Russi Mody

{{Infobox person

| name = Russi Modi

| image =

| image_size = 5

| caption = Russi Mody

| birth_date =17 January 1918

| birth_place = Bombay, Bombay Presidency, British India

| death_date = {{death date and age|2014|5|16|1918|1|17|df=y}}

| death_place = Kolkata, India

| occupation = Chairman of Tata Steel from 1984 to 1993

| alma_mater = Oxford

| spouse = Siloo Russi Mody

| parents = Sir Homi Mody and Lady Jerbhai

}}

Rustomji Homusji Mody, known to most as Russi Mody (17 January 1918 – 16 May 2014), was a chairman and managing director of Tata Steel and a leading member of the Tata Group.

Early years

Russi was born on 17 January 1918 in Bombay (now Mumbai) to a Parsi family.{{Cite web|url=https://www.firstpost.com/india/former-tisco-chairman-russi-mody-dies-at-96-1530075.html|title=Former Tisco chairman, Russi Mody, dies at 96 – Firstpost|website=www.firstpost.com|date=17 May 2014 |access-date=2018-06-01|archive-date=24 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200724234756/https://www.firstpost.com/india/former-tisco-chairman-russi-mody-dies-at-96-1530075.html|url-status=live}} His father was Sir Homi Mody. His mother was Lady Jerbai Mody née Dubash. Russi had two brothers, Kali Homi Mody and Piloo Mody.{{Cite web|url=http://www.tatacentralarchives.com/tata-legacy/luminaries.html|title=Tata Luminaries {{!}} Tata Central Archives|website=www.tatacentralarchives.com|language=en|access-date=2018-06-01|archive-date=15 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180915104512/http://www.tatacentralarchives.com/tata-legacy/luminaries.html|url-status=live}}

File:Russi mody.jpg

After a few years of schooling in India, he was sent to England for further studies. He studied at St Cyprian's School, Harrow School and later at Christ Church, Oxford. On his return to India he joined Tata Steel as an office assistant.

Russi was married to Siloo Mugaseth, the daughter of his mother's sister, and lived in Kolkata until his death.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pressreader.com/india/hindustan-times-jalandhar/20140518/281539403988801|title=Steel Man Russi Mody dies at 96|via=PressReader|access-date=2019-05-12|archive-date=12 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190512024334/https://www.pressreader.com/india/hindustan-times-jalandhar/20140518/281539403988801|url-status=live}}

Career

Mody joined Tata Steel in 1939 and he was promoted to the position of director of personnel in 1953. He took up the position of the director of raw materials in 1965. In 1970, he was appointed director of operations and became joint managing director in 1972.{{cite news|url=http://www.tatasteel100.com/people/vanguards_mody.asp|title=Tata Steel Vanguards|access-date=17 May 2014|archive-date=12 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210512015821/http://www.tatasteel100.com/people/vanguards_mody.asp|url-status=live}}{{cite book|title=Russi Modi: The Man who also made Steel|last=Mukherjee|first=Partha|publisher=Stellar Publishers Pvt. Ltd.|year=2008|isbn=978-8190455923|page=250}}

He was the most generous managing director of Tata Steel Ltd. He started many rewards like giving of AC Maruti Suzuki 800 to all divisional managers of Tata Steel.

He never faced a strike at the Tata Steel Plant.

After retiring from Tata Steel in March 1993, the then prime minister of India, Shri P V Narasimha Rao appointed Mody as joint chairman of Indian Airlines and Air India.{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2007/11/17/stories/2007111752581000.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090306173426/http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2007/11/17/stories/2007111752581000.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=6 March 2009 |title= The Hindu Business Line|date=17 November 2007|access-date=17 May 2014}}

Russi Mody Centre for Excellence, built by noted architect Hafeez Contractor that contains archives of the Tata Group, was named after him.{{Cite web|url=http://www.hoparoundindia.com/Jharkhand/Jamshedpur-attractions/Russi-Mody-Centre-of-Excellence-CE.aspx|title=Russi Mody Centre Of Excellence CE Jamshedpur - Buildings in Jamshedpur, Attractions in Jamshedpur Jharkhand|last=hoparoundindia.com|website=www.hoparoundindia.com|access-date=2018-06-01|archive-date=7 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180207152625/http://www.hoparoundindia.com/jharkhand/jamshedpur-attractions/Russi-Mody-Centre-of-Excellence-CE.aspx|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://ebuild.in/rusi-modi-centre-of-excellence-jamshedpur-hafeez-contractor|title=Rusi Modi Centre Of Excellence by Hafeez Contractor - Jamshedpur|website=ebuild.in|language=en|access-date=2018-06-01|archive-date=29 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180729230424/https://ebuild.in/rusi-modi-centre-of-excellence-jamshedpur-hafeez-contractor|url-status=dead}}

