Ratan Tata, the revered industrialist and philanthropist, passed away at Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital on Wednesday night at the age of 86, following a prolonged illness.
Tata’s death marks the end of an era for Indian business, given his far-reaching impact on the industry and society at large.
Despite his towering stature in the corporate world, Tata chose to remain a bachelor throughout his life.
Although he was honoured with numerous accolades, including the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second-highest civilian award, he never married, a decision influenced by circumstances and timing rather than preference.
In a candid interview on the iconic talk show Rendezvous With Simi Garewal, Tata revealed that he had come close to marriage on multiple occasions.
Reflecting on his life, he admitted that he had fallen in love four times but none of these relationships culminated in marriage.
The reason, he shared, was often his overwhelming professional commitments, which took precedence over his personal life. While he sometimes felt lonely, he also appreciated the freedom that came with being single.
Interestingly, Tata was also in a relationship with Simi Garewal herself, a fact that she acknowledged in a 2011 interview. Their relationship, however, did not lead to marriage.
In a conversation with Humans of Bombay, Tata reminisced about his first love, which blossomed while he was living in Los Angeles.
He recalled how he came very close to tying the knot, but fate intervened when he had to return to India to visit his ailing grandmother, whom he hadn’t seen in nearly seven years.
Although he hoped his partner would eventually join him in India, the turbulent geopolitical climate at the time-exacerbated by the 1962 Indo-China war-led her parents to dissuade her from moving, putting an end to their relationship.
Ratan Tata’s mortal remains will be laid at the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) in Nariman Point, Mumbai, on Thursday, where the public can pay their respects.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has announced that Tata will be accorded a state funeral in honour of his monumental contributions to the nation.
