Chidambaram says Ratan Tata as big as Sachin Tendulkar
Finance Minister P Chidambaram has compared industrialist Ratan Tata with Sachin Tendulkar, saying men like that never retire.
Mr Chidambaram was speaking at an event in Mumbai, where he presented Mr Tata with the first CII President's award. Mr Tata is the chairman emeritus of the over $100 billion Tata Group.
(Also see: Why Ratan Tata is the Sachin Tendulkar of India Inc)
"When I walked into the room I realized Mr Tata is as big as Sachin," Mr Chidambaram said, referring to the cricketing legend who is playing his last test match at the city's Wankhede Stadium.
"Men like Ratan don't retire. They just move on to doing different things," said the minister.
The finance minister said he admired Mr Tata for several reasons - his frugality, for the fact that he lives in a modest home and because he is a man of few words.
"Being a politician and lawyer I can only envy. I admire him for his passions and that he can look back and say he has fulfilled his passions," Mr Chidambaram said, adding that there is a lesson for all industrial houses to emulate from what he has done.
"It's been an exciting time for India and it's been great a privilege to be part of that excitement," Mr Tata said in his speech. He added that he remained optimistic about India's economy.
India's growth slowed to 5 per cent in 2012-13, its worst performance since it grew by 3.9 per cent in 2002-03, and many economists have said that growth in the current fiscal may slip below 5 per cent.
Mr Tata, who stepped down as the chairman of Tata Group in December 2012, said "I fulfilled the criteria that I had of not being carried out in a box, and walking out in my position."
