Ratan Tata, the former chairman of Tata Group, has passed away at the age of 86, the company confirmed in a statement. Born in 1937, Tata was an influential leader who shaped the future of one of India’s largest conglomerates.
Ratan Tata graduated from Cornell University with a degree in architecture and structural engineering. He returned to India in 1962 and joined Tata Industries, the group’s promoter company. From there, he progressed to Tata Iron and Steel Company, now Tata Steel, eventually becoming chairman in 1993.
Under his leadership, Tata Steel transformed significantly. The Jamshedpur plant, which had a capacity of 2 mln tons when he took over, now has a capacity exceeding 10 mln tons. In 2004, Tata Steel signed an MoU with the Government of Odisha to establish a new plant, which became the Kalinganagar unit. Recently, Tata Steel commissioned India’s largest blast furnace at this site, increasing the unit’s annual capacity from 3 mln to 8 mln tons.
One of Ratan Tata’s defining decisions was Tata Steel’s acquisition of Anglo-Dutch steelmaker Corus. Despite economic challenges and fluctuating steel prices soon after the deal, the acquisition provided Tata Steel with advanced technology, a broader product range, and access to new markets. This move was instrumental in making Tata Steel one of the world’s leading steel producers, with an annual crude steel capacity of 35 mln tons.
Ratan Tata retired as chairman of Tata Group in 2012 and was appointed chairman emeritus of Tata Sons, the group’s holding company.