Anecdotes

Hearsay has it that Russi Mody was pulled up by a policeman as he tried to park his car on the narrow road. Admonished with "Tumhara baap ka rasta hain kya?" ("Does this road belong to your father?") the young scion pointed in good humour to the road sign indeed printed with the distinguished paternal name.{{Cite news|url=https://www.mid-day.com/articles/meher-marfatia-big-house-in-a-little-lane/17142157|title=Meher Marfatia: Big house in a little lane|date=2016-04-17|work=mid-day|access-date=2018-05-08|archive-date=9 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180509012553/https://www.mid-day.com/articles/meher-marfatia-big-house-in-a-little-lane/17142157|url-status=live}}

He was also known to eat 16-egg omelette for breakfasts.{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/Russi-Mody-The-man-who-lived-life-king-size/articleshow/35273732.cms|title=Russi Mody: The man who lived life king size - Times of India|work=The Times of India|access-date=2018-05-08|archive-date=18 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180618025220/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/Russi-Mody-The-man-who-lived-life-king-size/articleshow/35273732.cms|url-status=live}}

During his studies at Oxford, he happened to accompany Albert Einstein on the violin, while he played the piano.{{cite book|title=Russi Modi: The Man And His Vision|last=Seth|first=Niharika|publisher=Rupa & Co.|year=2005|isbn=81-291-0325-7|page=96}}{{cite news|url=http://www.tata.com/media/reports/inside.aspx?artid=d0oVCgCnqc8=|title=Tata Group Media Reports|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120312053145/http://www.tata.com/media/reports/inside.aspx?artid=d0oVCgCnqc8=|archive-date=2012-03-12|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.forbesindia.com/article/special/remembering-russi-mody/37816/1|title=Remembering Russi Mody {{!}} Forbes India|website=Forbes India|language=en-US|access-date=2018-05-08|archive-date=8 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180508121829/http://www.forbesindia.com/article/special/remembering-russi-mody/37816/1|url-status=live}}

Once, Sir Jehangir Ghandy was scheduled to come to Calcutta on a Wednesday afternoon when he would normally play tennis. In his diary lying on the table, he wrote, "TPT CSC meeting on Wednesday at 3 pm," and told his secretaries to take Sir Jehangir to his room, show him the diary and say that Russi had gone to the meeting. True enough, Sir Jehangir came and was shown the diary. He nodded knowledgeably and walked away. Little did he know that TPT CSC was an abbreviation of "To Play Tennis at Calcutta South Club".{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/opinion/the-steel-man-who-ran-away-to-play-tennis/cid/187155|title=The steel man who ran away to play tennis|work=The Telegraph|date=2014-05-22|access-date=2024-10-11}}

Award

Padma Bhushan (1989){{cite web | url=http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf | title=Padma Awards | publisher=Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India | date=2015 | access-date=21 July 2015 | archive-date=15 October 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151015193758/http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf | url-status=dead }}

Death

Mody died during the night of 16 May 2014 at a private hospital in Kolkata.{{cite web|title=Former Tata Steel and Air India Chairman Russi Mody dies at 96|url=http://news.biharprabha.com/2014/05/former-tata-steel-and-air-india-chairman-russi-mody-dies-at-96|work=IANS|publisher=news.biharprabha.com|access-date=17 May 2014|archive-date=31 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140831164833/http://news.biharprabha.com/2014/05/former-tata-steel-and-air-india-chairman-russi-mody-dies-at-96/|url-status=live}}{{cite web | title=A man of steel, he was called 'King of Jamshedpur' | website=The Times of India | date=18 May 2014 | url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/A-man-of-steel-he-was-called-King-of-Jamshedpur/articleshow/35280813.cms | access-date=12 October 2024}}

Books

Russi Modi: The Man who also made Steel
Russi Modi: The Man And His Vision