Ratan Tata passes away

 

Ratan Naval Tata, born on 28 December 1937, Bombay [now Mumbai], India, and who passed away on 9 October 2024, aged 86, Mumbai, was an Indian businessman who became chairman (1991–2012 and 2016–17) of the Tata Group, a Mumbai-based conglomerate.

A member of a prominent family of Indian industrialists and philanthropists, he was educated at Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, where he earned a B.S. (1962) in architecture before returning to work in India. He gained experience in a number of Tata Group businesses and was named director in charge (1971) of one of them, the National Radio and Electronics Co. He became chairman of Tata Industries a decade later and in 1991 succeeded his uncle, J.R.D. Tata, as chairman of the Tata Group.

Upon assuming leadership of the conglomerate, Tata aggressively sought to expand it, and increasingly he focused on globalizing its businesses. In 2000 the group acquired London-based Tetley Tea for $431.3 million, and in 2004 it purchased the truck-manufacturing operations of South Korea’s Daewoo Motors for $102 million. In 2007 Tata Steel completed the biggest corporate takeover by an Indian company when it acquired the giant Anglo-Dutch steel manufacturer Corus Group for $11.3 billion.

In 2008 Tata oversaw Tata Motors’ purchase of the elite British car brands Jaguar and Land Rover from the Ford Motor Company. The $2.3 billion deal marked the largest-ever acquisition by an Indian automotive firm. The following year the company launched the Tata Nano, a tiny rear-engined, pod-shaped vehicle with a starting price of approximately 100,000 Indian rupees, or about $2,000. Although only slightly more than 10 feet (3 metres) long and about 5 feet (1.5 metres) wide, the highly touted “People’s Car” could seat up to five adults and, in Tata’s words, would provide a “safe, affordable, all-weather form of transport” to millions of middle- and lower-income consumers both in India and abroad. In December 2012 Tata retired as chairman of the Tata Group. He briefly served as interim chairman beginning in October 2016 following the ouster of his successor, Cyrus Mistry. Tata returned to retirement in January 2017 when Natarajan Chandrasekaran was appointed chairman of the Tata Group.

Among many other honours accorded him during his career, Tata received the Padma Bhushan and the Padma Vibhushan, two of India’s most distinguished civilian awards, in 2000 and 2008, respectively. Tata passed away on 9 October 2024, after being briefly hospitalized for age-related ailments.

 

National Post Day - India

Every year October 10 is observed as National Post Day in India. It is observed to recognize the role played by the Indian Postal Department for more than 150 years. The British brought postal service to India. Lord Dalhousie established it in 1854. It is currently the most commonly used postal system in the world and is run by the Ministry of Communications. India has 9 postal zones, 23 postal circles, and one Army Post Office. India's post offices use a 6-digit PIN Code system that was implemented there in 1972. 

Why are the Letter Boxes in India in red colour?

The red colour of British letterboxes is as much part of the iconic nature of the postal service as any other feature. During the early British era, green-painted boxes were used. unobtrusive, excessively so. But due to its unobtrusiveness, complaints were received by people having difficulty finding them. This brought in red colour letter boxes in around 1874. The red colour has the highest wavelength and the shortest frequency, which makes it visible even from a distance.

It took 10 years to complete the programme of re-painting. Also, since then, Red remained the standard colour for boxes from then on with few exceptions.

 

Navratri 2024 Day 8, Maa Mahagauri

The eighth day of Navratri is considered to be one of the most auspicious times of the year. On the eighth day, Maa Mahagauri is worshipped. 

Mahagauri translates to fair and radiant. According to mythology, it is believed that to win over Lord Shiva’s affection, Goddess Parvati went through extreme penance. Pleased with her devotion, Lord Shiva accepted her and married her – however, the intense penance made her turn dark. Hence, Goddess Parvati went to Lord Brahma and asked for her fair complexion back. Brahma asked her to slay demons Sumbha and Nisumbha, and take a bath in the river Ganges of the Himalayas. After she took bath, she emerged as Maa Mahagauri.

Maa Mahagauri has four arms and rides a bull. She is dressed in white clothes and ornaments and controls the planet Rahu.

Ashtami or the eighth day of Navratri is considered the most auspicious day of the festival. On this day, Maa Mahagauri is worshipped. Goddess Mahagauri is known as the symbol of purity, chastity and tranquillity. All the nine forms of Maa Durga are worshipped on this day.