A glowing, feel-good read

On the backdrop of the legendary industrialist and philanthropist Mr. Ratan N. Tata’s recent death, I came upon a lighthouse, penned by his young friend and mentee Shantanu Naidu, is the book you didn’t know you needed to read. From sharing a little-known side of Mr. Tata to the power of innovation and social entrepreneurship, the book has a deeper message that goes beyond the feel-good factor of an unlikely friendship. It is a timely reminder that success isn’t just about profits; it’s about leaving a positive impact on people’s lives

“I told him that when I write a book, I would write about another side of him and not just historic events or business milestones. I would write about us and our adventures together, and how I saw him—colours and shades of him unknown to the world—life beyond the great steel wall of 'industry doyen'. He agreed. “There cannot be one book that captures everything. So, you do your thing, give your perspective.”

And, that’s how young Shantanu Naidu, went about recording his own take on his beloved friend Ratan Tata.

Some of you may already be familiar with the back-story. In 2014, Shantanu Naidu, an automobile design engineer in his early twenties, developed an innovation to save the local strays from being run over by speeding cars. Ratan Tata, himself known for his compassion for stray dogs, took note. Impressed, he not only decided to invest in the venture, but over the years became a mentor, boss and an unexpectedly dear friend to Shantanu.

This memoir about an unlikely Dosti (friendship) between the octogenarian Ratan Tata—inarguably one of the country’s most respected and beloved men—and a millennial is so many things on so many levels.

You’d think the book would make for a poignant read giving Ratan Tata’s recent passing, but I came upon a lighthouse, is light, breezy, humourous and warm-hearted at the same time. One guesses that this is how Mr. Tata would like to be remembered—just as he was - unassuming, humourous, sensitive, humane and ever-ready to help a young idea.

It helps that Naidu’s writing is refreshingly conversational—much like listening to a friend share his adventures over a cup of coffee— simple, genuine and filled with warmth. As he best sums up his bond in these words (in the context of his rejection by Harvard), “My reactions (at the no-go letter) were very television drama-esque, with transition effects, slow motion, heart-wrenching music, and the whole works. I wrote to Mr. Tata like my world had ended and I was betrayed by the universe and there was nothing left for me. Childish, I know. Writing to one of the most respected men in the country with personal goings-on nobody really cares about. It’s funny how I live up to all the respectful, gentlemanly etiquette, while communicating with him even today, but at the same time when something life-altering happens, he has a front-row seat to the private screening of Shantanu: A Millennial Drama.”

The Corporate Citizen review

Written in simple, elegant language that nevertheless strikes all the right chords, I came upon a lighthouse, is a memoir done right. Not only is it a refreshing take, on one of the most loved icons of our times, but the production value is high. Thanks to illustrator Sanjana Desai’s colourful illustrations, the book is not only feel-good, but also looks good. You can actually feel the moments and anecdotes come to life, thanks to her wonderfully drawn scenes.

Why this is a book for young entrepreneurs

• Lessons on purpose-driven entrepreneurship
  Naidu’s journey underscores the importance of aligning business ideas with a larger purpose. His project wasn’t just about innovation; it was about creating social impact. In other words, he wed his passion to compassion.
• Insights into building relationships
  Naidu’s respect, sincerity, and humility are evident in every interaction he recounts. For young entrepreneurs, this is a lesson in building meaningful professional and personal relationships.
• Overcoming self-doubt
  The book candidly discusses Naidu’s moments of hesitation and self-doubt, which are challenges many entrepreneurs face. His story is a reminder that perseverance and belief in your ideas can lead to extraordinary outcomes.

A closer look at what made Ratan Tata the icon he was

While there are more than a few books on Ratan Tata, this book shows a deeply personal and humane side of him. One that treated young and old with respect. In Shantanu’s words: “As the days went by, I sat in on more and more meetings, but this one time was special. It was a meeting to discuss modular innovative solutions for primary healthcare with the help of a medical school abroad. Once the team made their introductions, Mr Tata introduced me: “This is my colleague, Shantanu. He has recently joined my office..."and I don’t remember a word after that. He called me a colleague. He could have said assistant. Junior. New hire. A lot of things that didn’t put me on such a level. But he said “colleague” and he has introduced me as one ever since. As much as his humility is at play in this incident, one has to understand the ripple effects of such gestures in business. The moment you address and treat subordinates as colleagues, there is little room for disagreement, and the subordinates really put in the effort to live up to that treatment. It is a healthy and heartfelt management lesson. I finished the day smiling. I was a colleague.”

In short, whether you’re looking for inspiration, guidance or simply a heartwarming read, this book has it all. Pick it up—you might just come upon your own "lighthouse".

• Title: I came upon a lighthouse

• Publisher: HarperCollins India

• Available on: Amazon

• Price: ₹499 (Hardcover) and ₹299 (Paperback)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

From composing music videos for social causes during his engineering days, Shantanu Naidu went on to establish himself in animal welfare with his video ‘Paws for a Cause’, which was his entry into the space. During his time as automotive design engineer at Tata Elxsi, he founded a start-up, Motopaws, to put reflective collars on Indian stray dogs, to save them from being run over. Mr. Ratan Tata became a primary investor in the venture.

After Shantanu’s return to India from his MBA at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, where he spent time diving deep into entrepreneurship, he joined Mr. Tata’s office as Deputy General Manager, assisting him with day-to-day activities, including social philanthropic initiatives, start-up proposals and social media. During his time at Mr. Tata’s office, Shantanu found a huge gap in young students’ understanding and fear of entrepreneurship and founded ‘On your Sparks’ an online entrepreneurship course teaching fundamentals through stories, the proceeds of which are used for animal welfare. He has also founded the ‘Cyber Aid Army’ which helps victims of cybercrime technologically and through counselling, free of charge.