Campaigns seek Bharat Ratna for Tata. His 'humble' request: Stop them

Veteran industrialist Ratan Tata on Saturday humbly urged people to discontinue with the campaign that demands Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award of the country, for him.

In a statement on Twitter, he said that he appreciates the sentiments pertaining to the call for the award. He added that he considers himself fortunate to be an Indian and was happy to contribute to the growth and prosperity of the country.

“While I appreciate the sentiments expressed by a section of the social media in terms of an award, I would humbly like to request that such campaigns be discontinued. Instead, I consider myself fortunate to be an Indian and to try and contribute to India’s growth and prosperity,” said the Chairman Emeritus of the over $100 billion conglomerate Tata group.

He was reacting to various users on Twitter lauding him for his contributions, especially in inspiring the youth with #BharatRatnaForRatanTata trending. The trend reportedly started after motivational speaker Dr Vivek Bhindra tweeted demanding the top honour for Tata.

One user, while asking others to join the campaign #BharatRatnaForRatanTata, said Tata has been inspiring young achievers, telling them that believing in one’s ability is essential to achieve success in life. Another user described him as the “Real Hero of India” and said he “really deserves the Bharat Ratna Award.”

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Responding to his tweet, users showered him praises further.

“And this is why you are always special to us sir,” one user responded to his tweet.

Another one reminded the contributions of the Tata group for the nation and said it would remain “unmatched and unparalleled.”

Ratan Tata was born in 1937 in Bombay (now Mumbai). After retiring as the Chairman of Tata Sons in 2012, he has been active in investing in personal capacity in start-ups and encouraging young entrepreneurs.