In a post shared on the popular Facebook page Humans of Bombay, 27-year-old Shantanu Naidu tells the story of how he managed to land the coveted job of assisting industrialist and philanthropist Ratan Tata.
He says he started working with the Tata Group straight out of college in 2014. Then, one evening, as he returned from work, he saw a dog’s body lying in the middle of the road.
“I’ve always been fond of dogs and also rescued quite a few. So, seeing a stray dog in that condition killed me.”Shantanu Naidu
The sight pushed him to design a reflective collar with his friends and put them on the stray dogs in the neighbourhood, in an effort to avoid such accidents.
As word spread, their work got covered in the Tata Group of companies' newsletter.
“Around that time,” Shantanu says, “my dad asked me to write a letter to Mr Ratan Tata, since he loves dogs too. I was hesitant at first, but then I said to myself, ‘Why not?’”
Two months later, he says, he was invited for a meeting with the renowned industrialist.
“He told me, ‘I’m deeply touched by the work you do!’ I still get goosebumps when I think of it,” says Shantanu. Mr Tata took Shantanu home to meet his dogs and funded his venture.
Shantanu, then, left to complete his masters, but says he promised Ratan Tata that he would return and “dedicate his life to working for Tata Trust.”
When he returned to India, he says he received a call from Mr Tata who told him he had a lot of work to be done in his office and asked him if he would like to be his assistant.
“I didn’t know how to react. So I took a deep breath, and a few seconds later said ‘Yes!’” he says.
“People affectionately call him Boss, but I like to call him the ‘Millennial Dumbledore’ – I think that name suits him the best!”Shantanu Naidu
The post has gone viral, garnering over 16 thousand likes on Facebook.
“This young soul lights up the world! Well done Mr Tata, you recognise goodness and set it on its way!” a user commented on the post.
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