SIR RATAN TATA TRUST Annual Report 2001
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SIR RATAN TATA TRUST Annual Report 2001 - 2002 Sir Ratan Tata’s Vision His thoughts, in 1913, on the manner in which the Trust’s funds could be used: “… for the advancement of Education, Learning and Industry in all its branches, including education in economy, sanitary sciences and art, or for the relief of human suffering or for other works of public utility…. “To engage qualified and competent persons to investigate into matters that pertain to the social, economic or political welfare of the Indian community, the object being to design schemes of a practical nature calculated to promote the welfare of the said community, care being taken that such work is not undertaken from the stereotyped point of view but from the point of view of fresh light that is thrown from day to day by the advance of science and philosophy on problems of human well-being…. Further, he also directed that: “No experiment and no venture should be aided or undertaken unless the scheme thereof is carefully prepared…” “No institution or organisation should be aided of which the accounts are not subject to periodical audits and are not regularly issued and which would not be open to inspection and examination…” Board of Trustees Mr. Ratan N. Tata (Chairperson) Mr. N. A. Palkhivala Mr. H. N. Sethna Mr. N. A. Soonawala Mr. J. N. Tata Mr. K. B. Dadiseth Mr. R. K. Krishna Kumar Trust Management Team Secretary and Chief Accountant Mr. Hoshang D. Malesra Institutional Grants Senior Programme Officer Mr. Arun Pandhi Programme Officers Ms. Kavita Anand Ms. Vartika Jaini Individual Grants Programme Officer Ms. Nandini Janardhanan Programme Associates Ms. Kumudini Kudalkar Ms. Sarah Maganhalli Accounts Mr. Freddie P. Movdawala Ms. Sanober N. Charna Mr. Mickey B. Billimoria Ms. Bhanu Chidambaran Executive Assistants Ms. Razia Khan Ms. Meher Raghina Office Assistants Ms. Jasmine D. Billimoria Ms. Gool D. Lavangia Mr. Ravi M. Shetty Mr. Ramesh V. Thingalaya Mr. Navin D. Thingalaya The Trust is grateful to the following for their valuable contributions during the year. Bankers American Express Bank, Mumbai State Bank of India, Main, Mumbai UTI Bank, Main, Mumbai Auditors Mr. D.D. Bhathena, Partner M/s. Damania, Panday and Bajan Chartered Accountants Solicitors Mr. Jehangir N. Mistry, Partner M/s Mulla & Mulla & Craigie Blunt & Caroe Reflections: Looking back; looking forward The year 2001 – 2002 saw the completion of the review of the Trust’s Strategic Plan 2000 (SP2000) and the development of its Strategic Plan 2006 (SP2006). Embarking on a new phase marks a significant milestone in the history of an organisation. The Trust reflects on the probable perspectives of the founder of the Trust and at re-interpreting his vision in the current context. The transition from a charity that provided donations for worthy causes to a contemporary professional philanthropic institution in the 75th year of its existence, signified a turning point in the history of the Trust. The first Strategic Plan (SP 2000) was commissioned in that year, to accentuate the programmatic orientation in the Trust’s work. The Strategic Plan 2006 of the Trust states: “The transformation, we believe, would undoubtedly bring the Trust closer to the wishes of the Founder. The Trust therefore needs to interpret the purpose in the present day context of its engagement. It needs to work towards a vision it has of the society.” Given the sparse oral and written history available on Sir Ratan Tata, the vision of our founder, can best be inferred from the nature and quality of the financial support provided by him in the early 20th century. In 1905, the younger son of Jamshetji Tata committed a significant sum to the Servants of India Society. A nationalist organisation founded by Gopal Krishna Gokhale, the members of the Society were sworn to poverty and enlisted to serve as volunteers for the social, political, and economic welfare of India. Sir Ratan Tata provided the operational costs of the Servants of India Society for 10 years, 1905 to 1915, amounting eventually to a sum of Rs. 1,11,000. This substantial, long-term support, is a perceptive precursor to the Trust’s current grant making1. PRAY THANK MR. TATA FOR MUNIFICENT TIMELY HELP. DISTRESS GREAT. PRISONERS’ LOT HARD. RELIGIOUS SCRUPLES DISGEGARDED. RATIONS SHORT. PRISONERS CARRY SLOP-PAILS; FOR REFUSING, PUT ON SPARE DIET. SOLITARY CONFINEMENT. PROMINENT MOSLEMS, HINDUS, PARSIS IN JAIL. GANDHI 1 The charter of the Society reads: “The Servants of India Society will train men prepared to devote their lives to the cause of the country in a religious spirit, and will seek to promote by all constitutional means, the national interests of the Indian people. Its members will direct their efforts principally