Former Air India chairman JRD Tata cleaned the airline's dirty toilet and wiped off dirt; story inside

The former chairman of the TATA Group, late Mr. JRD Tata stood to his commitments when it came to maintaing the zeal to work. JRD Tata was so committed to Tata Airlines that even after India’s first commercial airline was nationalised into Air India he continued taking deep personal interest in the functioning of the carrier as its chairman.

Author Shashank Shah in his book claimed that as Air India Chairman, JRD Tata once "rolled up his sleeves" and helped the crew clean a dirty aircraft toilet. If Tata saw a dirty airline counter, he would wipe it himself, Shah said. Tata would take personal interest in issues like air hostesses' hairstyle and colour of their saris, he added.

The book traces the history of 25 Tata group companies using insider accounts from 100 senior Tata leaders. Published by Penguin, the book will be available in the market from next month.

The author says Tata would take great personal care of passengers, even when flying as a passenger himself. “Many a times, he wandered about on flights, making notes of tiny details that needed to be fixed, from the level to which wine was poured into a wine glass to the hairstyle of air hostesses,” says the book.