Ratan Tata, ‘titan’ of Indian business, dies at 86

Ratan Tata, one of India’s most respected and influential business leaders is best known for his role as the former chairman of Tata Sons – the holding company of the Tata Group. Part of a very prominent family – the Tatas, he was born on December 28^th, 1937; his family has played a very prominent role in shaping India’s business and industrial landscape for over a century. Having studied at the very prestigious Cathedral and John Cannon School in Mumbai, he later went on to earn a degree in architecture from Cornell University which was later followed by a management program at the Harvard Business School.

With this strong backbone of education, he began his career at Tata Steel in 1962 where he worked on the shop floor which helped him earn the core operations of the group. It was only in 1991 when he was appointed the chairman of Tata Sons, succeeding J.R.D. Tata. This mark has paved a transformative era for the Tata Group.

It was under his stewardship that the Tata Group expanded its global footprint and acquired well-known companies such as Anglo-Dutch steelmaker Corus Steel, the world's second-largest tea company Tetley Tea and UK-based car brands Jaguar and Rover; thereby establishing Tata as a global brand. One of Ratan Tata’s most notable projects was the Tata Nano which he envisioned as the world’s cheapest car. This was after the success of Diesel Tata Indica which had helped put cars at a price point within reach of the average Indian consumer.

He was also known for having invested in multiple companies such as Snapdeal, Teabox, Cashkaro, Ola Cabs, Chinese smartphone startup - Xiaomi, a companionship startup for senior citizens Nestaway an online real-estate portal Dogspot and named Goodfellows,

Besides all of this, Ratan Tata is known for being a supporter of education, medicine and rural development and is considered to be a leading philanthropist in India.

Besides all of this, he is known for his love of fast cars and planes, a scuba diving enthusiast, and a dog lover. He is widely admired for his humility, integrity and vision. He received numerous awards and honours including India’s highest civilian honour – the Padma Vibhushan in 2008.

After being hospitalised at the Breach Candy Hospital on October 7^th, 2024; it is a great demise to say that he passed away on October 9^th, 2024 at the age of 86.

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