Ratan Tata: A Comprehensive Biography – Life, Legacy, Leadership, and Lessons

Ratan Tata, the former Chairman of Tata Sons, passed away at the age of 86 on October 9, 2024, in Mumbai. A visionary industrialist and generous philanthropist, Tata transformed the Tata Group into a global powerhouse and supported numerous ventures across sectors. His passing marks an immense loss for India’s business community and philanthropic landscape.

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 Sooni Commissariat. His parents separated when he was 10, after which he was formally adopted by his grandmother, Navajbai Tata, through the J. N. Petit Parsi Orphanage. He grew up alongside his half-brother, Noel Tata, the son of Naval Tata and Simone Tata.

Now 84, Ratan Tata received his early education at Campion School and Cathedral and John Connon School in Mumbai, followed by Bishop Cotton School in Shimla. He later attended Riverdale Country School in New York City. Tata is a graduate of Cornell University and also completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School.

Ratan Tata as Chairperson

When J.R.D. Tata stepped down as chairperson of Tata Sons in 1991, he appointed Ratan Tata as his successor. Upon taking over, Ratan Tata faced resistance from long-serving company heads who had spent decades in leadership roles. To bring about change, he introduced a mandatory retirement age and required all group companies to report directly to the central office. Under his leadership, he streamlined the overlapping businesses within the Tata Group, transforming them into a more cohesive and synergized conglomerate.During his 21 years of stewardship, revenues grew over 40 times, and profit over 50 times. He got Tata Tea to acquire Tetley, Tata Motors to acquire Jaguar Land Rover, and Tata Steel to acquire Corus, turning the organization from a largely India-centric group into a global business. 

He also conceptualized the Tata Nano car. The car was capped at a price that was within the reach of the average Indian consumer. 

Upon turning 75, Ratan Tata stepped down as the Chairperson of Tata Sons on 28 December 2012. Cyrus Mistry was named his successor, however, the Board of Directors and Legal division voted for his removal on 24 October 2016 and Ratan Tata was then made the group’s interim chairman.

A selection committee comprising Ratan Tata, TVS Group head Venu Srinivasan, Amit Chandra of Bain Capital, former diplomat Ronen Sen, and Lord Kumar Bhattacharya was formed to find the successor of Ratan Tata. The committee named  Natarajan Chandrasekaran as the Chairperson of Tata Sons on 12 January 2017.

Ratan Tata Love Life

“I came close to getting married four times and each time I backed off in fear or for one reason or another,” said Ratan Tata in 2011. 

He once loved a girl in Los Angeles while working there and had to return to India as his family member was ill. The girl’s parents didn’t allow her to go to India. Tata stood by his commitment and is unmarried to date.

Achievements and Awards 

Ratan Tata was awarded many notable awards and honors. Some of them are mentioned below: 

Ratan Tata Family Background

1- Jamshedji Nusserwanji Tata- Founder of Tata Group, India’s biggest conglomerate company. He was married to Hirabai Daboo. 

2- Dorabji Tata- The elder son of Jamshedji Tata and second chairperson of the Tata Group. His wife was Meherbai Tata, the paternal aunt of renowned nuclear scientist Homi J. Bhabha.

3- Ratanji Tata- Younger son of Jamshedji Tata. He was the pioneer of poverty studies. He was married to Navajbai Tata. His wife adopted an orphan, Naval, who was the grand-nephew of Hirabai Tata, and raised him as her own son.

4- Naval Tata- Adopted son of Navajbai Tata. His biological father was Hormusji Tata. His maternal grandmother was the sister of Hirabai Tata. Director in several Tata companies, ILO member, and recipient of Padma Bhushan, Naval Tata had three sons– Ratan Tata (5th chairperson of Tata Group), Jimmy Tata, and Noel Tata (Chairperson of Trent Limited)– from two marriages.

1- Jamshedji Nusserwanji Tata- Founder of Tata Group, India’s biggest conglomerate company. He was married to Hirabai Daboo. 

2- Dorabji Tata- The elder son of Jamshedji Tata and second chairperson of the Tata Group. His wife was Meherbai Tata, the paternal aunt of renowned nuclear scientist Homi J. Bhabha.

3- Ratanji Tata- Younger son of Jamshedji Tata. He was the pioneer of poverty studies. He was married to Navajbai Tata. His wife adopted an orphan, Naval, who was the grand-nephew of Hirabai Tata, and raised him as her own son.

4- Naval Tata- Adopted son of Navajbai Tata. His biological father was Hormusji Tata. His maternal grandmother was the sister of Hirabai Tata. Director in several Tata companies, ILO member, and recipient of Padma Bhushan, Naval Tata had three sons– Ratan Tata (5th chairperson of Tata Group), Jimmy Tata, and Noel Tata (Chairperson of Trent Limited)– from two marriages.

Ratan Tata Passes Away: A Profound Loss for India and the Business World

Ratan Tata passed away at Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai, where he had been admitted following a sudden drop in blood pressure. On October 7, he had reassured the public that his hospitalization was for routine age-related check-ups. However, his condition worsened, leading to his transfer to the ICU. Tributes have since poured in, with industrialist Harsh Goenka expressing condolences on social media, calling Tata a “beacon of integrity” and acknowledging his immense influence on both business and society.

Just days before his passing, Tata addressed speculations about his health, emphasizing that his medical tests were routine. His death marks the end of an era in Indian industry. Beyond his pivotal role in expanding the Tata Group, Ratan Tata was revered for his ethical leadership, philanthropy, and deep commitment to social causes, leaving an indelible mark on the nation and the world.