'My personal hero, I'm at a loss with Ratan Tata Sir's passing', says Ola Electric CEO Aggarwal

Ratan Tata’s passing at the age of 86 has left millions of Indians mourning the loss of a man who profoundly shaped their lives and the nation.

For those who had the privilege of knowing him personally, the grief runs even deeper. Sharing his personal tribute, Bhavish Aggarwal, co-founder of Ola and Ola Electric, expressed deep sorrow and a profound sense of loss.

In a heartfelt message on X (formerly Twitter), Bhavish referred to Ratan Tata as his personal hero, emphasizing how much the industrialist meant to him not just professionally but personally.

"I’m at a loss with Ratan Tata Sir’s passing. His loss feels so personal because it is for me. He was my hero growing up, like for so many others. I consider myself blessed to have gotten the opportunity to know my personal hero deeply over the last decade. Meeting and interacting with him many times and each time, learning lessons for life," Aggarwal wrote.

Bhavish Aggarwal recalls his relationship with Ratan Tata

Bhavish recalled that his relationship with Tata that began in 2008 when he was graduating from IIT Bombay, where Tata was the guest speaker at the convocation. Tata’s words, particularly his call to "serve one’s country," left a lasting impression on the young graduate.

In 2015, Bhavish got another opportunity to meet Tata when the industrialist decided to invest in Ola. But what began as a business partnership soon developed into a deeply personal connection.

Bhavish noted that Tata wasn’t just an investor; he took a personal interest in Bhavish’s journey and played the role of a mentor, embodying qualities of grace, humility, and a lifelong curiosity for learning.

"He took personal interest in my journey. And in every interaction there was grace, humility, curiosity and a world of learning for me," he said.

Inviting Tata to Bengaluru

Bhavesh further said that in 2016 he invited Tata to Bengaluru to meet the team at Ola.

"I thought a person of his stature would politely decline but he actually took a full day out, flew to Bengaluru and spent the entire day with my team and company!" Aggarwal wrote.

It was moments like these that set Tata apart, Bhavish observed, as he was always willing to go the extra mile for the people and projects he believed in.

Ratan Tata, my personal hero

I’m at a loss with Ratan Tata Sir’s passing. His loss feels so personal because it is for me. He was my hero growing up, like for so many others. I consider myself blessed to have gotten the opportunity to know my personal hero deeply over the last… pic.twitter.com/52AFS0bAAL

— Bhavish Aggarwal (@bhash) October 10, 2024

Ratan Tata's role in founding of Ola Electric

One particularly cherished memory Bhavish shared was from 2017 when Tata played a key role in the founding of Ola Electric.

He recalled a day when Tata invited him to Mumbai, saying, “Bhavish, I want to take you somewhere and show you something exciting.”

That day, Tata flew Bhavish to Coimbatore to visit his personal project—the electric version of the Tata Nano. Tata’s enthusiasm for electric vehicles was palpable, and his involvement went beyond just ideas; he drove Bhavish on a test track and offered detailed feedback on how to improve the engineers' work. This pivotal moment sparked Bhavish’s passion for electric vehicles, eventually leading to the birth of Ola Electric.

"He was so passionate and excited about electric vehicles. He even drove me in one on a test track and then pointed out such detailed improvements to the engineers".

"That was the day Ola electric really got started - as he ignited the passion for EVs and cars in me! After that, almost every product that we conceptualised and designed (some of which are not yet released) I would go and show him the concepts and he would patiently sit with me and ideate and give feedback," Aggarwal said.

Ratan Tata's love for animals

Beyond business, Bhavish noted that Tata’s love for animals, particularly dogs, deeply influenced him. 

"...when I went to his office, I would notice street dogs proudly sitting right there next to him inside his office! With this inspiration, we decided to open Ola offices and factories to stray dogs and today we have almost 30 of them living in our facilities," Aggarwal noted.

Aggarwal's last meet with Ratan Tata

Aggarwal said that the last time he met Ratan Tata was a year ago to share the news of Ola Electric's IPO and "he was as usual was gracious and curious."

"He was frail but his enthusiasm for cars was as high as ever, and his encouragement for me was as strong as ever."

"As I reflect on his legacy today, he has set a bar so high for all of us. And as I walk on my journey, make mistakes and learn from them, I feel so incredibly blessed to have seen such an amazing man from up close, and gotten a chance to see the ideal to strive for," Aggarwal said.

"I will deeply miss him. India will deeply miss him. And there will be no one like him again," he added.