/images/ppid_59c68470-image-178176752452656896.webp)
/images/ppid_59c68470-image-178176506670041092.webp)
What is the story about?
A LinkedIn post by Boston-based Indian entrepreneur Sneha Biswas, founder and CEO of a US-based school, is gaining attention online after she shared a personal email from late industrialist Ratan Tata and recalled a meeting with him that never happened.
Biswas posted a screenshot of an email she received from Tata in January 2020 while she was interning at Tata Steel and working in the office of T.V. Narendran at Bombay House. Alongside the screenshot, she reflected on what she describes as one of her biggest regrets.
“Some regrets stay with you forever,” she wrote. According to Biswas, she had reached out to Ratan Tata through email and was surprised to receive a response directly from him. In the mail, Ratan Tata thanked her for writing to him and acknowledged her internship at Tata Steel.
The email also showed that Tata had taken note of her request for a meeting. “I have noted your request for a meeting on a suitable date until January 22 and will endeavour to meet you,” he wrote.
For Biswas, the response itself was memorable. In her post, she highlighted how Ratan Tata took the time to personally read and reply to an intern's email.
“The fact that he was genuinely so so kind as a leader that he took the time to read AND to reply to my email. To an intern. He need not,” she wrote.
She also pointed out that Ratan Tata was 82 years old at the time and likely received an enormous number of emails every day, yet still chose to respond.
The Call She Never Expected
The story did not end with the email. Sneha Biswas revealed that she later received a phone call from Tata’s office regarding the meeting request. According to her, a member of his team reached out and informed her that Tata was looking to schedule time with her.
“Someone from his office called, said RnT is looking for Sneha and asked for the date,” she recalled.
Unfortunately, the timing did not work out. Biswas was already scheduled to fly back to Boston that day and could not change her plans.
“I was already booked to fly back to the US. I thought no worries, next time,” she wrote.
A Lesson In Leadership
That 'next time' never came. Over the years, Biswas spent much of her time in the United States and later became immersed in entrepreneurship. Before another opportunity could arise, Ratan Tata passed away in 2024.
Looking back, she said the experience remains a reminder of the qualities that made Ratan Tata so admired by people across generations.
She shared that she still searches for his email in her inbox from time to time and rereads it.
More than the missed meeting, Biswas said the memory stays with her because of the humility, warmth and accessibility that Ratan Tata showed to someone who was then just an intern.
“If at all I have the privilege ever — to be even a tenth of what Tata was — I hope to keep the humility, the warmth and the genuineness,” she concluded.
The post has struck a chord with many LinkedIn users, with several praising Ratan Tata’s thoughtful gesture and reflecting on how small acts of kindness from leaders can leave a lasting impact.
Biswas posted a screenshot of an email she received from Tata in January 2020 while she was interning at Tata Steel and working in the office of T.V. Narendran at Bombay House. Alongside the screenshot, she reflected on what she describes as one of her biggest regrets.
“Some regrets stay with you forever,” she wrote. According to Biswas, she had reached out to Ratan Tata through email and was surprised to receive a response directly from him. In the mail, Ratan Tata thanked her for writing to him and acknowledged her internship at Tata Steel.
The email also showed that Tata had taken note of her request for a meeting. “I have noted your request for a meeting on a suitable date until January 22 and will endeavour to meet you,” he wrote.
For Biswas, the response itself was memorable. In her post, she highlighted how Ratan Tata took the time to personally read and reply to an intern's email.
“The fact that he was genuinely so so kind as a leader that he took the time to read AND to reply to my email. To an intern. He need not,” she wrote.
She also pointed out that Ratan Tata was 82 years old at the time and likely received an enormous number of emails every day, yet still chose to respond.
The Call She Never Expected
The story did not end with the email. Sneha Biswas revealed that she later received a phone call from Tata’s office regarding the meeting request. According to her, a member of his team reached out and informed her that Tata was looking to schedule time with her.
“Someone from his office called, said RnT is looking for Sneha and asked for the date,” she recalled.
Unfortunately, the timing did not work out. Biswas was already scheduled to fly back to Boston that day and could not change her plans.
“I was already booked to fly back to the US. I thought no worries, next time,” she wrote.
A Lesson In Leadership
That 'next time' never came. Over the years, Biswas spent much of her time in the United States and later became immersed in entrepreneurship. Before another opportunity could arise, Ratan Tata passed away in 2024.
Looking back, she said the experience remains a reminder of the qualities that made Ratan Tata so admired by people across generations.
She shared that she still searches for his email in her inbox from time to time and rereads it.
More than the missed meeting, Biswas said the memory stays with her because of the humility, warmth and accessibility that Ratan Tata showed to someone who was then just an intern.
“If at all I have the privilege ever — to be even a tenth of what Tata was — I hope to keep the humility, the warmth and the genuineness,” she concluded.
The post has struck a chord with many LinkedIn users, with several praising Ratan Tata’s thoughtful gesture and reflecting on how small acts of kindness from leaders can leave a lasting impact.
/images/ppid_a911dc6a-image-178176607178828301.webp)
/images/ppid_a911dc6a-image-178176603876887688.webp)
