Mumbai: India's top tycoons on Wednesday mourned the death of legendary industrialist Ratan Tata, with RIL Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani calling him one of India's most illustrious and kind-hearted sons. Besides Ambani, billionaire Gautam Adani as well as auto legend Anand Mahindra mourned Tata's demise.
"It is a very sad day for India and India Inc. Ratan Tata's passing away is a big loss, not just to the Tata Group, but to every Indian," Ambani said in his condolence message. "At a personal level, the passing of Ratan Tata has filled me with immense grief as I lost a dear friend."
Recalling his numerous interactions with Tata that left him "inspired and energised", he said Ratan Tata was a visionary industrialist and philanthropist who always strove for society's greater good. Interactions with him "enhanced my respect for the nobility of his character and the fine human values he embodied," Ambani said in a statement.
"With the demise of Mr Ratan Tata, India has lost one of her most illustrious and kind-hearted sons. Mr Tata took India to the world and brought the best of the world to Bharat. He institutionalised the House of Tata and made it an international enterprise growing the Tata group over 70 times since the time he took over as Chairman in 1991," he added. "Ratan, you will always remain in my heart."
Adani said India has lost "a giant, a visionary who redefined modern India's path".
"Ratan Tata wasn't just a business leader - he embodied the spirit of India with integrity, compassion and an unwavering commitment to the greater good. Legends like him never fade away. Om Shanti," he said in a post on X.
India has lost a giant, a visionary who redefined modern India's path. Ratan Tata wasn’t just a business leader - he embodied the spirit of India with integrity, compassion and an unwavering commitment to the greater good. Legends like him never fade away. Om Shanti 🙏 pic.twitter.com/mANuvwX8wV
— Gautam Adani (@gautam_adani) October 9, 2024
Anand Mahindra said India's economy stands on the cusp of a historic leap forward and Tata's "life and work have had much to do with our being in this position".
"Hence, his mentorship and guidance at this point in time would have been invaluable," he said. "With him gone, all we can do is to commit to emulating his example. Because he was a businessman for whom financial wealth and success was most useful when it was put to the service of the global community."
I am unable to accept the absence of Ratan Tata.
— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) October 9, 2024
India’s economy stands on the cusp of a historic leap forward.
And Ratan’s life and work have had much to do with our being in this position.
Hence, his mentorship and guidance at this point in time would have been invaluable.… pic.twitter.com/ujJC2ehTTs
Bidding adieu, Mahindra said, "Goodbye and Godspeed, Mr. T. You will not be forgotten. Because Legends never die."
Industry leaders including Google's India-born chief executive Sundar Pichai also mourned the death of Ratan Tata, saying the veteran industrialist cared about making India better.
He leaves an extraordinary business and philanthropic legacy and was instrumental in mentoring and developing the modern business leadership in India. He deeply cared about making India better, Pichai said in a post on X.
My last meeting with Ratan Tata at Google, we talked about the progress of Waymo and his vision was inspiring to hear. He leaves an extraordinary business and philanthropic legacy and was instrumental in mentoring and developing the modern business leadership in India. He deeply…
— Sundar Pichai (@sundarpichai) October 9, 2024
Pichai recalled that his last meeting with Tata was at Google's office where they spoke about the progress of self-driving car Waymo.
RPG Enterprises' Harsh Goenka said the clock has stopped ticking with the death of the titan. Tata was a beacon of integrity, ethical leadership and philanthropy, who has imprinted an indelible mark on the world of business and beyond. He will forever soar high in our memories, he said.
Veteran banker Uday Kotak said Tata made India proud and his legacy remains in posterity. Kiran Majumdar Shaw, executive chairperson of Biocon, shared a picture of herself with Tata, calling him a great man and a great mind.
Tata, 86, breathed his last at a Mumbai hospital at 11.30 pm on Wednesday. He had been admitted to the hospital earlier this week.
