Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata. This one name is surely heard by most Indians. The scion of the Tata Family, J.R.D Tata was a French-born Indian entrepreneur and chairman of the Tata Group. Leaving the geeky part for the commerce classes, jumping straight to the point, what is lesser known about J.R.D Tata is that he was an avid car guy as well. Jeh, as he was fondly called in the family, he admittedly said that if not an aviator, he would become a motor racer. Since childhood, his heart lied in bikes but his father, R.D Tata, was dead against bikes hence he never let him buy any. Interestingly enough, apart from bikes, Jeh yearned for a Bugatti since childhood. Despite having the means to be able to afford one, R.D Tata never let him buy a Bugatti.

 

Well, until one day. Somewhere in February 1926, R.D Tata wired money to his son Jehangir who was in France at that time with a simple note reading "from Bombay buy Bugatti". Four words, enough to kill a petrolhead with a full-blown cardiac arrest! As you might've figured by now, a 20-year-old Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata's dream of owning a Bugatti actually came true. In evident excitement, Jehangir wrote back to his father from Juan Les Pins in France, thanking him for the wire.
It so happens that the Tata Trust has been maintaining all the balance sheets, letters and other such documents of the company under the archive department and this department also has a copy of the letter written by J.R.D Tata to his father. Won't say too much, have a read yourself!

  Hotel Graziella
Juan les Pins
25 Feb. 1926

Dear Papa

First of all, excuse me please for writing to you with a pencil, but my fountain pen is not working for the moment and as I am in pyjamas I must perforce stay in here and use a pencil as I intend finishing this letter. Tomorrow morning I am afraid it will be the same then.

Papa, Papa, thank you! Thank you so much for your wire which gave me the most acutely joyful shock in my life! It made me all the more happy as I had resigned myself to not having a Bugatti now. So imagine what I felt, when on my arrival here I found the following wire: “from Bombay buy Bugatti”, I couldn’t believe my eyes and I think I was hopelessly fooled that evening and night. I jumped about and danced like a madman. I did not want to lose a single moment and didn’t know what to do! I thought of phoning up to Paris but who to? It was a Saturday. I thought even among other things of taking the first train back myself. I must have schemed and schemed and dreamt of my dream car very late in the night! 

Next morning, that is Sunday I was afraid to go and see on my table whether that wire had not been a child of my overheated mind or imagination. Thank God no! So I sat down and wrote four wires and one letter. One wire to Bugatti asking them to keep for me the car I had seen before leaving if it was not sold yet. I sent the other wire to Maxwhohaving been with me in all my negotiations with Bugatti knew all about the question. The letter was also to him, asking him to get me a car as soon as possible and to wire to me when it would be ready.

Day before yesterday I got his reply saying that the car would be ready 11 days later. He phoned me up the following day asking for details. Incidentally, I heard him as if he was only a few feet away.

He asked me to send 3000Fr for a deposit. I understand that these people won’t take a chance this time! Well, the position is this now, that I am writing about a letter a day to Max, that my impatience is almost feverish, and that most of all my heart is swollen with gratitude and thanks for you. I don’t know what made you so happily change your mind and say yes, but I suppose it was my letter which persuaded you that swank was not the reason I wanted the Bugatti for. Anyway you have made me absurdly glad and happy. You wouldn’t be sorry if you knew how much!


The car will be ready probably Thursday next. So I will leave here Wednesday use the car in or around Paris for three days to run it in and get used to it and will start back for Juan Les Pins on Sunday, Hurrah! 

Meanwhile, after spending four days here I have realised how useful a car is here. For trams or auto cars are so slow and irregular for travelling about the coast, Cannes, Antibes, Nice etc. The Bugatti will be paradise … I will not say any more about the Bugatti as your telegram has settled all about that and so splendidly to! You have actually ordered me to buy it!

It is on my arrival back at the hotel that I found that blessed telegram – Oo-Lala! Thank you again…! Of course, Papa 21000Fr are more than enough for 3 months. You have allowed me 3000Fr a month! It is true that I will probably overreach that mark during my stay here. But when I am back in the army I will spend much less. But these 21000Fr are going to be eaten up by the Bugatti and I hope you have arranged to send me more. 5000Fr more for the Bugatti and a few thousand more for living on.

Today is Darab’s birthday. I have sent yesterday a wire to wish him and Jimmy many happy returns of the day, also thanking you a 1000000 times for the car.

I will stop now, again excusing myself for using a pencil. Good bye, Papa dear, I hope you are all very well and happy, as happy as I am. Thanking you again with all my heart, I send you all my most loving kisses.

Your grateful Bugattiwallah Johnny  

While photos are scarce and the exact details of the car are not known, we thought it was most fitting to share this letter in particular with y'all hoping it gave you the same chills as it did to me. As a petrolhead, I think this entire story of being able to buy a Bugatti has a different relevance to the car community. This car eventually made it to Bombay and was raced here as well. And this wasn't the only Bugatti that made it to our shores. There were a lot more. More on that soon as we delve deeper into the topic. Any inputs, feel free to hit us up!
Let us know what you think!