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R. M. Lala has written books on a number of subjects, most notably the Tatas, and he has met and chronicled people and institutions whose contributions have enriched us all. Here he talks about a literary career spanning more than 50 years and a treasure chest of memories

Russi M. Lala’s affair with words began early. In the many decades since, he has had a meritorious literary career as editor, publisher and writer. But essentially he is a scholar and chronicler of greatness in people and institutions, especially the house of Tatas.

Mr Lala started on the literary road in 1948, at age 19, as a journalist. He worked as an executive in a book-publishing house before, in 1959, becoming the manager of the first Indian publishing house in London. In 1964 he founded Himmat Weekly along with Rajmohan Gandhi.

Mr Lala published his first book, The Creation of Wealth: The Tata Story, to critical and commercial acclaim in 1981. This was followed, in quick succession, by Encounters with the Eminent, The Heartbeat of a Trust, In Search of Leadership, Beyond the Last Blue Mountain: A Life of J. R. D. Tata, The Joy of Achievement: Conversations with J. R. D. Tata and Celebration of the Cells: Letters From A Cancer Survivor. He has also, with S. A. Sabavala, co-edited Keynote, a compilation of J. R. D Tata’s speeches. Mr Lala has been a director of the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust since 1985. He is the co-founder of the Centre for Advancement of Philanthropy and has been, since 1993, its chairman.

Early this year Mr Lala released his latest book, A Touch of Greatness: Encounters with the Eminent, in which he has written about men and women whose lives “demonstrate values that one can live for and live by”. The book profiles leaders who have made significant contributions to public life, among them the Dalai Lama, Jayaprakash Narayan, J. B. Kripalani, J. R. D. Tata, Mother Teresa, M. S. Subbulakshmi, Azim Premji and Vinoba Bhave.

In this interview with Sujata Agrawal, Mr Lala talks about his books and his recollections of the numerous public figures that he has met over the years.

How did you select the people who feature in A Touch of Greatness?
The people were selected more by accident than design; they somehow came into my orbit. There were some, of course, that I went out of my way to meet, for instance, Mother Teresa. Azim Premji came to see me a couple of years ago, in connection with the foundation that he later started. N. R. Narayanamurthy was interested in my book on the life of J. R. D. Tata and wanted some excerpts on excellence from JRD. Once, when I was visiting Bangalore, he came to meet me. He was not so well known then and very kindly gave me a lift (he was driving his own car) to the Bangalore Club. He then made sure I was comfortably settled in my room.

What strikes me about [Mr Premji and Mr Narayanamurthy] is that they have given a new face to Indian business. Unfortunately, some industrialists had set a precedent of ostentation, about money being the main aim and the end justifying the means. These sort of values, which were respected till then, were demolished by the rise of a new breed of industrialists who were equally, if not more, successful. They demonstrated humility and tenaciously held onto their principles. This is what I’ve brought out in my book. They are very different from each other: Narayanamurthy is effusive, warm-hearted and an extrovert; Azim is more of an introvert. He doesn’t talk much but is a great thinker. I think we are very lucky to have two such people in our business world. Both are inspired by Jamsetji Tata and JRD.

You had earlier written Encounters with the Eminent. Is A Touch of Greatness a revised version of it?
I wrote this book because I wanted to inspire people, specially the younger generation. In Encounters with the Eminent I wrote about men and women who had influenced generations of Indians. I met political personalities like [C. Rajagopalachari] and [Jayaprakash Narayan] when I was the editor of Himmat Weekly. I met former Indian president Zakir Hussain through my own personal contacts. I knew JRD and Nani Palkhivala because by then, I had come into the orbit of the Tatas.

Some of these profiles in Encounters have been updated, but I rewrote the pages on JRD because I had not known him well at the time of doing the first interview. I later came to know him closely over a period spanning 15 years. I consider it one of the greatest privileges of my life.

Twenty years after Encounters was published (and out of print), I started A Touch of Greatness, a revised and greatly enlarged version of Encounters. I asked myself what had I learned from these people that I would like to pass on to the reader. Two people came to mind: Vinoba Bhave and Mother Teresa. I thought of Vinoba sitting on his wooden cot writing answers on a slate in Hindi because he was keeping silent for the day, and I recalled his words: “Purity comes from God.”

I also thought of Mother Teresa and how, when she talked to people, she would look them straight in the eye. That is a mark I have seen in some great people. They are intensely involved with the people they are talking to. Towards the end, she said something I remember even today: “If you judge people, you have no time to love”. I felt she had, at one shot, overturned the way I thought. When I am critical of people, this thought comes to my mind, if not instantly then in a few minutes. That, I think, is the greatness of these people. As I was leaving, she told me: “Write something beautiful for God.”

I have observed Dr M. S. Swaminathan closely over the last few years and have interacted with him often. I am associated with his foundation in Madras and he is on the board of the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust. He is concerned not only about environmental protection but also about the well-being of India. He has taken interest in planning for the future of agriculture in this country, in growing enough food and reaching the grain to the poor in small ways through community and grain banks.

