Ratan Tata, a business titan and philanthropist, passed away on Wednesday at the age of 86.

A simple one-word SMS from then-Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi to Tata Group Chairman Ratan Tata in 2008 played a pivotal role in relocating the Tata Nano plant from West Bengal to Gujarat. The message, sent during a press briefing where Tata announced the company's decision to exit Bengal, simply read "Welcome."

As protests led by Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee against land acquisition in Singur made it impossible for Tata to set up the plant in West Bengal, Modi seized the opportunity. "When Ratan Tata said in a press conference in Kolkata that they are leaving West Bengal, I sent him a short SMS saying 'welcome'. And now you can see what a Re 1 SMS can do," Modi remarked during the inauguration of the Tata Nano plant in Sanand in 2010.

The Gujarat government quickly facilitated the relocation of the project, ensuring a smooth transition for Tata’s ambitious venture. The Nano plant was officially inaugurated in 2010 with an investment of Rs 2,000 crore, making it a significant milestone for both Gujarat and the Tata Group.

Narendra Modi highlighted Gujarat's industrial-friendly environment, saying that although several countries expressed interest in the Nano project, the state's officers worked hard to keep it in India. Ratan Tata, expressing gratitude, said, "Gujarat stood out against all others... ‘It was not just Tata's project, it is our project,’ Modi told us."

While the Tata Nano had a promising start, it was discontinued in 2018, marking the end of a unique chapter in India's automotive history.

Ratan Tata, a business titan and philanthropist, passed away on Wednesday at the age of 86, after being critically ill at Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital.