"This Is Your Throne": Pilot Recalls Her Encounter With Ratan Tata

Captain Zoya Agarwal, a senior Air India pilot of Boeing-777 aircraft, paid homage to noted industrialist Ratan Tata, recalling a moment etched in her heart forever. She said his "humility, grace, and values" left a profound impact on her. Tata, the chairman emeritus of Tata Sons, died at the Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai on October 9 at the age of 86. He was admitted to the hospital in a critical condition, reports said.

In a post on X, Captain Agarwal reminisced about the time she was the pilot of the aircraft in which Tata flew from New York City to Delhi. At the end of the flight, when she asked him for a photograph, Tata stopped her from getting up and told her, "Captain, this is your throne. You've earned it."

"A Moment Etched in My Heart Forever. Flying Hon'ble Sir Mr. @RNTata2000 Ratan Tata from NYC to Delhi changed my life. His humility, grace, and values left a profound impact on me. I asked for a picture at the end of the flight, and as I went to get up, he stopped me and said, "Captain, this is your throne. You've earned it." He came behind me—such a humble gesture that solidified my beliefs about leadership," Captain Agarwal wrote.

She also shared the photograph, which, she said, was meant to be personal. However, she posted it to express gratitude to Tata.

"This photo was meant for my personal inspiration, but today, I feel compelled to share it to dedicate my gratitude, inspiration and melancholy for a legend whose legacy will live on. Rest in peace, Mr. Tata. Your legacy lives on, not just in my heart but in the hearts of billions you've touched worldwide," she added.

In a statement earlier, Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran said, "It is with a profound sense of loss that we bid farewell to Mr Ratan Naval Tata, a truly uncommon leader whose immeasurable contributions have shaped not only the Tata Group but also the very fabric of our nation".

President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with several other noted personalities, paid tribute to Ratan Tata.

With his demise, the country "lost an icon who blended corporate growth with nation building and excellence with ethics," President Murmu said and offered condolences to his family and the entire team of the Tata Group.

Prime Minister Modi, meanwhile, noted that Tata was "a visionary business leader, a compassionate soul and an extraordinary human being".

Ratan Tata's last rites will be performed in Mumbai with full state honours, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde announced earlier in the day.