Amid the outpouring of emotions at NCPA, where the mortal remains of industrialist Ratan Tata have been kept, Nilesh Mohite choked up as he recalled how the philanthropist had got his work displayed at The Taj Mahal Palace hotel.

In his 30s, Mohite is a painter who lives in a slum colony in south Mumbai.

Mohite met Tata before the COVID outbreak and gifted him a painting, which, he said, adorns the national icon’s Colaba home.

Tata gave him a cheque in an envelope to reciprocate the gesture but he declined and requested if he could be given a job instead.

Ratan Tata gave me an opportunity to showcase his paintings at the Taj Mahal Palace hotel in Colaba for a week after COVID.