India
The tall leader: When Ratan Tata stood outside the Taj Hotel for three days during the 26/11 terror attack in Mumbai | India News – Times of India
But this is the story of the dark times in which this national icon survived the devastating terror attack of 26/11.
In November 2008, Mumbai witnessed a devastating terrorist attack orchestrated by the Pakistani group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). Ten terrorists infiltrated the city via the sea and targeted several prime locations, including the iconic ones Taj Hotel and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj terminus. The attack claimed 166 lives, including 33 at the Taj Hotel, and injured more than 300 people.
During the attack, Ratan Tata, then 70 years old, showed remarkable courage and leadership. He was seen at the Colaba side of the Taj Hotel as security forces carried out operations against the terrorists inside. In the aftermath, Tata pledged to reopen the hotel and support the families of those killed or injured in the attack.
When Tata later spoke to National Geographic, she recalled: “Someone called me and said there had been a shooting at the Taj. I called the Taj center and there was no answer, which was very strange. So I got in my car and came here, and the watchman stopped me from going into the lobby because there was shooting. You know, at that time we had about 300 guests in the hotel. Restaurants were full, the people in the different restaurants had been removed and So the staff was great. Without a master plan for the evacuation, they moved people to safer places, but many of them lost their lives.”
“During this period he stood behind the charges and stood behind the management of the Taj, out here on the sidewalk,” one employee recalled.
Later in 2020, while recalling the incident, Tata wrote in an Instagram post: “The wanton destruction that took place twelve years ago today will never be forgotten. But what is more memorable is the way Mumbai came together as a diverse people and cast aside all differences, to overcome the terrorism and destruction on that day, today we can certainly mourn those we have lost and honor the sacrifice of the brave who helped overcome the enemy, but what we must applaud is the unity and the actions of their kindness and sensitivity that we must cherish, and which will hopefully continue to shine in the years to come.”
The Tata Group established the Taj Public Service Welfare Trust (TPSWT) to provide humanitarian support during disasters, and Ratan Tata personally visited victims’ homes to ensure their well-being. According to the BBC, he paid the victims’ relatives the salary they would have earned for the rest of their lives, demonstrating his compassion and commitment to the affected families.
