Meet the owner of the first Tata Nano!

When Ashok Raghunath Vichare decided sometime in February this year to apply for the Tata Nano little must he have known how his life would change by July.

A little edgy at the time of filling his application Vichare had always wanted to gift a car to his family: wife Shaila, daughter Gauri and his old mother. A perfect family for the small, but classy, Tata Nano.

The fear that his application will be rejected from amongst the thousands who had applied for India's most affordable car was very probable. However, destiny had something better in store for this retired Customs official from Mumbai.

As luck would have it, Vichare became the first proud owner of India's 'people's car' and all his worries have turned into ecstasy.

"I'm very glad that I have got the first Tata Nano and gladder because Ratan Tata handed over the keys to me," said a visibly ecstatic Vichare from inside his Tata Nano, even as he was mobbed by a horde of media persons.

Vichare must have surely felt like Shah Rukh Khan.

Perhaps, that's what Ratan Tata must have thought when he first conceived of the Nano: to bring smiles to the faces of millions of Indians with his affordable innovation..

The catchphrase 'Now you can' pithily captures Tata Nano's unique selling proposition: affordability with style.

At Rs 185,000 (Tata Nano LX - Lunar Silver) on road, Vichare had no difficulty in garnering the amount. In fact, State Bank of India "financed my car 100 per cent" (other customers may not be as lucky because most banks ask their customers to pitch in with a small margin amount -- usually 10 to 20 per cent of the cost price), he said.

Though retired, Vichare said he could easily afford to pay an equated monthly installment of less than Rs 4,000 per month for four years. It is this affordability that will make millions of Indians like Vichare fulfill their dreams of owning a four-wheeler.

"We are planning to go to Siddhivinayak (a famous Ganesh temple in Dadar, a central Mumbai suburb)," Vichare's wife Shaila told the media.

"We are very happy as a family to get the delivery of the first ever Nano in India," said Shaila.

When asked if she was worried if the car would break down in the melee that ensued to get a quote from her husband, she just shrugged her shoulders.

For a person who did not own a vehicle all his life, Gauri's father will be permanently etched in India's memory as the first owner of the Tata Nano.

While Vichare could easily say 'Yes I did' today, he has given hope to millions of Indians to say, 'Yes I can.'

Speaking on the occasion, Ratan Tata said, "I hope the Tata Nano will bring motoring pleasure to those who will be buying their first car as also those who currently own cars but want a modern, contemporary, emission-friendly city car."

Along with Vichare, two other customers -- Ashish Balakrishnan (Tata Nano LX -- Sunshine Yellow) and Kores India Ltd (Tata Nano LX -- Lunar Silver), also received their cars on Friday.

As planned, Tata Motors has commenced deliveries of the Tata Nano this month to different towns and cities of the country. Despatches to dealerships have begun from the Pantnagar plant, where the car is being produced, in accordance with schedules informed to customers.

Tata Motors is India's largest automobile company, with consolidated revenues of Rs 70,938.85 crore ($14 billion) in 2008-09.