ADILABAD: Ratan Tata, 86, Chairman Emeritus, Tata Sons, who passed away on Wednesday, visited Telangana Agencies in Khammam town in 1983.
Telangana Agencies, then a famous outlet of electronic goods and services, also marketed radios and radio components of Nelco, a TATA enterprise.
Ratan Tata spent time with leaders and businessmen of Khammam from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. He had arrived at Khammam on the invitation of Kalla Rama Rao, owner of Telangana Agencies.
Rama Rao introduced Ratan Tata to Khammam Chamber of Commerce leader Veeravalli Narasimha Rao, veteran freedom fighter Gella Keshavrao and local businessmen.
Rama Rao had been a strong protagonist of Telangana state, which is why he named his shop Telangana Agencies, which he started in the Kaman Bazar area in front of the Khammam Railway Station in 1974.
Currently, Telangana Agencies is being run by Papa Rao, one of the sons of Kalla Rama Rao. Family members of Rama Rao established another shop, also titled Telangana Agencies on the Wyra Road in Khammam town.
There is a picture of the young Ratan Tata posing with Kalla Rama Rao in Telangana Agencies, with Nelco radios in the background.
Papa Rao, now 67, told Deccan Chronicle that he had been 26 when his father Rama Rao introduced him to Ratan Tata, who had stayed for the day at the Nagarjuna Sagar Guest House in Khammam town.
Papa Rao said their family had sent food to the guest house for Ratan Tata, who gave ₹100, big money at that time, as a tip to the servant who served him food.
