Mr. Ratan Tata, the Chairman Emeritus left for his heavenly abode on October 9th, 2024, leaving a legacy of uncommon leadership, phenomenal philanthropist, unparalleled industrialist and a human and animal-loving man. He passed away at the age of 86 showing that the life can be bigger and longer at the same time.
Mr Tata was born on December 28th, 1937 in Mumbai into a Parsi, Zoroastrian family. Highlighting his education, he attended Campion School and Cathedral and John Connon School in Mumbai, and he graduated with a degree in Architecture from Cornell University, USA.
In the 1970s, Ratan Tata was given a managerial position in the Tata Group. He achieved initial success by turning the subsidiary National Radio and Electronics around, only to see it collapse during an economic slowdown. In 1991, J. R. D. Tata stepped down as chairman of Tata Sons, naming him his successor.
During Mr Tata’s tenure as the chairman, the conglomerate saw a revenue growth of over 40 times and profit growth of over 50 times. The group was also transformed from a commodity seller to a brand puller. It was Mr Tata under whom the conglomerate went on an acquisition spree purchasing Tetlee, Jaguar Land Rover and Corus among others.
Mr Tata finally resigned from the chairmanship of Tata Group in January 2017, becoming the Chairman Emeritus of the conglomerate. He navigated the group through its most challenging times and made it a house of welfare, profit and charity. Mr Tata not only set the group as an example but he himself became a household name synonymous with integrity, compassion and truthfulness.
Post his retirement from the chairmanship of the group, he started investing in ventures and startups and also formed RNT Capital to do so. Mr Tata financed companies like Ola, Lenskart, Ola Electric and Cult Fit among others. These startups are currently leading in their space gaining the trust of consumers.
Mr Tata has been conferred around 45 recognitions around the world in almost all walks and fields. The famous incident where King Charles invited Mr Tata to confer upon him the Lifetime Achievement Award at Buckingham Palace under the aegis of British Asian Trust in 2018. But Mr Tata denied travelling to London as his pet dogs were ill. The incident itself conveys his high morals and compassion towards life and living creatures.
Mr Tata’s love for animals is an open secret, he has funded and aided numerous ventures operating in the field of animal care with his own wealth securing them a good life. Mr Tata’s secretary Shantanu Naidu was an animal activist and used to run a venture tying radium bands on dogs’ leg so that they could be visible at night. As Mr Tata spotted Naidu, he funded Naidu’s venture and steadily Naidu became Mr Tata’s friend cum secretary.
Mr Tata always cared for lives over material wealth, be it funding the material and immaterial damages of the 26/11 attacks or shifting his factories from one part of the country to another. Mr Tata’s ethics, compassion and love for humanity will go undeterred for times to come and his personality will remain a guiding light in all walks of life.
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