Russi Mody


Rustomji Homusji Mody, known to most as Russi Mody 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 to a Parsi family. His father was Sir Homi Mody. His mother was Lady Jerbai Mody née Dubash. Russi had two brothers, Kali Homi Mody and Piloo Mody.
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.

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 as Director of Operations and became Joint Managing Director in 1972.
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.
Russi Mody Centre for Excellence, built by noted architect Hafeez Contractor that contains archives of the Tata Group, was named after him.

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?" the young scion pointed in good humour to the road sign indeed printed with the distinguished paternal name.
He was also known to eat 16-egg omelette for breakfasts.
During his studies at Oxford, he happened to accompany Albert Einstein on the violin, while he played the piano.
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”.

Award

Mody died during the night of 16 May 2014 at a private hospital in Kolkata.

Books