Indian Tycoon Ratan Tata Dies at 86.

Indian business icon Ratan Tata has passed away at the age of 86, the Tata Group confirmed. Tata, who led the multinational conglomerate for over two decades, was one of the country's most renowned and respected business leaders on the global stage.

The Tata Group, a cornerstone of India's economy, generates annual revenues exceeding $100 billion (£76.5 billion). In a statement, Tata Sons Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran described Tata as a "truly uncommon leader," offering heartfelt condolences on behalf of the entire Tata family. "His legacy will continue to inspire us as we uphold the principles he so passionately championed," Chandrasekaran added.

During his tenure, Ratan Tata oversaw several significant acquisitions, including the purchases of Anglo-Dutch steelmaker Corus, the UK-based car brands Jaguar and Land Rover, and Tetley, the world’s second-largest tea company.

UK Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds paid tribute to Tata, calling him a "titan of the business world" who played a pivotal role in shaping British industry. A 2011 profile in *The Economist* credited Tata with transforming the family business into a "global powerhouse," describing him as "the most powerful businessman in India and one of the most influential in the world," despite owning less than 1% of the company.

Ratan Tata retired in 2012 as chairman of the group and was named chairman emeritus of Tata Sons, the holding company of the conglomerate. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed him as a "visionary business leader, a compassionate soul, and an extraordinary human being," expressing deep sorrow at his passing.

Born into a traditional Parsi family in 1937, Tata studied architecture and structural engineering at Cornell University. He joined Tata Industries in 1962 as an assistant and trained at the group's Jamshedpur plant. Over his illustrious career, he worked at several of the group's major companies, including Tata Steel and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS). In 1991, Ratan Tata succeeded his mentor JRD Tata as chairman of the Tata Group.

In 2008, he was awarded the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second-highest civilian honor.

Peter Casey, author of *The Story of Tata*, described Tata as "modest, reserved, and even shy," with a "stately calm" and "fierce discipline." Despite being drawn into a corporate controversy in 2016 when his successor, Cyrus Mistry, was ousted, Tata remained a respected figure in the business world. Mistry tragically died in a car accident in 2022

Tata was known for his love of fast cars, planes, and scuba diving, though he gave up the latter as he aged. He was also a passionate dog lover, fondly recalling the many pets that accompanied him over the years. In a 2021 interview, he shared, "My love for dogs as pets is ever strong and will continue for as long as I live."

Despite his enormous success, Ratan Tata was often praised for his simplicity. In 2022, a video of him traveling in a Tata Nano—one of the world’s cheapest cars, and a symbol of one of his most ambitious projects—went viral, highlighting his modest lifestyle.