Ratan Tata, the chairman emeritus of Tata conglomerate who passed away on Wednesday, had a dream to see cars running on water. Tata had also invested USD 15 million in a start-up firm supporting research in the field.
Once Prof C N R Rao shared Ratan Tata's dream of witnessing cars running on water. Rao said that one of his close friends and a professor at the famed Massechusetts Institute of Technology in the US has found a way to split water directly into hydrogen and oxygen, adding that Ratan Tata funded his research.
"Ratan Tata has given him (the Professor) 15 million (US) dollars so that he (Tata) can own that company when it comes up," Prof Rao said. Rao has served as the Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Council to the Prime Minister.
Rao emphasised that any kind of water can be split into hydrogen and oxygen, adding that this could be used for energy.
"He (Tata) wants to invest in a company which will split water directly into hydrogen and oxygen," Rao said, adding, when any kind of water — toilet water, rain water or sea water — can split to hydrogen and oxygen, then these components can be used for energy."
"And a dream of Ratan Tata is that eventually cars will be run on water. My dream is also that," he said.,
Ratan Tata was admitted to Mumbai's Breach Candy Hospital on Monday after his condition deteriorated due to age-related health issues. Born on December 28, 1937, Ratan Naval Tata was an Indian industrialist, philanthropist, and the former chairman of Tata Sons. He led the Tata Group from 1990 to 2012, serving as interim chairman from October 2016 to February 2017.
He graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Architecture from Cornell University and succeeded JRD Tata as chairman of Tata Sons upon JRD's retirement in 1991.
In recognition of his contributions, he was awarded the Padma Vibhushan, India's second-highest civilian honour, in 2008, following the Padma Bhushan in 2000.