Ratan Tata, the revered industrialist and philanthropist, passed away on Wednesday night at the age of 86 at Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai. Tata had been undergoing treatment for a prolonged illness. His passing marks a significant loss for the nation, as his impact on India’s corporate world and philanthropic efforts has been immense.
Despite being a recipient of the Padma Vibhushan and having an unparalleled list of achievements, Tata remained unmarried throughout his life. In a rare appearance on “Rendezvous with Simi Garewal,” he opened up about his personal life, sharing his reflections on not having a wife or family. He admitted to experiencing moments of loneliness, saying, “There are many times that I feel lonely about not having a wife or a family, and sometimes I long for it. Sometimes I enjoy the freedom of not having to worry about the feelings or concerns of someone else. Other times, it does get a little lonely.”
Why Ratan Tata Never Married
When asked why he never married, Tata explained it was due to a combination of factors, including timing and his deep focus on work. “A whole series of things (stopped me from marrying) – timing, my absorption in work at the time. I came close to getting married sometimes, but it didn’t work out,” he said.
He revealed he had fallen in love about four times and was close to getting married, but circumstances always intervened. Incidentally, Tata was in a relationship with Simi Garewal, who admitted to it in an interview in 2011. More recently, in a chat with Humans of Bombay, Tata opened up about his first love and why he couldn’t marry her. “It was in LA that I fell in love and almost got married. But at the same time, I had made the decision to move back, at least temporarily, since I had been away from my grandmother, who wasn’t keeping too well, for almost seven years. So I came back to visit her and thought that the person I wanted to marry would come to India with me, but because of the 1962 Indo-China war, her parents weren’t okay with her making the move anymore, and the relationship fell apart,” he revealed.
Ratan Tata’s mortal remains will be kept at the National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA) in south Mumbai’s Nariman Point from 10 am to 4 pm on Thursday. Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde announced that Tata will be accorded a state funeral by the Maharashtra government.
Ratan Tata’s passing leaves a profound void in India’s corporate and philanthropic landscape, but his legacy as a visionary leader and compassionate soul will endure.