London: India and the world of trade and business are mourning the demise of Ratan Naval Tata, 86, the former Tata Group chairman died at Mumbai Hospital at 11.30 pm on Wednesday. As the ‘titan’ of the business world leaves behind a profound legacy marked by the values of leadership, vision and philanthropy, people from all walks of life outside the country have also joined in mourning his demise.
UK’s Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds paid homage to Tata, saying he played a huge role in shaping the British industry. He also credited the ‘titan’ for much of the Mumbai-headquartered company’s reputation as one of the largest employers in the UK.
“Sad to hear about the passing of Ratan Tata. He was truly a titan of the business world and someone who played a huge role in shaping British industry. My thoughts and prayers are with his friends, family and everyone in the Tata Group,” Reynolds said on social media platform X.
Tata Group’s footprint in Europe
It was during Ratan Tata’s tenure as chairman of the Tata Group that the multinational made several high-profile acquisitions in the UK—taking over Anglo-Dutch steelmaker Corus, luxury car brands Jaguar and Land Rover (JLR) and Tetley, the well-known global tea brand. The Tata Group has a significant footprint in the UK industry, including the ownership of the country’s largest steelworks at Port Talbot in south Wales.
It is also one of Europe’s leading steel producers, with steelmaking in the Netherlands and the UK, and manufacturing plants across Europe. The company’s tube products are used across a broad range of industries, including construction, machinery fabrication, energy and automotive.
In July last year, the Tata Group is to invest over GBP 4 billion in setting up a new electric vehicle (EV) battery plant, or gigafactory, in Britain which will create thousands of jobs across the supply chain. With Tata Motors owned JLR as the anchor customer of the new gigafactory with an initial output of 40GWh, the venture is one of the largest in Europe.
“I hope that a hundred years from now we will spread our wings far beyond India, that we become a global group, operating in many countries, an Indian business conglomerate that is at home in the world, carrying the same sense of trust that we do today,” said Tata in 2004, while speaking on Tata Group’s efforts to internationalise its operations.
Ratan Tata’s demise
Tata passed away at Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital, where he had been admitted to the ICU since Monday. His half-brother, Noel Tata, received a condolence call from PM Modi, expressing his sorrow over the profound loss. Ratan Tata’s demise came as a big loss to the nation and the business community as he was one of the one of the prominent figures who contributed to the modernisation of India’s business landscape and social development.
People from all walks of life, including personalities from the area of sports and Bollywood, mourned Tata’s death. Chief Minister Shinde announced that Tata’s last rites would be conducted with full state honours, including the national flag flying at half-mast in government offices across the state. A period of state mourning has been declared for Thursday.
Tata’s mortal remains were transported from Breach Candy Hospital early Thursday, escorted by police vehicles, to his residence in Colaba. They will lie in state at the National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA) in south Mumbai until 3:30 PM, allowing the public to pay their last respects before the final rites are held later in the day in Worli. Ratan Tata’s passing marks the end of an era for the Tata Group and Indian industry, leaving behind a legacy that will resonate for generations to come.
(with agency input)
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