Abide With Me

"Oh my God , why me ? Can't we do something to stop it ? " - This was J.R.D. Tata to Ratan Tata when the latter broke the news of J.R.D. winning the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award from the Government of India.

Devastated to lose his family doctor, Dr. Gool Contractor to a road accident , J.R.D. tried to turn in prayer to the Almighty and found solace in the hymn "Abide With Me" . But being the self effacing J.R.D. he also found it quite cheeky to request the Lord to "Abide With Me" . He said he wasn't anybody to ask God to abide with him as God has to look after so many other people

Never being a man of formal prayers J.R.D. did not want to worry the Almighty, already saddled with much to do, with small personal requests and prayers for self but he never forgot to say a prayer for those he loved , his family members and friends.

For a man who has achieved everything from being an Aviator par excellence , to setting up an Airline, an Automobile Giant, a Consulting Behemoth, to Chemicals, To Salt and even Time :), whats the secret sauce that helped him achieve so much ?

? My guess would be his Humility which made him wear his myriad successes so lightly and move on to his next adventure.

As I conclude this piece , I doff my torn cap to this Eternal True Start Up Man and hope that some of this humility also abides in us as we go about the business of life..

I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless

Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness

Where is death's sting?

Where, grave, thy victory?

I triumph still, if Thou abide with me

• From "Abide With Me"

* Information re-represented here is the author's interpretation of information available in the public domain and the author apologizes for any unintentional misrepresentation.