People queue up to pay homage to Ratan Tata at the NCPA lawns in Mumbai on October 10, 2024.
| Photo Credit: Emmanual Yogini

Senior politicians, industrialists, and celebrities joined thousands of mourners, including Tata employees and regular Mumbaikars, in bidding farewell to Ratan Tata, one of India’s corporate giants, as his mortal remains were cremated with full State honours in India’s financial capital on Thursday.

Mr. Tata, chairman emeritus of Tata Sons, died late on October 9, at the age of 86.

Union Ministers Amit Shah, and Piyush Goyal; Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his deputies Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar; Opposition leaders Sharad Pawar, Supriya Sule, Uddhav Thackeray, and Raj Thackeray; industrialists Mukesh Ambani, Kumaramangalam Birla, and Harsh Goenka; Tata Group chairperson N. Chandrasekaran, and Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das were among those who paid their last tributes at the Worli crematorium and the National Centre for Performing Arts where his body was kept earlier in the day.

State funeral

The industrialist’s mortal remains were brought to the crematorium in a van decorated with white flowers, while his coffin was draped in the Indian flag. Mr. Tata’s family, including his stepbrother Noel Tata, and other male members of the Parsi community wore traditional Parsi pagadis (caps), while the women wore scarves to honour him. Mumbai police paid tribute with a three-volley gun salute and a ceremonial guard of honour as part of the State respects. Several States announced a day of official mourning, including Maharashtra and Jharkhand.

“Shri Ratan Tata ji was a visionary business leader, a compassionate soul, an extraordinary human being. He provided stable leadership to one of India’s oldest and most prestigious business houses,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a post on X. “At the same time, his contribution went far beyond the boardroom. He endeared himself to several people, thanks to his humility, kindness and unwavering commitment to making our society better.”

Follow LIVE updates from Ratan Tata’s funeral on October 10, 2024

‘Strong believer in ethics’

The RBI Governor was among the first to pay homage at the NCPA lawns on Thursday morning. “I was here to pay my respects to the departed soul. There are two things that stand out about Ratan Tata – the first thing was that he was a true visionary. The second thing was that he was a strong believer in ethics in corporate governance. Whenever the economic history of modern India is written, I will feel that a full volume will not be enough to describe his achievements. A truly towering personality, a great son of India, a phenomenal person,” Mr. Das said.

“Tata’s legacy will remain as an inspiration for all business leaders in the years to come,” said the Home Minister. “He will continue to be a role model for all business leaders. As chairman of the Tata Group, Ratan Tata brought reform to its working ethos and helped it grow into a formidable industrial group while following all rules and regulations. Every time I met him, his zeal and commitment to the betterment of Bharat and its people amazed me,” Mr. Shah said.

Mr. Chandrasekaran, who became the first professionally selected chairman of Tata Sons with Mr. Tata’s backing said he considered him a “mentor, guide, and friend”. He was present throughout the last rites, consoling bereaved family members.

Reliance Group head Mukesh Ambani came to pay tribute with his wife Nita Ambani and daughter Isha Ambani. Cricketer Ravi Shastri was one of the celebrities who came to pay homage.

“,””],
responsive:{
0:{
loop:false,
autoplay:false,
nav: true,
dots:false,
touchDrag:true,
mouseDrag:true,
items:1
}
}
});
});

Published – October 10, 2024 10:45 pm IST

Mumbai:

The final rites of Ratan Naval Tata – the industrialist with a heart of gold – were performed with full State honours at a Mumbai crematorium this afternoon.

Home Minister Amit Shah was among the many high-profile dignitaries on hand to pay their final respects to Mr Tata; he stands in for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is en route to Laos to attend the ASEAN-India and East Asia summits. Mr Modi last night hailed Mr Tata as a “an extraordinary human being”.

Mr Shah was accompanied by Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, and Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his deputies, Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar.

Earlier today  Ratan Tata lay in state, wrapped in the national flag, at the National Centre for Performing Arts in Nariman Point, before his body was transported to the crematorium in Worli, a distance of 12 km.

Thousands lined the streets to bid goodbye to one of their own, an unassuming Mumbai-born and bred ‘chhotu‘ who transformed the Tata brand into a global powerhouse.

And the country’s most powerful politicians were joined by its most influential celebrities – actors and sportspersons – and the country’s richest, including the Ambanis and the Adanis, in paying their respects.

Maharashtra has announced a day of mourning as a mark of respect for a business leader and philanthropist admired in India and abroad for his simplicity, sincerity, and humanity.

READ | Ratan Naval Tata: Industrialist, Philanthropist, And Indian Icon

Ratan Tata’s contributions to the industrial and development sectors, to the economy and to the lives of tens of thousands of men and women, are too many to count.

Some, perhaps, deserve mention, such as the ‘revenge’ purchase of luxury brands Jaguar and Land Rover, which heralded India’s arrival on the global automotive stage, and his commitment to the welfare of dogs, exemplified by the Rs 165 crore hospital in Mumbai.

READ | The Jaguar Land Rover Story:  Ratan Tata’s ‘Revenge’ For Ford Snub

But his death unquestionably marks the end of an era; he was, perhaps, the last of his kind, someone who, despite fabulous privilege, never appeared to flaunt his wealth.

Indeed, Mr Tata could never be found on a list of billionaires simply because he donated the vast majority – 60 to 65 per cent, if some sources are to be believed – of his income.

The End

Ratan Tata died at Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital late last night at the age of 86.

READ | Ratan Tata, Industry Legend National Icon, Dies At 86

He was admitted Monday but, as was his nature, played down any fuss, declaring he was undergoing routine age-related medical check-ups. “There is no cause for concern. Thank you for thinking of me…”

Thank you for thinking of me pic.twitter.com/MICi6zVH99

— Ratan N. Tata (@RNTata2000) October 7, 2024

Hours later, just as discreetly and quietly, the Tata family broke the news.

“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,” the group’s Chairperson, N Chandrasekaran, said.

As the news spread the outpouring of grief underlined Mr Tata’s stature, but it was a fellow industrial titan, Anand Mahindra, who best captured the emotions of 145 crore Indians.

“I am unable to accept…” he said.

NDTV is now available on WhatsApp channels. Click on the link to get all the latest updates from NDTV on your chat.