Ratan Tata, chairman emeritus of Tata Sons, passed away on Wednesday night at the Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai. He was 86 years old.
Ratan Tata’s remarkable life was a testament to his unwavering commitment to excellence, innovation, and philanthropy. As the head of one of India’s largest conglomerates, he transformed the Tata group into a global powerhouse, while staying true to its values of integrity and social responsibility.
Ratan Tata, the chairman emeritus of Tata Sons, passed away at 86. He was hospitalized due to a drop in blood pressure. Recognized for his leadership and philanthropy, his demise marks a significant loss for the business community. Tributes have poured in from across the nation.
Under his leadership, the Tata group expanded its footprint across various sectors, from steel and automobiles to information technology and hospitality.
Remembering the titan, ETBFSI has encapsulated his life events into a timeline:
1937: Born on December 28 in Mumbai, Ratan Tata was the son of Naval Tata and Sooni Commissariat. They separated when Ratan was 10 years old, and he was formally adopted by his grandmother Navajbai Tata through the J.N. Petit Parsi Orphanage.
1955: At 17, Ratan left for Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, to study architecture and engineering, spending seven years abroad.
1962: Awarded a bachelor of architecture degree, Ratan joined the Tata group as an assistant in Tata Industries and later underwent training at the Jamshedpur plant of Tata Engineering and Locomotive Company.
1963: He moved to Tata Iron and Steel Company for a training program, gaining valuable experience.
1965: Ratan Tata was appointed technical officer in Tisco’s engineering division.
1969: He worked as the Tata group’s resident representative in Australia.
1970: Returning to India, Ratan Tata joined Tata Consultancy Services for a brief stint.
1971: He was named director-in-charge of National Radio and Electronics, an ailing electronics enterprise.
India mourns the loss of Ratan Naval Tata, a visionary business leader and philanthropist, who passed away late Wednesday night. Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra among others gave heartfelt tributes highlighting his immense contributions to the Tata Group, the economy, and society.
1974: Ratan Tata joined the board of Tata Sons as a director.
1975: He completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School.
1981: Ratan Tata was appointed Chairman of Tata Industries, transforming it into a promoter of high-technology businesses.
1983: He drafted the Tata strategic plan.
1986-1989: Ratan Tata served as Chairman of Air India, the national carrier.
March 25, 1991: He took over as Chairman of Tata Sons and Chairman of the Tata trusts, spearheading the group’s restructuring during India’s economic liberalisation.
1991: Tata began transforming the Tata group, focusing on globalization and growth.
2000 onwards: Under his stewardship, Tata acquired several international brands, including Tetley, Corus, Jaguar Land Rover, Brunner Mond, General Chemical Industrial Products, and Daewoo.
2008: He launched the Tata Nano, born of the trailblazing small car project.
He was awarded the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second-highest civilian honor.
December 2012: Ratan Tata stepped down as Chairman of Tata Sons after 50 years with the group.
Cyrus Mistry was appointed Chairperson of Tata Sons Limited.
October 2016: Cyrus Mistry was sacked from the post by most of the Board of Directors.
January 2017: Tata Sons named N Chandrasekaran as Chairman.
October 2024: The visionary business tycoon passed away at Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai.
