Ratan Tata chose to stay out of the limelight – Times of India

Ratan Tata led the group into new sectors such as telecom and passenger cars and was instrumental in driving innovation with pioneering projects such as Indica, India’s first indigenous car; Nano, the world’s most affordable vehicle; and Ginger, a budget hotel chain, while overseeing more than 60 acquisitions that expanded the group’s reach. He also took Tata Consulting Services public, the only major Tata company to do this.

However, Tata’s legacy was not without controversy. His decision to appoint Cyrus Mistry as his successor in 2011 led to one of the most controversial chapters in the group’s history. He then selected N Chandrasekaran to head Tata Sons after Mistry’s acrimonious departure in 2016. Moreover, his dream of creating the world’s cheapest car (Nano) faced political opposition in West Bengal, leading to the relocation of production to Gujarat. In 2008, Ratan Tata received the award Padma VibhushanIndia’s second highest civilian award. Despite his many successes, Ratan Tata remained remarkably modest, often attributing his achievements to the efforts of those around him. He believed in avoiding politics and once remarked, “Like my mentor JRD Tata, I had never thought about politics. I am not cut out to be a political person and will not venture into that.” Outside the boardroom, he was known for his calm but determined demeanor, often choosing to stay out of the spotlight. His contributions extended far beyond the business world, as he led numerous philanthropic initiatives through the Tata trustswhich have a silent but significant impact on sectors such as healthcare, education and rural development. During his retirement, he kept a low profile, making sporadic public appearances – the last being on August 15 this year, when he visited the Tata Fire Temple in Bandra to celebrate the Parsi New Year.

In the years following his retirement, Ratan Tata also became an angel investor in numerous startups, including Upstox, FirstCry and Ola Electric – a testament, if one were needed, to his continued commitment to innovation and entrepreneurship. He has also significantly increased his focus on philanthropy through Tata Trusts, transforming the organization’s financing approach to prioritize large-scale social initiatives such as setting up cancer care hospitals and setting up India’s largest tertiary care center for small animals, including stray animals, in Mumbai.

Although his physical activity declined in recent years and he appeared even less in public, he maintained sharp eyesight and participated in virtual meetings for both official and philanthropic work.