101 Facts About Ratan Tata

Here are 101 fascinating facts about Ratan Tata, the visionary industrialist, philanthropist, and former chairman of the Tata Group:

Full name: Ratan Naval Tata.
Born on 28 December 1937 in Mumbai, India.
He belongs to the prestigious Tata family.
His parents are Naval Tata and Sooni Tata.
His biological grandmother was Ratanbai Tata, wife of Jamsetji Tata’s son.
Ratan Tata was raised by his grandmother Lady Navajbai Tata after his parents’ divorce.
He is a Parsi by religion.
Has a younger half-brother, Noel Tata.
Grew up in Mumbai’s Colaba area.

Attended Campion School, Mumbai.
Continued his schooling at Cathedral and John Connon School, Mumbai.
Also studied at Bishop Cotton School, Shimla.
Graduated from Cornell University in 1962 with a degree in Architecture and Structural Engineering.
Completed the Advanced Management Program from Harvard Business School in 1975.
Initially wanted to be an architect, not a businessman.

Started his career with the Tata Group in 1961.
His first job was at Tata Steel, where he worked on the shop floor.
He also handled tasks like shoveling limestone and working with furnaces.
He gradually moved up the corporate ladder.
Was appointed Director-in-Charge of National Radio & Electronics Co Ltd (NELCO) in 1971.

Took over as Chairman of Tata Group in 1991 from JRD Tata.
Under his leadership, the group saw major modernization.
Oversaw the acquisition of Tetley (UK) in 2000 by Tata Tea.
Tata Motors acquired Jaguar Land Rover from Ford in 2008.
In 2007, Tata Steel acquired Corus (UK), making it a global steel leader.
Took Tata Group global, operating in over 100 countries.
Revenues grew over 40 times under his leadership.
Profits grew over 50 times.
Instrumental in launching Tata Indica, India’s first indigenous car.
Conceptualized the Tata Nano, the world’s cheapest car.

Featured on Fortune’s list of World’s 25 Most Powerful Businesspeople.
Named among Forbes’ 100 Most Influential People in the World.
Received the Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the British Empire (KBE) in 2009.
Honored by Padma Bhushan in 2000.
Received the Padma Vibhushan in 2008, India’s second-highest civilian award.
Was on the Advisory Board of RAND Corporation (USA).
Member of the Prime Minister’s Council on Trade and Industry.
Sits on the board of Cornell University.
Served on the Asia-Pacific advisory committee for Rolls Royce.
A trustee of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Known for being humble and soft-spoken.
Lives a simple and modest lifestyle.
Never married — once said he was in love, but the relationship didn’t work out due to external pressures.
A dog lover — has several dogs and even dog shelters at the Bombay House HQ.
Passionate about aviation, holds a pilot’s license.
Flew a Dassault Falcon 2000 on its inaugural flight in India.
Known for being highly private and media-shy.
Advocates ethics, transparency, and corporate responsibility.
Is vegetarian and promotes plant-based eating.
Believes in “Leadership with Trust”.

Heads Tata Trusts, which control 66% of Tata Sons.
Tata Trusts focus on education, health, nutrition, rural development, and more.
Donated over ₹500 crores for COVID-19 relief.
Helped fund IITs, IISc, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, and more.
Donated $50 million to Harvard Business School for an executive center.
Donated to Cornell University for Indian student scholarships.
Supports animal welfare and rural upliftment.
Played a role in developing cancer hospitals in India.
Focuses on empowering tribal and marginalized communities.
Strong advocate for education of girls and women empowerment.

Tata Nano was envisioned after seeing a family of four on a scooter in the rain.
Launched in 2008 with a starting price of ₹1 lakh.
Though not commercially successful, it was praised for innovation and design.
Became a symbol of Indian frugal engineering.
It was a passion project for Ratan Tata.

Invested in Snapdeal, Paytm, Ola, Cure.fit, and Urban Ladder.
Known to personally meet and guide young entrepreneurs.
Created RNT Associates, an investment firm.
Also invested in Zivame, Lenskart, and FirstCry.
Has shown support for climate-tech startups.

Honorary Doctorate from University of Cambridge.
Lifetime Achievement Award from Rockefeller Foundation.
Recognized by Times of India, Economic Times, and Forbes India multiple times.
Received the Oslo Business for Peace Award.
Featured in Asia’s Heroes of Philanthropy by Forbes.

Made Tata a global brand respected for ethics and quality.
Revitalized old businesses and entered new-age sectors.
Turned around Tata Motors, Tata Steel, and TCS.
Left the Tata Group in a much stronger global position.
Inspired a new generation of Indian industrialists.
Has mentored Tata Group’s next-gen leaders, including N. Chandrasekaran.
Continues to serve as Chairman Emeritus of Tata Sons.
A symbol of modern Indian entrepreneurship and values.
Continues to work on social impact, rural development, and youth leadership.
Revered not just as a business icon, but as a nation builder.

Despite all his fame, Ratan Tata remains one of the most respected and humble figures in Indian history, embodying service over self, and always choosing values over wealth.