The mortal remains of Ratan Tata were taken to Worli crematorium for last rites

A large crowd had gathered on the NCPA lawn to bid farewell and pay their last respects to the deceased.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah paid his respects to industrialist Ratan Naval Tata as a representative of the Indian government in Mumbai on Thursday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is traveling to Laos for ASEAN-India and East Asia summits, expressed his condolences and called Tata “a visionary leader” and “an extraordinary human being.”

Ratan Tata, who died at Breach Candy Hospital on Wednesday evening at the age of 86, led the Tata Group for over two decades, transforming it into India's largest conglomerate through groundbreaking acquisitions such as Corus and Jaguar Land Rover. Tata's leadership skills and humility earned him respect far beyond the business world.

A recipient of the Padma Vibhushan, Tata was known for his visionary leadership and a series of high-profile deals that reshaped the group.

“Shri Ratan Tata Ji was a visionary business leader, a compassionate soul and an extraordinary human being. He ensured stable leadership of one of the oldest and most renowned business houses in India. His contributions went far beyond the boardroom. His humility, kindness and… His unwavering commitment to the betterment of our society has endeared him to many,” Prime Minister Modi said in a post on X.

Ratan Tata, known for his charitable efforts, was chairman of the Tata Group from 1991 to 2012 and made significant strides for the conglomerate founded by his great-grandfather over a century ago. In 1996, he founded Tata Teleservices, the group's telecommunications arm, and in 2004 he led the IPO of Tata Consultancy Services, the group's IT powerhouse. After stepping down as chairman in 2012, Tata retained the honorary title of chairman emeritus of several Tata companies, including Tata Sons, Tata Motors, Tata Steel and Tata Chemicals.