A 1977 job offer from the Tata Group has gone viral after former Syndicate Bank chairman Ajay Nanavati shared it on LinkedIn, offering a glimpse into the salary expectations and career choices of India's corporate world nearly five decades ago. Nanavati revealed that he was offered a starting salary of just Rs 960 a month after returning to India with a chemical engineering degree from the US. Despite having better-paying offers, he chose Tata because of the opportunity to work at Bombay House, the group's iconic headquarters in Mumbai.
The decision, he now says, turned out to be one of the smartest career choices he made.
Nanavati's post has also sparked a wider discussion about how young professionals choose jobs today, particularly when a higher salary can often appear more attractive than learning, mentorship and long-term career growth.
A Rs 960 salary and a career-changing decision
Nanavati recalled returning to India after completing his chemical engineering degree in the United States. He had expected strong career opportunities, but the salary attached to his Tata offer came as a surprise.
His father, who was then the managing director of a multinational company, was reportedly surprised by the modest starting pay.
