By Neha Yadav
Published Dec 29, 2023

Hindustan Times
In Focus

Photo Credits: Instagram/ratantata

10 interesting facts about industrialist Ratan Tata

One of India's most renowned industrialists, Ratan Naval Tata is known for his contributions in the business world. Here are some interesting facts about the business tycoon.

Ratan Tata was born on December 28, 1937 in Mumbai to Naval Tata and Sooni Tata. He was raised by his grandmother Navajbai Tata. He is the great-grandson of Jamsetji Tata, the founder of the Tata group.

He studied at Campion School in Mumbai till class 8, followed by Cathedral and John Connon School in Mumbai. He went on to complete his higher studies at Bishop Cotton School in Shimla. 

He received his diploma from Riverdale Country School in New York in 1955. He began his career by managing operations on the shop floor of Tata Steel. 

Ratan Tata later went to Harvard Business School to complete his higher education and also received a degree from the College of Architecture at the Cornell University.

Ratan Tata is unmarried. However, according to an Instagram post by Humans of Bombay, Ratan Tata admitted that he fell in love while working in Los Angeles. But the girl's parents opposed their marriage due to 1962 Indo-China War.

The Tata group received attention globally after the merger of Anglo Dutch steelmaker Corus, British automative company Jaguar Land Rover and British tea firm Tetley under his leadership.

According to the 360 ONE Wealth Hurun India Rich List 2023, Ratan Tata is the 'most followed entrepreneur' in the country with over 12 million followers on X (formerly Twitter).

Known for his philanthropy, Ratan Tata established a $28 million Tata Scholarship Fund at Cornell University to provide financial support to undergraduate students from India.  

Under his leadership, Tata group donated 95 crore to the IIT-Bombay and formed the Tata Center for Technology and Design (TCTD).

Ratan Tata's Bombay House headquarters has a furnished kennel that provides food, water, toys and a play area to stray dogs during the rainy season.