Ratan Tata requests netizens to 'discontinue campaign' for conferring Bharat Ratna to him

Appreciating sentiments expressed by many for conferring India's highest civilian award - 'Bharat Ratna' to Tata Chairman Emeritus Ratan Tata, the 83-year old entrepreneur on Saturday, requested social media users to 'discontinue such campaigns'. Stating that he considered it to be fortunate to be an Indian, he said he would try to contribute to India’s growth and prosperity. The Twitter campaign #BharatRatnaForRatanTata was started by 'Bada Business' CEO Dr Vivek Bhindra on Twitter highlighting Tata's belief in 'today`s generation of entrepreneurs'.

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Ratan Tata: 'Request you to discontinue such campaigns'

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'Bharat Ratna for Ratan Tata' campaign 

Previously, on Friday, Dr Bindra tweeted, "Ratan Tata believes today`s generation of entrepreneurs can take India to next level. We confer the country`s highest civilian award Bharat Ratna for @RNTata2000". Tagging PMO, President Kovind and PM Modi's Twitter handle, Dr. Bindra asked people to 'Join us in our campaign #BharatRatnaForRatanTata '. His campaign was met by several enthusiastic users who tweeted in support, praising Tata's philanthropy.
 

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Tata-Air India deal?

Recently, reports of Ratan Tata's personal interest in acquiring the national air carrier - Air India has raised markets' interest. With the Centre stating that it will complete strategic disinvestment of Air India in 2021-22, reports stated that the Tata Group has reportedly submitted its bid to acquire Air India, along with Air India's over 200 employees and Interups Inc. If Tata acquires Air India along with subsidiary Air India Express and 50 percent shares in ground handling unit AISATS (Air India SATS Airport Services), it will emerge as India's second-largest airline group after IndiGo, overtaking SpiceJet. Tata group already owns Vistara and AirAsia India.

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Acquiring Air India has been a sentimental issue for the Tatas. Air India was founded by the then-Tata chairman J.R.D. Tata - the first Indian to pilot a plane from India to England in 1930 - in 1948. However, Tata lost control of the airline when it was nationalised in June 1953 and JRD was dropped from the re-constituted board of both Air India and Indian Airlines in 1978, which allegedly caused JRD lot of sorrow. While the bid for Air India has been doing rounds since Cyrus Mistry's tenure as Chairman, recently, amid COVID-19 lockdown, the interest was renewed inspite of Tata's own aviation losses in Vistara and Air Asia.