Dignitaries pay rich tributes to Ratan Tata’s life and legacy

India has lost an icon who blended corporate growth with nation building, and excellence with ethics, says President Droupadi Murmu; Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar hails him as a man of ‘deep commitment and compassion’

Published - October 10, 2024 11:13 pm IST - New Delhi

Police personnel drape mortal remains of Ratan Tata in the national flag, at the NCPA lawns for the public to pay last respects, in Mumbai on October 10, 2024.

Police personnel drape mortal remains of Ratan Tata in the national flag, at the NCPA lawns for the public to pay last respects, in Mumbai on October 10, 2024. | Photo Credit: ANI

President Droupadi Murmu, Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar, and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh were among top dignitaries who offered rich tributes to Ratan Naval Tata on Thursday.

“In the sad demise of Shri Ratan Tata, India has lost an icon who blended corporate growth with nation building, and excellence with ethics. A recipient of Padma Vibhushan and Padma Bhushan, he took forward the great Tata legacy and gave it a more impressive global presence,” Ms. Murmu said in a post on X.

Recalling the towering personality of Tata, Mr. Dhankhar posted on X, “A man of deep commitment and compassion, his philanthropic contributions and the humility he embodied aptly reflect the ethos he embraced. As ‘the legend’ of Indian industry leaves behind a lasting legacy, Bharat would miss him very dearly”.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress president and Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, and Opposition leader in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi had condoled his demise soon after the news broke late on Wednesday night.

Ratan Tata death reactions highlights

“One of the most unique aspects of Shri Ratan Tata Ji was his passion towards dreaming big and giving back. He was at the forefront of championing causes like education, healthcare, sanitation, animal welfare to name a few,” Mr. Modi had said.

On Thursday, former Prime Minister Dr. Singh wrote a letter to the Chairman of Tata Sons N. Chandrasekaran, in which he recalled Mr. Tata as a stalwart of Indian industry who could speak truth to the people in power. “He was much more than a business icon, his vision and humanity demonstrated in the work of several charities founded and nurtured during his life. He was having the courage of speaking the truth to the men in power. I have fond memories of working very closely with him on several occasions,” Dr. Singh said.

Remembering him with pride and affection in a post on X, former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram said Mr. Tata was “a true leader who groomed many leaders to steer India’s largest conglomerate business”.

Echoing him, Congress communication chief Jairam Ramesh said Tata was the gentle colossus of India’s corporate world “who made the Tata conglomerate ready for a post-1991 India”. “It was not easy because he was surrounded by legends themselves when he succeeded JRD Tata, but he prevailed by his vision, resolve, and grit,” Mr. Ramesh added.

Recalling his meeting a few weeks ago, former Law Minister Ashwani Kumar in a statement said, “With the courage to speak truth to power, he will forever remain a role model for those seeking leadership and trust of the community”.

Former Chief Election Commissioner Naveen Chawla talked about Tata supporting small NGOs and recalled how two dogs shared Tata’s office space. “The last time I met Ratan Tata was when I went to see our NGO’s mentor, the late Krishna Kumar at his office, and lo and behold, I was greeted by two dogs, who announced the presence of Mr. Tata in his office, the floor shared by Mr. Tata, KK and the dogs. I was thus able to thank him for the Tata Trusts’ support to our two tiny NGOs that support disabled kids and the leprosy-affected,” Mr. Chawla said in a message.

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