Ratan Tata—Ex-Leader Of India’s Massive Tata Group—Dies At 86
by Molly Bohannon · ForbesTopline
Ratan Tata—a former chairman of Tata Group who led the Indian megacompany through multiple significant international acquisitions—died at age 86, the group announced Wednesday.
Key Facts
Tata took over the conglomerate in 1991 and led it for 21 years.
Under his leadership, Tata companies acquired a number of major companies beyond India, including tea company Tetley, European steel giant Corus, British car makers Jaguar and Land Rover, Tyco Global Network and more.
Natarajan Chandrasekaran, the current chairman of Tata Sons—the principal investment holding company for Tata Group—described Tata in a press release announcing his death as someone who “inspired by example” and helped the group expand its global footprint while remaining dedicated to philanthropy and societal development.
The group did not say how he passed.
Crucial Quote
India Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Tata as “a visionary business leader, a compassionate soul and an extraordinary human being,” in a statement posted to X, formerly known as Twitter. “He provided stable leadership to one of India’s oldest and most prestigious business houses … He endeared himself to several people thanks to his humility, kindness and an unwavering commitment to making our society better.”
Big Number
$165 billion. That’s how much revenue the Tata Group said it brought in in fiscal year 2023-24 across its companies, which employed more than one million people.
Key Background
The Tata Group was founded in 1868 and is now one of India’s largest conglomerates, comprising more than 30 companies across 10 verticals and operates in more than 100 countries. In 2005, he was named Forbes’ Asian Businessman of the Year and was praised for more than doubling his company’s revenue and dragging it into modern business over the course of a decade. Tata stepped down from his role as chairman of the group in 2012, but was given the title of “chairman emeritus of Tata Sons, Tata Motors, Tata Steel, and Tata Chemicals,” according to India’s Business Today. After he stepped down, he returned briefly to serve as interim CEO in 2016, the BBC reported. Reuters first reported Tata was in intensive care at a Mumbai hospital on Wednesday after the company said earlier in the week he had been admitted for routine check-ups. In a post on his own social media on Monday, Tata thanked people for their concern about him and confirmed he was undergoing regular check-ups due to his age and “related medical conditions.”