Mumbai:

Industrialist Ratan Tata, who died at the age of 86 in a Mumbai hospital on Wednesday, will be cremated with full state honours, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde announced. The state government has also declared a day of mourning on Thursday to honour the late industrialist. 

Mr Shinde announced that the national flag will be flown at half-mast across government offices in Maharashtra as a mark of respect. Entertainment events scheduled for Thursday have been cancelled.

Mr Tata’s body will be kept at the National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA) in Mumbai’s Nariman Point from 10 am to 4 pm today, where people can pay their last respects. The cremation will take place in the Worli area later in the day.

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

Chief Minister Shinde called Mr Tata an “ideal amalgamation of ethics and entrepreneurship”. “He was a role model for future generations of entrepreneurs and a symbol of India’s industrial growth,” said Mr Shinde.

खो गया देश का अनमोल रत्न

रतनजी टाटा नैतिकता और उद्यमशीलता के अपूर्व और आदर्श संगम थे.लगभग 150 वर्षों की उत्कृष्टता और अखंडता की परंपरा वाले टाटा ग्रुप की कमान सफलतापूर्वक संभालने वाले रतनजी टाटा एक जीवित किवदंती थे.उन्होंने समय-समय पर जिस निर्णय क्षमता और मानसिक दृढ़ता का परिचय… https://t.co/u6MdkdheCC

— Eknath Shinde – एकनाथ शिंदे (@mieknathshinde) October 9, 2024

“Everyone will always remember the determination shown by him after the 2008 Mumbai attack. His firm decisions, courageous attitude and social commitment will always be remembered. The last rites of late Ratanji Tata will be performed with full state honours,” Mr Shinde added.

READ | Ratan Tata Dies: 10 Facts On India’s Most Beloved Industrialist

Mr Tata, who took over the reins of the Tata Group in 1991, was instrumental in the conglomerate’s acquisition of international firms such as Corus and Jaguar Land Rover. He expanded the group’s influence across multiple sectors, from steel and automotive to information technology. A recipient of the Padma Vibhushan, Mr Tata retired in 2012 but continued to guide the group and remained active in philanthropy.

READ | “Thank You For Thinking Of Me”: Ratan Tata’s Last Social Media Post

His death has drawn an outpouring of grief and tributes from across the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi remembered Mr Tata as a visionary business leader and a compassionate soul. Business leaders Gautam Adani, Anand Mahindra, and Sundar Pichai also shared their condolences.

Mumbai:

Ratan Tata on Monday afternoon played down fears over his medical condition after he was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit at Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital early this morning after a sharp drop in his blood pressure. “There is no cause of concern…” he said on Instagram.

“I am aware of recent rumours circulating regarding my health and want to assure everyone that these claims are unfounded. I am currently undergoing medical check-ups due to my age and related medical conditions. I remain in good spirits…” Mr Tata said in his social media post.

“I request the public and media refrain from spreading misinformation,” the 86-year-old said.

A similar post was made on X, with the message “Thank you for thinking of me”.

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

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

An industrialist, humanist, philanthropist, and national icon, Mr Tata is the great-grandson of Jamsetji Tata, who founded a small business that is now one of the world’s largest corporations, with interests across the automotive, aerospace and defence, information technology, steel, real estate, financial services and investments, and aviation, e-commerce, and tourism sectors.

Mr Tata was twice the Chairperson of the Tata Group conglomerate, from 1991 to 2012 and from 2016 to 2017. Although he has long since stepped back from the company’s day-to-day running, he continues to head its charitable trusts. In 2008, he received the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second- highest civilian honour. He received the Padma Bhushan, the third highest, in 2000.

Since his (second) retirement, Mr Tata has become a popular figure on social media, with heartfelt posts about animal rights (particularly dogs) and appeals to Indian citizens.

In fact, with over 13 million followers on X and nearly 10 million on Instagram, he is the ‘most followed entrepreneur’ in India, according to the 360 ONE Wealth Hurun India Rich List 2023.