How many Tata Group employees would know that George Wittet, the Scottish architect who designed the Gateway of India was one of the first board members of the Tata Engineering Co, the earlier avatar of Tata Motors? Or that Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata, founder of the Tata Group, had been arrested for arguing with an unfair British official at the Oval Maidan sports ground; that he had travelled with Swami Vivekananda on the latter’s legendary journey to Chicago’s Parliament of Religions and had been inspired from their conversation to envisage the Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru; or that long before JK Rowling conjured magical dinners at Hogwarts, JN Tata’s son Dorabji Tata had a central well linking the kitchen in his mansion, Esplanade House, to the dinner table at the hall, so stewards would pop up from the centre of the table to serve meals?

Not many. But their employer has found an interesting way to change that. Tata Sons has tied up with Bombay Heritage Walks to organise weekend walking tours for its staff from its various firms, where they are told the conglomerate’s story, especially in the light of its inextricable linkage with Mumbai.

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