Management guru Russy Mody who was known for his man management while he headed Tata Steel and was awarded Padma Bushan died at the age of 97 at his Alipore home in South Kolkata on Friday night around 11.30pm.
Mody’s associated with Tata Steel lasted for about five decades. He had a phenomenal rise in Tata group as he reigned as its uncrowned king for about three decades, till he was forced to resign at the age of 75 in 1993. He had an excellent rapport with JRD Tata and American industrialist Henry Ford. Under the tutelage of JRD Tata, he learnt the essentials to run a company.
Mody lived an active life even a couple of years ago till he became bed ridden due to advancing age. Since last December, he turned seriously ill and for that, an ICU was set up at his home, said Mody’s secretary T K Sen. Mody was under the supervision of two doctors — Biswajit Ghosh Dastidar and Anindya Sarkar. As his condition deteriorated on Sunday, some of his close relatives had flown down to Kolkata from Mumbai. The body is with a nephew now who is now in Kolkata. It will take some time for the other relatives staying abroad to come down because of which the cremation may take place on Sunday.
Mody was known for humility, compassion, consistent hard work, determination, sincerity and punctuality. He was born to Sir Homy Modiand Lady Jerby on January 17, 1918. His name was Rustomji Hormusji, but his friends fondly called him Russy.
Even after he formally retired from Tatagroup in 1993, the then Prime Minister Narasimha Raoasked him to take charge of Indian Airlines and Air-India to revive the carriers.
He was awarded Padma Bhusanin 1989.