Nerves steel

Often described as the Man of Steel, Russi Mody effortlessly led an army of over one lakh workers for decades. The former MD of Tata Steel tells Minu Agarwal that living a good life is his passion
An ordinary man to an extraordinary degree. That’s how Russi Mody would like to describe himself. Passionate about the simpler things in life, the Man of Steel has lived up to his definition of life.“I believe life must be lived to its full and one must touch life at all its points. Living a good life is my passion,� Mody says.
Even at the age of 86 years, his love for cricket, skiing and dance has not taken a backseat. “I have given up on golf and tennis, but I still love to cook, fly a plane and play bridge.� Even as a youngster, Russi Mody’s life was full of happy moments. “Tired is a word that never existed in my mom’s dictionary. I was highly active and mischievous. I believed in fun once I was over with my work,� he recalls.
A subtle sense of humour, Mody doesn’t spare himself when it comes to cracking jokes. “I don’t understand why people keep telling me that nobody would have the heart to deny for things if I approach them personally,� he chuckles. “I would have asked for so many things in that case, usually money.�
On one of the walls in his office, Mody’s life has been depicted through a series of cartoons by RK Laxman. Golfer and gourmet, pianist and pilot, horse-rider and dancer, it’s all there. “I love the one in which I am compared with Napoleon,� he remarks. Napoleonic in his size, drive and energy, Mody has proved to be a leader, leading an army of 1,10,000 workers for decades without any trouble.
In JRD Tata’s words, ‘he has the flexibility to sit one week with the workers on the shop floor and share their cup of tea and the following week holiday on the Riviera, sipping French wine’. Mody has made a record of signing 7,89,000 letters in his tenure of a managing director at Tata Steel.
“I was really touched by the efforts of the workers, who framed and put up even regret letters by me at the Jamshedpur steel plant, when I was leaving,� he reminisces, one of the many moments that make him smile.
A perfect gentleman with impeccable courtesy, Mody doesn’t have many regrets in his life. “I only feel bad at my inability to speak Bengali. All I can say is ami Bangla bujhi na and to the people of Kolkata ami tomake bhalo baashi.� Twice dressed up as Santa Claus during Christmas, Mody has displayed the same generous spirit throughout, albeit without dressing up.
“There may have been instances when I haven’t been able to help the needy, but one thing I haven’t done in my life is cause harm to anyone,� he says, adding, “I believe there is a God and he has been very very good to me.