A MAN CALLED THE ‘SUN’

He was a silent philanthropist, who did not seek publicity for his beliefs

- Srinath Sridharan

THIS IS A TRIBUTE to an individual whom I have never interacted with. But about whom, I have heard a lot about, from individuals who have worked or interacted with him, or for him. A common thread in all these reminiscences is that he was polite yet firm, humble, but with a clear vision, focussed and allowed people to flourish under his leadership. Those who knew him recall his ability to listen without interrupting, and his comments that were never acerbic and tended to be empathetic even when he disagreed completely with the interlocutor. He was a silent philanthropist, who did not seek publicity for his beliefs.

Then why do I feel as though I have lost someone I knew well? Was it because Mistry’s fight for his right had created a media blitz for far too long? For me, the learning as a professional who watched the bitter battle that unfolded in Cyrus Mistry’s fight for his right was simply this: there are Holy Grails in every large business house and the minority protection rights – despite owning an 18 per cent stake – was a mirage.