Ratan Tata, the 'decent' billionaire: 5 times corporate titan put people, animals first

Here are some instances when the shy yet daring entrepreneur showed kindness and touched the lives of many

Web Desk

Published: Thu 10 Oct 2024, 3:24 PM

Last updated: Thu 10 Oct 2024, 9:27 PM

The world knew Ratan Tata as the industrialist, an icon, the Indian mogul who transformed Tata Group into a global powerhouse — but the countless people who remember him would speak not only about his empire. Beyond business, he was a man with a heart, one who would put people first over profit.

His contributions to Indian society earned him numerous accolades, including the prestigious Padma Bhushan in 2000 and Padma Vibhushan in 2008. His philanthropic work spans across various areas, from education and healthcare to animal welfare.

Here are some instances when the shy yet daring entrepreneur showed kindness and touched the lives of many.

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1. He stood in solidarity with 26/11 victims

On November 26, 2008, Mumbai was rocked by a series of attacks that lasted over four days, where 10 terrorists launched 12 attacks across several locations of the city. Amid the shootings and bombings, 175 people died, including the attackers.

One of the deadly attacks took place at the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower Hotel, which is a part of the Tata Group. By the early morning of November 28, all sites except for the Taj Hotel had been secured by authorities. On November 29, India's National Security Guards (NSG) conducted an operation to flush out the remaining attackers.

Tata, who was 70 at the time, stood at the Colaba end of the hotel to oversee operations. He would sometimes be on his own and other times surrounded by his staff.

After the attacks, he ensured that the damaged sections of the hotel were reopened.

Tata Group then launched the The Taj Public Service Welfare Trust (TPSWT) for providing humanitarian support in the event of disasters.

Tata personally visited each of the homes of the victims.

2. He ditched a meeting with King Charles for his pet dog

The renowned industrialist once shocked the world when he ditched a meeting with Britain's King Charles III, where he was set to be awarded for his philanthropic work. The reason? His pet dog was unwell.

Back in 2018, Tata failed to claim his lifetime achievement award from the royal and cancelled his royal meeting as one of his dogs — Tango or Tito — fell ill.

When King Charles found out, he praised the businessman's character and his love for his furry friends. “That’s a man. That’s the man Ratan is. That’s why the house of Tata is what it is. That’s why it’s on stable course."

Love for animals

Tata was known for his passion and love for animals. He opened an animal hospital — Small Animal Hospital — in Mumbai.

He had also opened an animal shelter for dogs inside the global headquarters of the Tata building. The kennel was created to house stray dogs in the area.

He would often take to social media to find homes for abandoned dogs. In one of his recent posts, he thanked the community along with dogs who donated their blood to another patient dog.

The phenomenal businessman would also take his pet dog to most of his meetings!

3. He made the Indica car after seeing a family's struggle

The well-known Indica car, which used to be a common sight across India, was inspired by a touching event.

The car's compact design was inspired by a scene Tata couldn't forget: A family of four squeezed on top of a two-wheeler vehicle.

Soon after that encounter, Tata launched the affordable Indica, which was a perfect fit for a family of four.

The businessman, who was quite active on Instagram, shared his fond memories from 25 years ago, when the car was first launched.

4. He saved Ford instead of taking revenge

When Tata's Indica faced some issues, the company requested help from Ford. After attending a meeting in New York with the automobile giant — which was described as 'humiliating' by a person who was present — Tata returned to India with no success with Ford.

The unpleasant nature of the meeting where the group was mocked is what drove Tata to improve Indica, which then led to its massive success in the country.

Nine years after the humiliating meeting with Ford, the US was struck by recession, during which Ford took a major hit.

Instead of taking revenge, Tata made an offer to Ford which helped the automobile giant from going bankrupt and getting a deal worth $2.3billion with Jaguar and Land Rover (JLR).

5. He sent dozens of Indian students to Cornell University

Tata went to Cornell for his higher studies. Years later, the influential personality returned to the university to start a scholarship fund.

With a $28-million Tata Scholarship Fund, Cornell University is able to provide financial aid to undergraduate students from India on an annual basis. Some 89 students have been awarded the scholarship so far.

In a post, Cornell University remembered Tata on the occasion of his passing.

Ratan Tata ’59, B.Arch. ’62, the university’s most generous international donor and one of India's most respected business leaders and philanthropists, passed Oct. 9. We will remember his legacy of transformative giving to Cornell.https://t.co/0v0zYb6aGl
— Cornell University (@Cornell) October 9, 2024