A crowd of mourners gathered on Thursday for the funeral of industrialist Ratan Tata in the financial capital of India, Mumbai. Tata, who died on Wednesday at the age of 86, had transformed the Tata Group into a huge international enterprise with a ‘portfolio’ ranging from software to sports cars. Mumbai has announced a day of mourning for his death. Tata’s mortal remains will be cremated on Thursday afternoon.
India’s national daily newspaper ‘The Hindu’ printed the news of his death on its front page calling him ‘a Titan of Indian industry’. Hindustan Times mentioned that ‘India has lost its crown jewel’ due to his death. Asia’s richest man Mukesh Ambani has said that this is a big loss not only for the Tata group but for every Indian.
India’s national daily newspaper ‘The Hindu’ printed the news of his death on its front page calling him ‘a titan of Indian industry’. Hindustan Times mentioned that ‘India has lost its crown jewel’ due to his death. Asia’s richest man Mukesh Ambani has said that this is a big loss not only for the Tata group but for every Indian. Tata was born in Mumbai in 1937 to a Parasi family, a proud but declining community that played a major role in the city’s commercial affairs under British rule.
He dedicated his life to India as an architect after graduating from Cornell University in New York. After completing his education, he returned home and contributed to the growth of the local industry. After a request from Tata’s grandmother, he returned to India in 1962 and joined the huge family business. He took over the reins of the family empire in 1991 and led the wave of radical free market reforms that India had just begun that year. Spanning from salt to steel, the Tata Group has expanded its global footprint during Tata’s 21-year tenure.
Although his decision to buy loss-making British carmakers Jaguar and Land Rover for $2.3 billion in 2008 was initially seen as a misstep, the Tata Group and his perseverance were able to restructure both brands and return them to profitability the following year. Tata Group has said that his philanthropic work has touched the lives of millions. “From education to healthcare, his initiatives have left a deep impression that will benefit future generations,” the Tata company said. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Ratan Tata a ‘visionary businessman, a kind soul and an extraordinary human being’. Modi praised Tata for providing steady leadership to one of India’s oldest and most prestigious business houses.
