Russi Modi | |
|---|---|
| Born | 17 January 1918 |
| Died | 16 May 2014(2014-05-16) (aged 96) |
| Alma mater | Oxford |
| Occupation | Chairman ofTata Steel from 1984 to 1993 |
| Spouse | Siloo Russi Mody |
| Parent(s) | Sir Homi Mody and Lady Jerbhai |
Rustomji Homusji Mody,[1] known to most asRussi Mody (17 January 1918 – 16 May 2014), was a chairman and managing director ofTata Steel and a leading member of theTata Group.
Russi was born on 17 January 1918 in Bombay (nowMumbai) to aParsi family.[2] His father wasSir Homi Mody. His mother was Lady Jerbai Mody née Dubash. Russi had two brothers, Kali Homi Mody andPiloo Mody.[3]
After a few years of schooling inIndia, he was sent toEngland for further studies. He studied atSt Cyprian's School,Harrow School and later atChrist Church,Oxford. On his return to India he joinedTata Steel as an office assistant.
Russi was married to Siloo Mugaseth, the daughter of his mother's sister, and lived inKolkata until his death.[4]
Mody joinedTata Steel in 1939 and he was promoted to the position of director of personnel in 1953. He took up the position of the director of raw materials in 1965. In 1970, he was appointed director of operations and became joint managing director in 1972.[5][6]He was the most generous managing director of Tata Steel Ltd. He started many rewards like giving of ACMaruti Suzuki 800 to all divisional managers of Tata Steel. He never faced a strike at the Tata Steel Plant.
After retiring fromTata Steel in March 1993, the then prime minister of India, ShriP V Narasimha Rao appointed Mody as joint chairman ofIndian Airlines andAir India.[7]
Russi Mody Centre for Excellence, built by noted architectHafeez Contractor that contains archives of theTata Group, was named after him.[8][9]
Hearsay has it that Russi Mody was pulled up by a policeman as he tried to park his car on the narrow road. Admonished with "Tumhara baap ka rasta hain kya?" ("Does this road belong to your father?") the young scion pointed in good humour to the road sign indeed printed with the distinguished paternal name.[10]
He was also known to eat 16-eggomelette for breakfasts.[11]
During his studies at Oxford, he happened to accompanyAlbert Einstein on the violin, while he played the piano.[12][13][1]
Once, SirJehangir Ghandy was scheduled to come toCalcutta on a Wednesday afternoon when he would normally playtennis. In his diary lying on the table, he wrote, "TPT CSC meeting on Wednesday at 3 pm," and told his secretaries to take Sir Jehangir to his room, show him the diary and say that Russi had gone to the meeting. True enough, Sir Jehangir came and was shown the diary. He nodded knowledgeably and walked away. Little did he know that TPT CSC was an abbreviation of "To Play Tennis atCalcutta South Club".[14]
Mody died during the night of 16 May 2014 at a private hospital inKolkata.[16][17]
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