Industrialist Ratan Tata passes away at 86

New Delhi/Mumbai: Ratan Naval Tata, the former Tata Group chairman who transformed a staid group into India's largest and most influential conglomerate with a string of eye-catching deals, has died. He was 86.

Tata, who was chairman of the salt to software group for more than two decades, breathed his last at south Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital at 11.30 pm on Wednesday.

A Padma Vibhushan recipient, Tata, had been in intensive care at the hospital since Monday.

A top official of the Mumbai police was the first to inform of his death, followed by a confirmation by Tata Group chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran who called Tata "a truly uncommon leader whose immeasurable contributions have shaped not only the Tata Group but also the very fabric of our nation".

Educated at Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, the veteran industrialist worked on the shop floor at the family-run group after returning to India in 1962.

He gained experience in several Tata Group firms before being named director in charge of one of them, the National Radio and Electronics Co. in 1971.

He became chairman of Tata Industries a decade later and in 1991 took over as the chairman of the Tata Group from his uncle, JRD, who had been in charge for more than half a century.

Under his stewardship, the conglomerate embarked on a massive expansion drive, snapping iconic British assets including steelmaker Corus and luxury carmaker Jaguar Land Rover. Its two-and-half-dozen listed firms now make coffee and cars, salt and software, steel and power, run airlines and introduced India's first super app.

It recently forayed into chip making and is planning an iPhone assembly plant. The conglomerate ended with USD 165 billion in revenue in the last fiscal.

"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," Chandrasekaran said in a late-night statement.

For the Tata Group, he was more than a chairperson. "To me, he was a mentor, guide and friend. He inspired by example. With an unwavering commitment to excellence, integrity, and innovation, the Tata Group under his stewardship expanded its global footprint while always remaining true to its moral compass," he said.

Tata's dedication to philanthropy and the development of society touched the lives of millions. "From education to healthcare, his initiatives have left a deep-rooted mark that will benefit generations to come. Reinforcing all of this work was Mr. Tata's genuine humility in every individual interaction," he said, adding his legacy will continue to inspire.

Modi called him visionary business leader

Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Tata 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 unwavering commitment to making our society better," he said in a post on X.

Posting his pictures with Tata during various times of his political career, Modi said one of the most unique aspects of Tata was his passion towards dreaming big and giving back.

"He was at the forefront of championing causes like education, healthcare, sanitation, animal welfare to name a few."

"My mind is filled with countless interactions with Shri Ratan Tata Ji. I would meet him frequently in Gujarat when I was the CM. We would exchange views on diverse issues. I found his perspectives very enriching. These interactions continued when I came to Delhi. Extremely pained by his passing away. My thoughts are with his family, friends and admirers in this sad hour. Om Shanti," the Prime Minister added.

Industry captains mourn Ratan Tata’s demise:

Industry leaders including Google’s India-born chief executive Sundar Pichai on Wednesday mourned the death of Ratan Tata, saying the veteran industrialist cared about making India better.

“He leaves an extraordinary business and philanthropic legacy and was instrumental in mentoring and developing the modern business leadership in India. He deeply cared about making India better,” Pichai said in a post on X.

Pichai recalled that his last meeting with Tata was at Google’s office where they spoke about the progress of self-driving car Waymo.

Anand Mahindra, chairman of the Mahindra Group, said Tata’s mentorship and guidance would have been invaluable at this point when India’s economy is on the cusp of a historic leap forward.

“With him gone, all we can do is to commit to emulating his example. Because he was a businessman for whom financial wealth and success was most useful when it was put to the service of the global community,” Mahindra wrote on X.

He added that Tata will never be forgotten because “legends never die”.

"It is a very sad day for India and India Inc. Ratan Tata's passing away is a big loss, not just to the Tata Group, but to every Indian," Mukesh Ambani said in his condolence message. "At a personal level, the passing of Ratan Tata has filled me with immense grief as I lost a dear friend." Recalling his numerous interactions with Tata that left him "inspired and energised", Ambani said Ratan Tata was a visionary industrialist and a philanthropist, who always strove for society's greater good.

Interactions with him, "enhanced my respect for the nobility of his character and the fine human values he embodied", he said in a statement.

"With the demise of Mr Ratan Tata, India has lost one of her most illustrious and kind-hearted sons. Mr Tata took India to the world and brought the best of the world to Bharat. He institutionalised the House of Tata and made it an international enterprise growing the Tata Group over 70 times since the time he took over as Chairman in 1991," he added. "Ratan, you will always remain in my heart."

Billionaire Gautam Adani said India lost a giant, a visionary who redefined modern India's path. "Ratan Tata wasn't just a business leader - he embodied the spirit of India with integrity, compassion and an unwavering commitment to the greater good. Legends like him never fade away. Om Shanti," Adani said in a post on X.

RPG Enterprises’ Harsh Goenka said the “clock has stopped ticking” with the death of the “titan”.

“Tata was a beacon of integrity, ethical leadership and philanthropy, who has imprinted an indelible mark on the world of business and beyond. He will forever soar high in our memories,” he said.

Veteran banker Uday Kotak said Tata made India proud and his legacy remains in posterity.

Kiran Majumdar Shaw, executive chairperson of Biocon, shared a picture of herself with Tata, calling him a “great man and a great mind”.

CM's of eastern states mourn death of industry legend Ratan Tata

Chief ministers of West Bengal, Jharkhand and Odisha on Wednesday evening condoled the demise of Tata Group’s chairman emeritus and veteran industrialist Ratan Tata, and said his legacy will live on forever.

“Saddened by the demise of Ratan Tata, Chairman Emeritus of the Tata Sons. The former Chairman of Tata Group had been a foremost leader of Indian industries and a public-spirited philanthropist. His demise will be an irreparable loss for Indian business world and society. My condolences to all his family members and colleagues,” Banerjee wrote on X.

In 2008, the Tata Group decided to move the Nano factory out of Singur in Bengal’s Hooghly district over a land acquisition controversy. Banerjee, whose TMC was in the opposition back then, had spearheaded a movement against the ruling Left Front, accusing it of forcibly acquiring land from farmers for the project.

In another post on X, Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren said he was shocked to hear the news of Tata’s death. “I can't believe it.... May the soul of Marang Buru Ratan Tata ji rest in peace,” he wrote.

Tata Steel had developed the country’s first industrial city at Jharkhand’s Jamshedpur, which was earlier a part of undivided Bihar. Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, in his condolence message, called Tata an industry legend and a true national icon.

“Deeply saddened by the passing of Ratan Tata Ji... His visionary leadership, unwavering commitment to ethics and immense contributions to India's growth will inspire generations to come. My heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones. His legacy will live on forever,” Majhi said.

Odisha Governor Raghubar Das, who was a former CM of Jharkhand, also expressed grief over the demise of Ratan Tata.

“Hon’ble Governor, Shri@dasraghubar, is saddened to learn about the demise of Tata Sons Chairman Emeritus, veteran industrialist Padma Vibhusan @RNTata2000 ji and conveyed his heartfelt condolence to the bereaved family members. Om Shanti,” he said on X.

In a post of X, Andhra Pradesh CM Nara Chandrababu Naidu wrote, few men have left such an enduring imprint on this world with their vision and integrity as Ratan Tata.