As 2023 draws to a close, Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran wrote a letter to employees. In the letter, Chandrasekaran mentioned, among other things, two incidents from the year that, he said, ‘stood out’ for him – the Chandrayaan-3 mission and India’s defeat in the Cricket World Cup final.
On Chandrayaan-3
The Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) ‘trailblazing’ lunar mission is a ‘vivid reminder’ of how far the country has come, the business leader, 60, said.
“Often we talk in excited terms about India’s future. This incredible feat, achieved with a modest investment of only ₹600 crore, won admiration at home and abroad, and offered a timely demonstration of what our nation can do,” he stated.
With Chandrayaan-3, which was launched on July 14 and made a soft landing on the Moon on August 23 (on schedule), India joined the United States, China, and Russia, as the only nations to achieve this feat. The mission, however, was the first one to reach the Moon’s south pole, its intended destination.
On Cricket World Cup
The Tata Sons chairman called Team India’s heartbreaking defeat in the ODI World Cup final ‘enormously disappointing,’ adding, however, that the team’s confidence and attitude were ‘contagious,’ and a ‘wonderful lesson’ in resilience, preparation, mental strength, and collaboration.
Tata Group too must show such qualities as it moves forward with its transformation journey next year, he added.
“Like many Indians, I have great memories of the World Cup wins in 1983 and 2011, and a huge admiration for the XIs led by Kapil Dev (1983) and MS Dhoni (2011). But the cricket played by Rohit Sharma’s team on the way to the final was more clinical than anything I have seen,” wrote Chandrasekaran.
Heading into the World Cup final, played at Ahmedabad, Rohit Sharma’s men were the only undefeated team in the tournament, and were on a 10-match winning streak. In the summit clash, however, they lost to Australia, who claimed a record sixth world crown.