New Delhi. Tata Group Chairman and famous industrialist Ratan Tata died on the night of Wednesday, October 9, 2024, at Kandy Hospital in Mumbai. Ratan Tata, 86, will always be remembered for his leadership and industrial contributions in the country and across the world. His contribution, especially in the automobile sector, can never be forgotten. They not only launched India’s first made-in-India car, but also introduced the world’s cheapest car, the Tata Nano.
When Tata launched India’s first indigenous car
Tata Motors launched India’s first indigenous car ‘Tata Indica’ in 1998. It was the country’s first diesel hatchback car, which was completely designed and manufactured in India. The Tata Indica made history in the Indian automobile market, and was considered a game changer for the Indian automobile industry. The starting price of this car at the time of launch was only Rs 2.6 lakh, making it an affordable and attractive option for the Indian middle class.
Within a week of the launch of Tata Indica, the company received orders for more than 1.15 lakh units. This car very soon became the number one car in its segment and became a topic of discussion in the Indian market. The Tata Indica gave a tough competition to its rivals like the Maruti 800 and Maruti Zen, and its diesel variants especially caught people’s attention. Due to the low price of diesel fuel at that time, its demand increased, and the mileage of this car was also around 20 kilometers per liter, which made it a great option.
Indica got success due to Ratan Tata’s vision
There were many speculations regarding the design and construction of Tata Indica, but Ratan Tata’s strong belief became the main reason for the success of this car. In an interview, he told that people expected mileage like a diesel car and spacious interior like Hindustan Ambassador from Tata Indica. The Indica fully lived up to these expectations, and after its launch it proved to be a successful car on every parameter.
