Bhavish Aggarwal Recalls Ratan Tata's Spark Behind Ola Electric: 'He Ignited The Passion For...'

Bhavish Aggarwal, founder of Ola Electric, expressed his deep sorrow over the demise of Ratan Tata, acknowledging his impact as a mentor in his entrepreneurial journey, particularly in the EV space.

Bhavish Aggarwal with Ratan Tata.

Source : X/@bhash

Ratan Tata Death: Bhavish Aggarwal, founder of Ola Electric Mobility Limited, paid an emotional tribute to the late Ratan Tata, former chairman of the Tata Group, reflecting on the profound impact Tata had on his journey as an entrepreneur. Aggarwal, who credits Tata as both a mentor and a personal hero, shared a heartfelt post on his social media handles, recounting Tata’s significant role in shaping his ventures and fostering his passion for electric mobility.

Ratan Tata had in 2019 invested in Ola Electric Mobility in his "personal capacity" as part of the Series A round of funding, according to the company. 

Aggarwal described Tata's loss as a personal loss, highlighting how Tata’s influence began long before they met. "...I was graduating from IIT Bombay and he was the guest speaker at our convocation. I was a young kid but his words that day stayed with me - to serve one’s country," Aggarwal recalled.

He said their formal relationship took root in 2015, when Tata decided to invest in Ola. Aggarwal recounted Tata’s exceptional support, noting that his guidance went beyond typical business mentorship. In 2016, he said, Tata dedicated an entire day to visiting Ola’s Bengaluru office, engaging with the team and offering insights. “I thought a person of his stature would politely decline but he actually took a full day out, flew to Bengaluru and spent the entire day with my team and company!,” Aggarwal wrote.

Ratan Tata, my personal hero

I’m at a loss with Ratan Tata Sir’s passing. His loss feels so personal because it is for me. He was my hero growing up, like for so many others. I consider myself blessed to have gotten the opportunity to know my personal hero deeply over the last… pic.twitter.com/52AFS0bAAL

— Bhavish Aggarwal (@bhash) October 10, 2024

The Drive That Scripted The Birth Of Ola Electric

One of the most defining moments in Aggarwal’s journey with Tata came in 2017, marking the inception of Ola Electric. He said Tata personally introduced him to his vision for electric vehicles through a hands-on demonstration. "He just said, ‘Bhavish, I want to take you somewhere and show you something exciting,’” Aggarwal recalled. 

Tata reportedly flew Aggarwal to Coimbatore, where he showcased his project of transforming the Tata Nano into an electric vehicle, even taking him for a test drive on a private track. Inspired by Tata’s enthusiasm and dedication, Aggarwal credited this encounter as the spark that led to the founding of Ola Electric.

"He was so passionate and excited about electric vehicles. He even drove me in one on a test track and then pointed out such detailed improvements to the engineers. That was the day Ola electric really got started - as he ignited the passion for EVs and cars in me!"

Aggarwal also shared lighter anecdotes, such as Tata’s love for animals, particularly dogs, and how it inspired Ola to welcome stray dogs into their offices and factories. “Today we have almost 30 of them living in our facilities,” he noted.

Aggarwal last met Tata a year ago to discuss Ola Electric’s IPO. Despite Tata’s frailty, Aggarwal noted, his enthusiasm for the automotive industry remained undiminished, offering encouragement as strong as ever.

Ola co-founder Bhavish Aggarwal's post comes at a time when his Ola Electric company is news for some wrong reasons. The Central Consumer Protection Authority recently served a show-cause notice on the company, hours after he had a public spat with comedian Kunal Kamra on social media over complaints surrounding the service quality of Ola Electric two-wheelers.