I believe money is important but it should not be the driving force of one’s life. JRD once told me that he did not have much money, and that he had made sure he did not. At 40 he gave some of his best shares, including Tata Sons, to his own trust. Nani Palkhivala, in the last few years, has donated generously to charity. I told him that not many people would do such a thing and he quoted an English writer: “If you give it after you die, what’s the use? You are only giving it because you can’t take it.”

One has a lot to learn from these people. It was my privilege to have known them and I want to pass that to other people. It would be selfish of me not to.

A Touch of Greatness: Encounters with the Eminent

Which is your favourite anecdote in A Touch of Greatness?
There is an interesting incident about the Dalai Lama that I have related in the book. I had the privilege of meeting him at a conference in Panchgani. The first night he came, there were a hundred policemen in tents outside his house and a police inspector posted just outside his little cottage. It was winter and very cold. Early in the morning, at about 4.30 am, the Dalai Lama came out of his room, possibly for some fresh air, and found the inspector sleeping in his chair. He went back in, prepared his cup of tea and an extra cup. He brought that steaming cup of tea to the inspector and gently woke him up. The inspector probably thought he was dreaming when he opened his eyes and saw the Dalai Lama standing with a cup of tea in his hand! The Dalai Lama later related this story with great interest to us — a hundred policemen around him but no protection.

I have concentrated on such anecdotes in the book, because you read people through their behaviour and the decency they bring to small things in life.

Why did you choose to write your first book on the Tata Group?
I did not; it was at Mr Sabavala’s initiative that I wrote the book. I had written an outline for a pamphlet on the proposal to nationalise the steel and automobile industries and Mr Sabavala was interested in the way I treated the subject. He asked if I would like to write on the House of Tata and about the proposal’s ripple effect on health, education, social affairs, atomic energy, etc. I did not know whether he wanted a book, a booklet or a series of articles. I wrote the first three chapters and he liked what I wrote. He showed it to Mr Jamshed Bhabha, who is very selective, and he too liked it.

The book has been revised recently, almost 10 years after being published. Revising it was not easy because the whole business scenario has changed. The basic history of the group is extraordinary. The emphasis is no longer on fighting government control, as it was earlier. Today the group faces different challenges, such as globalisation, poverty and unemployment, and has to cope with these issues. The Tatas are still adapting themselves, and so is everybody else. The business situation has not stabilised and, while it is in flux, it is not the time to write a book, though one can write articles.

How long did it take you to write the book on the Tatas?
It took me about 13 months to write the book and it was the happiest period of my life. It is good to be known as I happen to be known now, but it is even better to be unknown and undisturbed. I sat in a little cubicle on the fourth floor [of Bombay House] and nobody knew me; even some of my friends didn’t know where I was sitting. There were hardly any phone calls and no visitors.

I also wrote Heartbeat of a Trust fairly peacefully, but all my other books have been written in the run of other things. It is not the ideal way to write a book but it is the only way I have now. I hope that when I step down from my office as the Trust’s executive director, I will have more time and fewer phone calls and meetings!

Your next book was on JRD…
After I wrote on the House of Tata, I had a choice of writing on Jamsetji [Tata] or JRD. I told JRD about it and he told me to write on Jamsetji. However, I realised that if I did not capture [JRD’s] life in his lifetime, it would be very difficult to do it later.

What are you working on now?
I am writing a book on Jamsetji. In about 20 years of research, I have found a lot of material on him. Also, there is no really readable biography on Jamsetji, though there is a wonderful chronicle of his life by Frank Harris. It is a very valuable book because of its facts; and it’s written in very correct English. But he has not brought out the fullness and the personality of Jamsetji, and it is a very heavy book to read.

There is another book, by Saklatvala and Khosla. Saklatvala was the son of Sir Shapurji Saklatvala, who worked with Jamsetji for a few years. They were also related, which gave him personal insights. He brings out Jamsetji’s personality in flashes but the book does not grip you. One has to realise that Jamsetji was much more than a man who put up mills and planned for steel, hydroelectric power and a research foundation that would later become the Indian Institute of Science. Not many know that he revived sericulture in South India, imported Japanese experts, and had a Tata silk farm. Also, I have unearthed information about other important subjects, which I will reveal in my book.

When do you plan to bring out this book?
It should certainly be ready in time for his centenary, March 3, 2003, but possibly earlier. It will be a centenary edition and, I hope, my last book on the Tatas.

Your books are certainly the best on understanding the Tata Group.
I don’t know if they are the best but, yes, they are the most readable. That’s what everybody tells me. I’m not a great writer but, again from what others tell me, I am a very readable writer.

Do you have any favourite among your books?
It’s very difficult to answer that. I think that in terms of writing, the best book I have written is the Heartbeat of a Trust. Many people, including P. L. Deshpande, the famous Marathi playwright, have told me this.