New Delhi. Former chairman of Tata Sons Ratan Tata died in a hospital in Mumbai on Wednesday. He has many international and national honours, including the second highest civilian award, the Padma Vibhushan. But apart from all this, his human qualities particularly stood out, including his love for dogs, his ability to fight silently with dignity and his habit of giving more importance to deeds than words. Confirming his demise, Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran said in a statement, “It is with great sadness that we bid farewell to Mr. Ratan Naval Tata, an extraordinary leader whose immense contribution has shaped not only the Tata Group but It has also shaped the foundation of our country.”
Tata was the chairman of Tata Sons, the holding company of the Tata Group, from 1991 to 28 December 2012. With effect from 29 December 2012, Tata was given the honorary title of Chairman Emeritus of Tata Sons, Tata Industries, Tata Motors, Tata Steel and Tata Chemicals. He was awarded the title of Knight Grand Cross of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire and received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Rockefeller Foundation. He received honorary doctorate degrees from many universities in India and abroad.
Tata lived with his two dogs, Tito (German Shepherd) and Tango (Golden Retriever). His simplicity was reflected when he talked about the death of his pet dogs and how deeply it affected him. Recently in an interview given to Tata Review, he had said, “My love for dogs will always be strong and this love will remain as long as I am alive.”
He said, “Every time one of my pets dies, I go through a grief that cannot be expressed in words. Then I decide that I can’t bear this kind of farewell again. And yet, after two-three years, my house becomes too empty and too quiet for me to live without them, so another dog becomes the object of my affection and attention, just like the last one.”
Their Bombay House headquarters provides care for stray dogs, providing food, water, toys and a play area. This tradition has been going on since the time of Jamsetji Tata. He has also supported animal welfare organizations like People for Animals, Bombay SPCA and Animal Relief.
Tags: ratan tata, Special Project
FIRST PUBLISHED: October 10, 2024, 03:33 IST