Air India pilot reveals 'such a humble gesture' from Ratan Tata: 'He stopped me and said…' | On trend

Air India captain Zoya Agarwal recalled her meeting with Ratan Tata in social media posts shared after the industrialist's death. The chairman emeritus of Tata Sons died in Mumbai last night after a brief illness. He was 86.

Since then, social media has been flooded with tributes to the visionary leader and philanthropist who touched millions of lives through his businesses, charitable initiatives and scholarship programs.

Among several such anecdotes that have flooded social media, one was shared by captain Zoya Agarwal, who said her meeting with Ratan Tata left a “profound impression” on her.

Captain Zoya said she once flew from New York to Delhi with Ratan Tata. At the end of the flight, she asked the legendary industrialist for a photo. Ratan Tata graciously obeyed – but when the pilot tried to get up, he stopped her and asked her to remain seated. Instead, the billionaire industrialist stood behind the captain for the photo – a gesture that left a lasting impression on her.

“At the end of the flight I asked for a photo and as I was about to stand up he stopped me and said, 'Captain, this is your throne.' You deserve it.' He stood behind me – such a humble gesture that solidified my beliefs about leadership,” Captain Zoya wrote on X.

She also shared the photo of herself with Ratan Tata and praised the leader's “humility and grace.”

“This photo was intended for my personal inspiration, but today I feel compelled to share it to dedicate my gratitude, inspiration and melancholy to a legend whose legacy will live on,” she wrote.

Check out the following post:

Captain Zoya, a senior commander at Air India, concluded her post by saying that Ratan Tata's legacy will live on in the hearts of billions of people whose lives he touched. Her words echoed the sentiments of thousands who paid homage to Ratan Tata.

In an earlier statement, N Chandrasekaran, Chairman, Tata Sons, said: “It is with a deep sense of loss that we bid farewell to Mr. Ratan Naval Tata, a truly unusual leader whose immeasurable contributions shaped not only the Tata Group but also the fabric itself “our nation”.

The last rites of Ratan Tata were performed at Worli Crematorium in Mumbai today.