Ratan Tata Nano Car Story: Renowned as a visionary businessman, Ratan Tata was equally celebrated for his compassion and thoughtfulness.
One of Ratan Tata’s most ambitious projects was aimed at beginning comfort to the middle-class.Nano was a venture that held a special place in his heart. Conceptualised in the early 2000s, the project aimed to provide middle-class Indians with a safe and affordable four-wheeler.
First unveiled at the Auto Expo in New Delhi in 2008, the Nano was popularly referred to as the ‘lakhtakia’ car (priced at Rs 1 lakh) in the lead-up to its launch. The vehicle was officially launched in March 2009.
What made Ratan Tata launch Nano?
Post its launch, Nano shot to headlines due to its cheap pricing. However, the stir around the car slowly faded away.
Long after the launch, Tata took to Instagram to share what motivated him to make such a car. “What really motivated me, and sparked a desire to produce such a vehicle, was constantly seeing Indian families on scooters, maybe the child sandwiched between the mother and father, riding often on slippery roads,” he wrote.
The Nano, he said, “was always meant for all our people”.
“One of the benefits of being in the School of Architecture, it had taught me to doodle when I was free. At first we were trying to figure out how to make two wheelers safer, the doodles became four wheels, no windows, no doors, just a basic dune buggy. But I finally decided it should be a car.”
