New Delhi: Ratan Tata died on Wednesday (October 9) at 86, Tata Sons said in a press statement.
The statement, signed by chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran, did not say what caused Tata’s death. Reuters reported earlier on Wednesday, citing sources, that Tata was in critical condition and admitted to Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital.
“It is with a profound sense of loss that we bid farewell to Mr. Ratan Naval Tata, a truly uncommon leader whose immeasurable contributions have shaped not only the Tata Group but also the very fabric of our nation,” Chandrasekaran said in the press release.
Chandrasekaran hailed Tata’s leadership of the Tata Group and his “dedication to philanthropy and the development of society”, saying he was “more than a chairperson”. “To me, he was a mentor, guide and friend. He inspired by example.”
The Maharashtra government announced a day of mourning in the state. The chief minister’s office said that the national flag will be flown at half-mast at government offices at 10 am. The industrialist’s mortal remains will be kept at the National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA) in south Mumbai from 10 am to 4 pm, news agency PTI reported.
Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren too announced a day of state mourning. “A one-day state mourning has been declared following the demise of former chairman of Tata Group and Padma Vibhushan Shri Ratan Tata ji, who gave world recognition to a backward state of the country like Jharkhand,” Soren said in a post on X.
On Monday, Tata had dismissed what he said were rumours regarding his health as “unfounded”, adding that he was “currently undergoing medical check-ups due to [his] age and related medical conditions”.
Tata was chairman emeritus of Tata Sons, which is the holding company that controls the Tata conglomerate.
He took over as chairman of Tata Sons in 1991 after being named by J.R.D. Tata as his successor.
Tata stepped down as chairman in 2012 when Cyrus Mistry ascended to the post, but returned as interim chairman in 2016 when the board ousted Mistry.
Mistry died in a car accident in 2022.
In 2017 Chandrasekaran became chairman of Tata Sons.
Tata was awarded the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second-highest civilian honour, in 2008.