New Delhi:

Air India, Air India Express and Vistara are making inflight announcements on Thursday in remembrance of Tata Group patriarch Ratan Tata for whom aviation was especially close to his heart.

Ratan Tata, 86, who was also Tata Sons Chairman Emeritus, breathed his last on Wednesday night at a Mumbai hospital.

Officials on Thursday said the three airlines, part of the Tata Group, will be making announcements in remembrance of Ratan Tata in their flights during the day.

The demise of Ratan Tata also comes at a time when the conglomerate is in the process of completing the consolidation of its airline business — the integration of Air India Express and AIX Connect was completed on October 1 while the merger of Vistara with Air India is set for November 12.

Vistara is a joint venture between the Tata Group and Singapore Airlines.

Air India CEO and MD Campbell Wilson told the staff that Air Indians especially acknowledge and are grateful for Ratan Tata’s immense contribution to Indian aviation and to the Tata airlines.

In his message to employees, Air India Express MD Aloke Singh said Ratan Tata’s passion and immense contribution to aviation and his guidance in the shaping the group and organisation makes the loss deeper.

“His legacy lives on and continues to inspire us in our journey ahead,” he added.

Vistara CEO Vinod Kannan told staff that Ratan Tata has been and will continue to be an inspiration to all of us in the Tata Group and across the nation. “The aviation vertical was especially close to his heart”.

Meanwhile, as a mark of respect for late Ratan Tata, Air India Express switched over to a theme featuring white lillies in a dark background on its website and social media handles.

Not just the Tata Group airlines, IndiGo, SpiceJet, and Akasa Air also paid tributes to Ratan Tata.

Aircraft maker Boeing’s India and South Asia President Salil Gupte said his remarkable contributions have left an indelible mark not only on the aerospace and defence sectors but also on various industries and society at large.

“Mr. Tata exemplified integrity, innovation, and compassion, guiding the Tata Group to unprecedented heights while upholding the highest standards of corporate responsibility. His influence will continue to inspire future generations, serving as a guiding light for all of us in the industry,” Gupte said in a statement.

Remi Maillard, President & Managing Director at Airbus India & South Asia, said Ratan Tata’s leadership shone through in business as well as in philanthropy and that the exemplary thing was his modesty, humanity and belief that success is most rewarding when shared with the community.

“Mr Tata’s passion for aviation is well known. We will fondly remember hosting him in Toulouse and discussing his love of flying and aviation in general. His zeal and vision for the revival of Air India as part of the Tata family will continue to inspire.” he said in a post on LinkedIn.

IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers said his invaluable contribution, source of inspiration and legacy, in so many areas to the nation, will live on.

“At IndiGo, we are grateful for his visionary leadership and contribution to Indian aviation, and deeply saddened by the loss,” according to Elber’s message posted by IndiGo on Instagram.

On X, Akasa Air said Ratan Tata’s legacy is one of unparalleled excellence, innovation and compassion.

SpiceJet, in a post on X, mourned the passing away of Ratan Tata and described him as a visionary leader and pioneering entrepreneur who dedicated his life to building modern India through innovation and social responsibility.

Singapore Airlines, which has a long association with the Tata Group, expressed condolences on the demise of Ratan Tata, saying he was a “visionary global business leader, as well as a cherished partner and dear friend”.

“He played a pivotal role in setting up our Vistara joint venture over a decade ago, laying the foundation for a strong and enduring relationship between Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines. Vistara quickly established itself as India’s most-loved full service airline,” Singapore Airlines CEO Goh Choon Phong said in a statement.

Ratan Tata, who was also a pilot and passionate about aviation, played a key role in Tata Group’s acquisition of Air India from the government in January 2022.

Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu, in a post on X, said Ratan Tata’s visionary leadership not only transformed India’s industry but also played a pivotal role in shaping the country’s aviation sector.

As a mark of respect for late Ratan Tata, European aircraft maker Airbus on Thursday cancelled the inauguration of its new India and South Asia headquarters and training centre in the national capital.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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.

Sudha Murty, author-philanthropist and Rajya Sabha MP, on Thursday, paid homage to noted industrialist Ratan Tata, saying his death marked the “end of an era”, adding she felt “vacuumed in my personal life.”

“… In my life, I met him (Ratan Tata), a man of integrity, and simplicity, always caring for others and compassionate… I really miss him… I don’t think in my experience I met anyone like him. May I only pray, may his soul rest in peace. He was a legend, there was an era, but this is the end of an era for me,” Murty told ANI. 

Murty said that Tata was a “person of integrity,” which was so important.

“He was like that. He had enormous patience. He was a simple man… I learn philanthropy in the House of Tatas only. It’s my personal loss… I feel now vacuumed in my personal life,” she added.

#WATCH | Bengaluru, Karnataka | On the demise of Ratan Tata, author-philanthropist and Rajya Sabha MP Sudha Murty says, “… In my life, I met him (Ratan Tata), a man of integrity, and simplicity, always caring for others and compassionate… I really miss him… I don’t think in… pic.twitter.com/hDb6Qbfhau

— ANI (@ANI) October 10, 2024

Eighty-six-year-old Ratan Tata, chairman emeritus of Tata Sons and a philanthropist, died at the Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai on October 9.

According to reports, he was admitted to the hospital in a critical condition. 

“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,” Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran said in a statement.

Earlier in the day, President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to Tata.

The President noted the country “lost an icon who blended corporate growth with nation building, and excellence with ethics.” 

Offering condolences to his family and the entire team of the Tata Group, she said Tata’s contribution to philanthropy and charity is “invaluable.” 

Prime Minister Modi also expressed his condolences on Tata’s death and said he was “a visionary business leader, a compassionate soul and an extraordinary human being”.

Tata’s last rites will be performed with full state honours, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde announced on Thursday.

While PM Modi has left for Laos to attend the ASEAN-India and East Asia summits, Union Home Minister Amit Shah will be at the late billionaire industrialist’s funeral.