When Ratan Tata Opened Up About His Childhood, Parents’ Divorce, and Near Marriage

When Ratan Tata Opened Up About His Childhood, Parents’ Divorce, and Near Marriage

ormer Tata Sons chairman and titan of the Indian economy Ratan Tata passed away in a Mumbai hospital on Wednesday night. At 11:30 PM, the 86-year-old corporate titan, who had over two decades of leadership experience at the Tata Group, passed away. Tata had spent Monday night in critical care. Tata’s influence goes much beyond his business accomplishments. Awarded the esteemed Padma Vibhushan, the second-highest civilian honor in India, he led the Tata Group through important turning points and increased its reach throughout the world.

Ratan Tata’s Journey in Tata Group

After receiving his B.S. in architecture from Cornell University in 1962, Ratan Tata joined his family’s business. With only ten years’ experience, he rose to the position of chairman of Tata Industries and, in 1991, succeeded his uncle JRD Tata, who had headed the company for over fifty years, as chairman of the Tata Group. The Tata Group made great technological and telecommunications advancements under his direction, expanded globally, and acquired well-known brands like Jaguar and Land Rover. Even after stepping down as chairman in 2012, Tata continued to be a prominent figure in society and led the corporation as chairman emeritus.

Ratan Tata’s Reflections on His Early Life

Ratan Tata talked candidly about his upbringing, his parent’s divorce, and his early years in an interview with Humans of Bombay in 2020. He thought about the challenges that he and his brother had because it was less typical in that era for parents to separate. “I had a happy childhood, but as my brother and I got older, we faced a fair bit of ragging and personal discomfort because of our parent’s divorce, which in those days wasn’t as common as it is today,” Tata shared. Raised by his grandmother after his mother remarried, Tata credited her with instilling in him a strong sense of dignity. “Our grandmother taught us to retain dignity at all costs, a value that has stayed with me until today.”

The Love That Almost Led to Marriage

Tata also revealed a lesser-known part of his life—tthe time he almost got married. After graduating in architecture, he worked at a firm in Los Angeles for two years. It was during this period that he fell in love and was close to getting married. “After college, I landed a job at an architecture firm in LA. The weather was beautiful, I had my own car, and I loved my job. It was in LA that I fell in love and almost got married,” he recalled.

Also Read: Ratan Tata, National Icon and Visionary Leader, Passes Away at 86

But destiny had other plans. Tata made the decision to briefly visit his ailing grandma in India and hoped that his spouse would follow.The love ended because her parents would not let her move to India due to the 1962 Indo-China War. This intimate story revealed a more vulnerable side to a man well-known for his financial savviness, providing a unique window into his life. Ratan Tata is a successful businessman who is also regarded as a national hero. He will be remembered for his integrity, tenacity, and lifelong dedication to his principles.