I Came Upon A Lighthouse : A Short Memoir of Life with Ratan Tata

An Endearing Portrait of an Indian Legend

In I Came Upon a Lighthouse, Shantanu Naidu presents an honest and heartfelt account of an extraordinary friendship that blossomed between a millennial and an iconic industrialist. Naidu, a young automobile design engineer, first caught Ratan Tata’s attention with an innovative idea to protect stray dogs from being hit by cars. Known for his own love for animals, Tata was impressed—and that moment in 2014 marked the beginning of an unexpected bond that would see Tata become not only a mentor and boss to Shantanu but also a close friend.

True to a promise made to Tata, Naidu’s narrative is not about monumental business milestones or historic achievements, but about the man beyond the steel industry’s glare. With warmth, wit, and insight, I Came Upon a Lighthouse offers readers a unique glimpse into Tata's lesser-known qualities, illustrating the colours and shades of a beloved Indian legend. Through this story, we see Ratan Tata as a compassionate individual with shared moments of empathy, kindness, and genuine friendship that transcend age and status.