the car."
The Tata Nano, which was formerly marketed as "cheap" rather than "affordable," turned into a case study in poor marketing decisions and finally died in 2018, leaving a legacy more akin to a cautionary tale than a story of success.
As word of this sentimental interview spreads, it's impossible to ignore the genuine admiration Musk had for Tata—a testament to the ability of a visionary to acknowledge another person's contribution in the face of intense rivalry.
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