One of the biggest names in the Indian business world, and human par excellence, Ratan Naval Tata, Chairman Emeritus, Tata Sons and Tata Group passed away on the 9th of October, 2024. While the internet had been worried about his health issues, and he was admitted to Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai on the 7th of the same month, Tata had posted on his social media, that he is there for regular checkups, and there is nothing to worry about. Unfortunately, his health further declined and the world lost him at the age of 86.
Maharashtra state government announced a day of mourning following his death, and the internet was flooded with grief-stricken citizens, paying tribute to the much-loved industrialist. Always in high spirits, Ratan Naval Tata was a beacon of positivity, not only for the Tata workers, but people all across the country, and the world. His legacy is not only the heights he took the Tata group to, but also his philanthropic missions, and the kindness he brought to every interaction he had.
It is very much the reason that Ratan Tata death news impacted everyone. There is no part of life in India that doesn’t have a bit of Tata in it, whether that be the salt in our day-to-day food, or Tata Motors who made the first indigenously developed passenger car in India, Tata Indica, in 1998, or the fact that aviation sector could open its wings and soar high thanks to the legacy of the Tata group. The contribution to the nation-building that the group has had is immense, incomparable even, and Ratan Tata news came as quite a blow.
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All about Ratan Tata
Ratan Naval Tata, while not being a direct descendent of Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata, was as best a successor as he could have. Ratan Naval Tata’s father was adopted by Navajbai Tata, who was the widow of Ratanji Tata, who happened to be the younger son of Jamsetji Tata. Post his parents' divorce, young Ratan Tata was raised by his grandmother and studied at the Campion School, Mumbai till 8th grade. Post this, Ratan Tata was sent to Shimla, where he studied at the Bishop Cotton School, which happens to be one of the most prestigious and oldest boarding schools for boys in Asia.
Once he had finished his studies here, Ratan Tata took off for Cornell University, where he pursued a bachelor’s in architecture, and once he came back, was given a managerial position at the group, where he turned around Nelco for the good. At this time, the visionary JRD Tata was helming the affairs as the Chairman, and as he retired, chose Ratan Tata as his successor. In his initial days, Ratan Tata faced quite a lot of resistance, given the fact that subsidiaries and their heads had gotten used to working a certain way, but with his sharp policies and fine leadership, he not only grew the revenue upto 40 times, the profit upto 50 times, but also brought innovation home.
This includes building the first Indigenous car in India, which was quite aptly named Indica, to bringing home the Jaguar Land Rover and turning the fate of the dying British brand around, and the most public of them all, Tata Nano. He was also known for backing new talent, and not only did he invest in new upcoming startups through Tata Sons, but also in a personal capacity.
Ratan Tata beyond the professional life
As much as he cared for innovation, the soft-spoken industrialist also tirelessly worked to make the world a better place. Whether it be stray animals, that Tata had a lot of love for, or working for the betterment of people with limited resources with the setting up of Tata Center for Technology and Design at IIT Bombay, or even smaller startups like Goodfellows which connects youth with older, retirees who need companionship, Tata did it all. Goodfellows, in fact, is the brainchild of Shantanu Naidu, who was not only the youngest GM at Tata group but also Ratan Tata’s trusted assistant, who paid tribute to his lighthouse mentor on his social media once the news of Ratan Tata death broke.
The internet on Thursday morning was full of Ratan Tata tribute messages, much like Shantanu’s. From celebrities to industrialists, and common folks, the loss was felt by all, but as they say, with the best of men, legacy lives on.