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Old 16th October 2010, 00:26   #1
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"Small Wonder: The Making of Nano": a book about the Tata Nano

Here's the scoop. I know I can't wait to read this book.

Quote:
Guess how the Rs.1 lakh ($2,200) car Nano was born? It took some idle doodling by Ratan Tata, head of the Tata Group of companies, at lifeless board meetings, says a book chronicling its making.

"It started by my spending a lot of time doodling at boring board meetings. Most of us are victims of the environment in which we are and...we lose sight of the fact that we have a greater responsibility - a responsibility to serve the communities we live in to improve the quality of life of people we work with," Ratan Tata recalled later at a gathering of Tata executives, according to the book "Small Wonder: The Making of Nano".

Christabelle Noronha, who co-authored the book with Philip Chacko and Sujata Agarwal, says: "The Nano has been and remains essentially a product of Ratan Tata's imagination and his desire to recast the car as a means of affordable personal mobility for middle class India".

"We had a strong feeling that the Nano story needed to be chronicled - that the story would be something that ordinary readers would be keen to know and understand," said Noronha.
"We had initially set out to publish the book for circulation within the Tata organisation. After this had happened, a fair bit of interest was expressed by publishing companies to take the book to a larger audience. That's when we decided to go public," Noronha said.

The writers met more than 100 people from Tata Motors, including "engineers, dealers as well as Nano owners, before getting down to writing the book".

"It took us a year to write the book. We began in April 2009," Noronha said.

The writer said "one of the greatest plus points of Nano was to marry quality with affordability".

"It has done this in a manner that is path-breaking and extraordinary. More than India needing a Nano, India deserves a Nano and a lot many breakthrough products of this kind. Creating this car has certainly been worth the effort," Noronha said.

"Nano has changed the rules of motoring business in more ways than one. It has shown that this country has the capability to be truly innovative in manufacturing," Noronha said.

"From what we gathered during the course of our research and interviews, the Nano project most certainly has been the highlight of the careers of the people involved in the making of the car," she added.

Ratan Tata's initial doodle was to rebuild a car around a "scooter so that those using it could travel safer", says Noronha and colleagues in the book.

He got in touch with an industry association and suggested a joint effort with Tata Motors "to fashion what he terms an Asian car: large volumes, many countries involved and different people producing different sets of parts."

The response was tepid. "It was similar to what happened when Tata Motors wanted to make the Indica," the book said.

Recalled Ratan Tata: "I remember people saying why doesn't Mr Tata produce a car that works before he talks about an Indian car."

The book looks at the challenges, cost factor, the switch from Singur in West Bengal to Sanand in Gujarat, the first car and the world reaction. It also narrates the story and growth of Tata Motors in the process.

Citing statistics, the book says there are some 600 million passenger cars on the world's roads today and the figure is strengthened by about 67 million new units every year.

Not surprisingly, "the majority of these cars are in the developed world."

The book, which will be launched later this month, has been published by Westland Ltd.

Read more at: Nano was born out of a doodle by Ratan Tata - NDTV Profit
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Old 16th October 2010, 00:44   #2
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Originally Posted by Mpower View Post
Here's the scoop. I know I can't wait to read this book.
Hope its more than just a coffee table book. In any case should be a fascinating read.

Any idea of its price?

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Old 16th October 2010, 07:07   #3
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I actually have this book, although the lazy me is yet to start reading it. It costs about 280 -300 bucks.
There is also some slogan contest that you are eligible for once you buy the book, where the winning slogan will win a Nano..
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Old 16th October 2010, 09:19   #4
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wheres this book available? I need one now.
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Old 16th October 2010, 09:58   #5
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wheres this book available? I need one now.
My cousin bought it for me from Landmark. Attaching a mobile pic of the book. Excuse the quality.
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"Small Wonder: The Making of Nano": a book about the Tata Nano-16102010.jpg  

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Old 16th October 2010, 10:15   #6
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Interesting book, will get one this weekend and read it.
Surely we must be proud of the Nano and what it signifies.
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Old 16th October 2010, 10:28   #7
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The book is also available online - Buy Books online book store India, Landmark Online Bookstore; buy it through online & save Rs 91 - Small Wonder - The Making Of The Nano by Philip chacko, christabelle noronha, sujata agrawa Buy online at Landmarkonthenet.com.
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Old 16th October 2010, 10:42   #8
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Contrary to its name and size, Nano has crossed some HERCULEAN hurdles and came up all cylinders firing.

I still remember the joking emails before its release speculating that the nano will have curtains instead of glass windows etc..
All those jokes were put into rest and Tata have proved that "ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS"

Its truly a legend in its own way.

On the release day, I remember how all the eyes of the world were on that launch. I remember that i had got goosebumps on my body when Mr. Ratan Tata drove it onto the stage. I can imagine how proud the people involved in the project will be feeling. well done guys

The quote on the top of the book will go into the history books.

Truly it was a promise well kept.

Last edited by bblost : 17th October 2010 at 13:39. Reason: Team-BHP has a strong stand against piracy. Thanks.
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Old 17th October 2010, 13:36   #9
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Originally Posted by sidindica View Post
wheres this book available? I need one now.
Last week, I saw the book in the bookshop inside Bangalore Airport. Could not buy. Will buy next time.
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Old 17th October 2010, 15:11   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sidindica View Post
wheres this book available? I need one now.
Sorry buddy, the is not available in "paradise" . But then the book seems to be there on every major book store.

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Originally Posted by KMohanan View Post
Last week, I saw the book in the bookshop inside Bangalore Airport. Could not buy. Will buy next time.
Also the current month Autocar magazine also has a suppliment on Nano, which is also worth reading.
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Old 17th October 2010, 18:34   #11
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i read the book,
and frankly speaking it was a dissapointment.

Maybe i was looking at more technical insights that it could not provide.
But it does catch all the emotion that ran along the development process.

For people with a slightly more technical bent of mind,
i strongly suggest 'The Maruti Story'.
The Maruti Story by R C Bhargava | Flipkart Books
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Old 17th October 2010, 19:55   #12
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May be this lone post of mine in this thread can be merged here.

Things which you won't know by reading the success story!

Vario transmission project for Nano - a failure

Last edited by clevermax : 17th October 2010 at 19:57.
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Old 17th October 2010, 21:50   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by clevermax View Post
May be this lone post of mine in this thread can be merged here.

Things which you won't know by reading the success story!

Vario transmission project for Nano - a failure
The book does mention the CVT prototypes. Ratan Tata drove it at their test track and was not satisfied with the power. Thats when they ditched the CVT and went for a conventional manual transmission.

I really hope they manage to develop some low cost automatic nano. I'm sure it will appeal to a wider customer base.
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Old 17th October 2010, 22:06   #14
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Saw this book at the Blossom International Book Fair in a basement at Press Club Road, Ernakulam yesterday. The book is sold there with a discount of Rs 40.

The free pull out with the Autocar October issue also covers most of the info. (Autocar upped the price by Rs 25 though)

Last edited by rajeev k : 17th October 2010 at 22:08.
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Old 18th October 2010, 12:36   #15
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Selling for Rs 207 on flipkart Small Wonder The Authorised Story Of The Making Of The Nano by Philip Chacko | Flipkart Books
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