Ratan Tata: A Greatest Industrialist, Entrepreneur, Philanthropist, and Indian Icon

At the age of 86, Ratan Tata, the chairman emeritus of Tata Sons, one of the largest corporations in India, passes away. The official company sources shared the news of his death on October 9th.

The news of his death came unexpectedly. Previously the businessman stated in a social media post on October 7th that he was having standard medical examinations because of his advanced age, thus dismissing rumors about his health issues.

Ratan Tata Passes Away

The current chairman of Tata Sons N Chandrasekaran shared this news late at night through a statement saying, "It is with a profound sense of loss that we bid farewell to Mr. Ratan Naval Tata, a truly uncommon leader whose immeasurable contributions have shaped not only the Tata Group but also the very fabric of our nation."

Who was Ratan Tata?

In 1991, Ratan Tata was named chairman of the $100 billion steel-to-software conglomerate. He led the company his great-grandfather founded over a century earlier. He served as the chairman of the company until 2012.

In 1996, he established the telecom business Tata Teleservices, and in 2004, he went public with the IT company Tata Consultancy Services.

When Ratan Tata Bought Jaguar and Range Rover

In a role reversal, the Indian business Tata Group was accused of being reverse colonialists in 2004 after acquiring the legendary British automaker Jaguar and Land Rover.

Ratan Tata’s Promise of Nano

It was in year 2009, that Ratan Tata delivered on his promise to make the world's most affordable car available to the middle class. The Tata Nano became a representation of affordability and innovation at the cost of ₹1 lakh.

Mr. Tata served as the conglomerate's chairman twice, from 1991 to 2012 and from 2016 to 2017. However, he continued to oversee the company's charity trusts despite taking a step back from day-to-day operations.

Narendra Modi Pays Tribute to Ratan Tata

Leading the tributes was Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who praised the industrialist as "an extraordinary human being and a compassionate soul."

"Shri Ratan Tata Ji was a visionary business leader, a compassionate soul and an extraordinary human being. He provided stable leadership to one of India's oldest and most prestigious business houses. At the same time, his contribution went far beyond the boardroom. He endeared himself to several people thanks to his humility, kindness, and an unwavering commitment to making our society better," the Prime Minister posted on X in a series of tweets along with pictures.

Shri Ratan Tata Ji was a visionary business leader, a compassionate soul and an extraordinary human being. He provided stable leadership to one of India’s oldest and most prestigious business houses. At the same time, his contribution went far beyond the boardroom. He endeared… pic.twitter.com/p5NPcpBbBD

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 9, 2024