Ratan Tata was a prominent Indian industrialist and philanthropist, who also served as the former chairman of the Tata Group. He was known for his significant contributions to business and his philanthropic efforts. Ratan Tata passed away at the age of 86. His death was confirmed on October 9, 2024, after being admitted to Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai due to age-related health issues, where he was kept in the ICU.
Ratan Tata’s Biography
| Birth | December 28, 1937 |
|---|---|
| Age | 86 years |
| Education | Cornell University, Harvard Business School |
| Family | Naval Tata (Father), Soonoo Commisariat (Mother) |
| Profession | Former Chairman of Tata Sons and Tata Group, Philanthropist, Investor |
| Title | Honorary Chairman of Tata Sons and Tata Group |
| Predecessor | J.R.D. Tata |
| Successor | Cyrus Mistry (2012), Natarajan Chandrasekaran (2017-present) |
| Awards | Padma Vibhushan (2008), Padma Bhushan (2000) |
| Net Worth | ₹6000 Crores |
| Famous Quotes | “I don’t believe in making the right decisions. I take decisions and then make them right.” “Power and money are not my two main interests.” |
Ratan Tata: Birth, Age, Family, and Education
Ratan Tata was born on December 28, 1937, in Bombay, British India (now Mumbai) to Naval Tata and Soonoo Commisariat. When he was 10 years old, his parents divorced, and he was adopted by his grandmother, Nawazbai Tata, through the J.N. Petit Parsi Orphanage. Ratan Tata was raised alongside his half-brother, Noel Tata.
Ratan Tata received his education at Campion School, Mumbai; Cathedral and John Connon School, Mumbai; Bishop Cotton School, Shimla; and Riverdale Country School, New York City. He is also an alumnus of Cornell University and Harvard Business School, where he laid the foundation for his career.
Read Also: Biography of Jamsetji Tata
Ratan Tata Becomes Chairman of Tata Sons
When J.R.D. Tata resigned from the chairmanship of Tata Sons in 1991, he named Ratan Tata as his successor. Ratan Tata faced strong resistance from the heads of several companies who had run their businesses for decades. He began a process of bringing in new people by setting a retirement age and made it mandatory for every company to report to the group office. Under his leadership, the overlapping companies of Tata Sons were streamlined into a coordinated form.
During Ratan Tata’s 21-year tenure, the company’s revenue grew over 40 times, and profits increased more than 50 times. He inspired the acquisitions of Tata Tea by Tetley, Tata Motors by Jaguar Land Rover, and Tata Steel by Corus, transforming the Tata Group from a largely India-centric organization into a global business.
He also conceptualized the Tata Nano car, aimed at making it accessible to the average Indian consumer.
Upon completing 75 years of age, Ratan Tata resigned as chairman of Tata Sons on December 28, 2012. Cyrus Mistry was named his successor but was removed by the board on October 24, 2016, leading to Ratan Tata being appointed interim chairman of the group.
A selection committee was formed to choose Ratan Tata’s successor, which included Venu Srinivasan, Amit Chandra, Ronen Sen, and Lord Kumar Bhattacharya. This committee appointed Natarajan Chandrasekaran as chairman of Tata Sons on January 12, 2017.
Additionally, Ratan Tata invested his personal savings in Snapdeal, TBox, CashKaro.com, and contributed to Ola Cabs, Xiaomi, Nestaway, and Dogspot.
Ratan Tata’s Philanthropic Work
Ratan Tata has been a strong advocate for education, healthcare, and rural development. He supported the Faculty of Engineering at the University of New South Wales to improve water availability in challenging areas.
Tata Education and Development Trust
The Tata Education and Development Trust established a $28 million Tata Scholarship Fund to provide financial assistance to undergraduate students from India at Cornell University. This annual scholarship will assist about 20 students.
Harvard Business School
The Tata Group companies and Tata charities donated $50 million to Harvard Business School (HBS) in 2010 to build an executive center.
Carnegie Mellon University
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) donated $35 million to Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) for research in cognitive systems and autonomous vehicles. This is the largest donation ever given by a company, resulting in a building named TCS Hall.
Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay
In 2014, the Tata Group donated ₹950 million to the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, leading to the establishment of the Tata Center for Technology and Design (TCTD), the largest donation in the institute’s history.
Neuroscience Center
The Tata Trusts also provided a grant of ₹750 million to the Neuroscience Center at the Indian Institute of Science to study the underlying mechanisms of Alzheimer’s disease and develop methods for its early diagnosis and treatment.
MIT Tata Center
Moreover, the Tata Group established the MIT Tata Center for Technology and Design at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to address the challenges faced by resource-constrained communities, with an initial focus on India.
Through all these efforts, Ratan Tata has worked to bring about positive change in society, demonstrating his philanthropic vision and leadership.
Ratan Tata’s Wife
In 2011, Ratan Tata stated, “I came close to marrying four times, but each time I backed out due to fear or some reason.” While working in Los Angeles, he fell in love with a girl, but had to return to India because a family member was ill. Her parents did not allow her to go to India. Tata remained firm in his commitment and has remained unmarried to this day.
Awards
Ratan Tata has received numerous notable awards and honors. Some of them are listed below:
| Year | Name | Awarding Organization |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Padma Bhushan | Government of India |
| 2008 | Padma Vibhushan | Government of India |
| 2001 | Honorary Doctor of Business Administration | Ohio State University |
| 2004 | Medal of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay | Government of Uruguay |
| 2004 | Honorary Doctor of Technology | Asian Institute of Technology |
| 2005 | International Distinguished Achievement Award | B’nai B’rith International |
| 2005 | Honorary Doctor of Science | University of Warwick |
| 2006 | Honorary Doctor of Science | Indian Institute of Technology, Madras |
| 2006 | Responsible Capitalism Award | FIRST |
| 2007 | Honorary Fellowship | London School of Economics and Political Science |
| 2007 | Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy | Carnegie Endowment for International Peace |
| 2008 | Honorary Doctor of Law | University of Cambridge |
| 2008 | Honorary Doctor of Science | Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay |
| 2008 | Honorary Doctor of Science | Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur |
| 2008 | Honorary Civilian Award | Government of Singapore |
| 2008 | Honorary Fellowship | Institution of Engineering and Technology |
| 2008 | Inspired Leadership Award | Performance Theatre |
| 2009 | Honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) | Queen Elizabeth II |
| 2009 | Lifetime Contribution Award in Engineering | Indian National Academy of Engineering |
| 2009 | Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic | Government of Italy |
| 2010 | Honorary Doctor of Law | University of Cambridge |
| 2010 | Hadrian Award | World Monuments Fund |
| 2010 | Oslo Business for Peace Award | Business for Peace Foundation |
| 2010 | Legend in Leadership Award | Yale University |
| 2010 | Honorary Doctor of Laws | Pepperdine University |
| 2010 | Business for Peace Award | Business for Peace Foundation |
| 2010 | Business Leader of the Year | Asian Awards |
| 2012 | Honorary Fellow | Royal Academy of Engineering |
| 2012 | Honorary Doctor of Business | University of New South Wales |
| 2012 | Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun | Government of Japan |
| 2013 | Foreign Associate | National Academy of Engineering |
| 2013 | Transformational Leader of the Decade | Indian Affairs India Leadership Conference 2013 |
| 2013 | Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year – Lifetime Achievement | Ernst & Young |
| 2013 | Honorary Doctor of Business | Carnegie Mellon University |
| 2014 | Honorary Doctor of Business | Singapore Management University |
| 2014 | Sayaji Ratna Award | Baroda Management Association |
| 2014 | Honorary Doctor of Business | University of Edinburgh |
| 2016 | National Icon Award | Government of India |
Ratan Tata’s Death
Ratan Tata passed away on October 9, 2024, at Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai due to age-related health issues. He was under observation in the ICU for a few days prior to his passing. His family announced his death and noted that he was deeply committed to his work and philanthropy throughout his life.
Legacy
Ratan Tata’s life was characterized by dedication to the improvement of society and the well-being of the Indian community. He has left behind a legacy of leadership, vision, and commitment to the advancement of education and healthcare in India and beyond.