towards (1) creating among the people, by example and by precept, a deep and passionate love of the motherland, seeking its highest fulfilment in service and sacrifice; (2) organising the work of political education and agitation basing it on a careful study of public questions and strengthening generally the public life of the country; (3) promoting relations of cordial good-will and co-operation among the different communities; (4) assisting educational movements especially those for the education of women, the education of backward classes and industrial and scientific education; (5) helping forward the industrial development of the country; and (6) the elevation of the depressed classes.” The support to the Society and another substantive contribution to the non-cooperation movement led by Mahatma Gandhi in Transvaal, South Africa, also suggest an appreciation of ethical leadership for worthy causes. Sir Ratan is quoted to have said after a fierce argument with Gokhale, that he could never get angry with him because he was “…so true, so good and so saintly. The curse of a saint is better than the blessing of a hypocrite”.2 Gokhale is described by him elsewhere, as a man with a large vision of the country’s progress which would march to self government through gradual and well-secured paces.3 This approach to nation building appeared to have appealed to his own temperament. Sir Ratan’s gift to Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi followed Gokhale’s visit to Transvaal, and brought in response, a cable directing Gokhale4 to express gratitude for munificent and timely help. By the close of 1910, Sir Ratan Tata had followed up the first gift of Rs. 25,000 with two more matching gifts. We learn of his involvement from his animated letter to Mahatma Gandhi that commends the magnificent stand led by him in Transvaal. YORK House, TWICKENHAM. 18th. November 1910. My dear Mr. Gandhi, I desire to contribute a second sum of Rs. 25,000/- in aid of the Indian struggle in the Transvaal. About this time last year I was happy to give a similar sum, and since then nearly a lakh of Rupees have been subscribed by our countrymen in different parts of India, to-wards the heavy expense of maintaining this most unequal struggle. This is no doubt satisfactory as far as it goes, but it is not enough. Indeed when I think of the vast importance of this question, and the magnificent stand which a handful of our countrymen in the Transvaal have made and are making for the honour of our Motherland, I feel constrained to say that the support which India has so far lent to her brave sons and daughters in - their heroic and most righteous struggle in a distant land, has not been adequate. Not only for their sakes therefore, but for the honour and well-being of Indians in all parts of the world, I say that a great duty rests upon us at the present time. We must recognise the significance of the issues involved, and see to it that the great sacrifices made, and the sufferings so willingly endured by the Indian Community in South Africa, are not rendered useless by our supiness or neglect. We in India must not forget that you and your fellow-workers in the Transvaal have suffered much 2 Extract from speech delivered by Mr. C. Ramalinga Reddy, distinguished educationist and the first Vice Chancellor of Andhra University, Waltair, on March 4, 1920. This is extracted from one of the publications in the Gokhaleana series by Mr. S. R. Venkataraman published in May 1965. 3 Times of India, December 10, 1919. 4 The collected works of Mahatma Gandhi, volume 10, page 334. and have sacrificed much to maintain our country’s (illegible) in the Transvaal, and that though your spirit might be steadfast, your resources would be considerably diminished in so prolonged a struggle. Unless I feel therefore (illegible) you receive renewed support it would be difficult for you to carry on so unequal a fight. Should you however be obliged to give up this struggle for want of due appreciation and support from us, in India, I fear it will be considered tantamount to an acknowledgment by us of our inferiority to the white races. What effect this would have in future in the treatment of our countrymen by the whites in various parts of the world, could easily be imagined. I am confident the mass of the British public would not for one moment countenance the injustice which is done to our people if only they were aware of it, and we must therefore persist in our efforts of rousing general public attention not only in India but in England also, to the wrong inflicted on our people. It is my earnest and devout hope that the new Parliament in South Africa will let one of its first acts be a satisfactory settlement of this vexed question, honourable to all, and compatible with our status as citizens of the British Empire.