Tata Sons Chairman Emeritus, Mr. Ratan Tata, Passes Away at 86

Tata Sons Pvt. Ltd., the principal promotor of Tata Group, shared the passing away of Tata Sons’ Chairman Emeritus, Mr. Ratan Naval Tata, in a release dated 9th October 2024. Mr. Tata was born on 28th December 1937, and was 86 years old when he succumbed to age-related ailments.

“Unwavering Commitment to Excellence, Integrity, and Innovation” – Tata Sons Chairman

Mr. N Chandrasekaran, Chairman, Tata Sons, expressed that Mr. Tata had an “…Unwavering commitment to excellence, integrity, and innovation”, which led to Tata Group expanding its international presence, without compromising its ethics. “For the Tata Group, Mr. Tata was more than a chairperson. To me he was a mentor, guide and friend”, said Mr. Chandrasekaran.

He went on to highlight Mr. Tata’s philanthropic endeavours, and his dedication to further social development. Mr. Chandrasekaran said that Mr. Tata’s initiatives “…from education to healthcare” will continue to serve forthcoming generations.

A Brief Recap of Mr. Tata’s Life & Career

Mr. Ratan Naval Tata was born on 28th December 1937 to Mr. Naval Hormusji Tata and Mrs. Sooni Tata, aka Suzanne Tata. Mr. Tata was schooled in Bombay, post which he studied architecture and structural engineering at United States’ prestigious Cornell University. Mr. Tata stayed in the US from 1955 to 1962.

Upon his return to India, Mr. Tata joined Tata Industries as an assistant, post at which he trained at Telco’s (now Tata Motors) Jamshedpur plant for six months before joining Tisco (now Tata Steel) in 1963. He was appointed technical officer at Tisco’s engineering division in 1965. Following this, Mr. Tata worked in different Tata Group companies including Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and Nelco, before joining the board of Tata Sons as Director in 1974. Following this, in 1981, he was appointed as the Chairman of Tata Industries, and he also served as the Chairman of Air India from 1986 to 1989. His more recent career highlights remain the launch of Tata Nano in 2008, advertised as India’s cheapest car at the time, and him being awarded the coveted Padma Vibhushan, India’s second-highest civilian honour in 2008.

In 2012, Mr. Tata, after 50 years with Tata Sons, stepped down as its Chairman, and was appointed as Chairman Emeritus of the company.

Mr. Tata was a famed philanthropist. On 1st July, 2024, India’s first not-for-profit hospital for small animals, namely Small Animal Hospital, Mumbai (SAHM), was inaugurated. This facility, which is spread over 98,000 sq.ft., was established with an investment of Rs. 165 crore.

Mr. Ratan Tata’s demise leaves an unfillable void in the Indian business and social landscape. He will be fondly remembered not just as an excellent businessman who steered the Tata Group for over 5 decades, but also as a sensitive, caring benefactor of the Indian society.