Biswas included a screenshot of an email she had received from Tata in January 2020 while interning at Tata Steel in T.V. Narendran’s office at Bombay House. In her reflection, she spoke about what she considers one of her greatest regrets.
“Some regrets linger for a lifetime,” she expressed. Biswas mentioned that she had reached out to Ratan Tata via email, and she was pleasantly surprised to receive a direct reply from him. In his message, Tata thanked her for reaching out and acknowledged her internship at Tata Steel.
The email indicated that Tata had taken notice of her request for a meeting. “I have noted your request for a meeting on a suitable date until January 22 and will endeavor to meet you,” he wrote.
For Biswas, the response was memorable. In her post, she emphasized how Ratan Tata made the effort to personally read and reply to an intern’s email.
“The fact that he was genuinely so kind as a leader and took the time to read AND reply to my email. To an intern. He need not have,” she remarked.
She also noted that Ratan Tata, at 82 years old, likely received a vast number of emails daily, yet he still chose to respond.
The Call She Never Expected
The story didn’t end with the email. Sneha Biswas later revealed that she received a phone call from Tata’s office about her meeting request. A team member contacted her to let her know that Tata wanted to schedule a time to meet.
“Someone from his office called, said RnT is looking for Sneha and asked for the date,” she recalled.
Unfortunately, the timing clashed with her plans. Biswas was already scheduled to fly back to Boston that day and couldn’t adjust her itinerary.
“I was already booked to fly back to the US. I thought no worries, next time,” she reflected.
A Lesson In Leadership
That ‘next time’ never materialized. Over the years, Biswas spent a significant amount of time in the United States and eventually dove into entrepreneurship. Before another opportunity could arise, Ratan Tata passed away in 2024.
In hindsight, she believes the experience serves as a reminder of the traits that made Ratan Tata beloved by people across the generations.
She mentioned that she still occasionally searches for his email in her inbox to reread it.
Beyond the missed meeting, Biswas shared that the memory lingers due to the humility, warmth, and approachability that Ratan Tata exhibited towards someone who was merely an intern.
“If I ever have the privilege — to be even a tenth of what Tata was — I aspire to maintain the humility, warmth, and genuineness,” she concluded.
The post has resonated with many LinkedIn users, with several praising Ratan Tata’s thoughtful act and reflecting on how small gestures of kindness from leaders can have a lasting impact.
