The book talks about how the concept was
born in Ratan Tata’s mind, then how it got a tag of 1 lakh, how the team was
formed, who all were the main contributors, what all small innovations
were done, Also the issues ranging from a perfect engine to shifting the
plant from Singur to Sanand.
The book has Ratan Tata written all over
it, If one hasn’t read the book it’s hard for anyone to imagine the amount of
involvement of the Tata Motors Chairman Sri Ratan Tata in the small car
project. How he led the development from the front, sometimes acting as a
leader, sometimes as a team member.
The book does a good job in highlighting
the contributions of other main members as well such as Ravi Kant and Girish
Wagh. It insists that there was no path breaking technology innovation that
lead to nano at a price tag of 1 Lakh but small innovations and economical
engineering that lead to Ratan Tata’s promise to be kept.
The writing is simple and not much
technicalities of automobile industry is included which is good from a reader’s
perspective. The Singur episode has been described in a
non judgmental manner. We can only imagine what it takes to shift an
automobile plant from one place to another thousands of miles distant and
without producing a single vehicle, Tata Motors employees had to actually do
it.
The book is a good read and
every one interested in automobile or not should read it. It is as much a book
on a small car as it is on human conviction, team work, hard
work, commitment, sacrifices, leadership, facing adversities and many more
human qualities.
Amaresh
