Ratan Tata Dies: See 10 Interesting Facts About Him & His Achievements

Key Highlights

• Ratan Tata, the chairman of Tata Group, has passed away at 86
• His vision created the top-selling cars in the Indian subcontinent
• Read the top 10 interesting facts about Ratan Tata that you didn't know

Ratan Tata, one of the most famous and loved industrialists from India, has passed away at the age of 86. He took his last breath on October 9 in India after continuously fighting his deteriorating health. While he was known for his vast industrial experience, creating new segments and services, Tata Motors is one of the most influential names in the automotive industry that he was proud of. During his lifetime, he took major steps in developing new cars & niches that no other car manufacturer could. Read such 10 interesting facts about Mr. Ratan Tata in our detailed report below, to make you adore him even more.

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Ratan Tata: History, Achievements, Personal Life, Career, & More

1. Mr. Ratan Tata was born to a Parsi family in Mumbai on 28 December 1937. He was the great-grandson of Mr. Jamsetji Tata, who was the founder of the Tata Group. His parents were Mr. Naval Tata and Ms. Sooni Tata. He was only 10 years old when his parents separated, and later on, he was raised by his grandmother Navajbai Tata.
2. Mr. Ratan Tata was a curious sage since his childhood and that was reflected in his ideas and studies. To expand his pool of knowledge, he got admitted to Cornell University for graduation and later on completed a management program at Harvard Business School.
3. While he always refrained from sharing his personal life, he never got married. In fact, in an interview, he admitted to loving a girl while he was working in Los Angeles, USA. He wanted to marry her, but the girl's parents refused due to the Indo-China war, as they did not want her to move into a fragile environment.
4. In 1961, he was formally appointed as a shop floor worker at the famous Tata Steel factory in Jamshedpur, India. Unlike other businessmen, he was not privileged directly with a management chair but he had worked on the experience ladder set up by his family. This was the beginning of a remarkable career. Later, he was promoted to an assistant at Tata Industries.
5. However, it was in 1991 when Ratan Tata became the chairman of the Tata Group and remained so till 2012. His tenure as the leader proved to be remarkable, leading to a complete transformation of the Tata brand name and value. He started new ventures and took them to the global level. Moreover, he successfully acquired international firms such as Tetley (UK) & Corus (UK). It was in 2008 when Tata Group acquired the British luxury car manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover, thus, leading to an immense improvement of the image of Tata Motors.
6. His significant contribution to the automotive world came through different cars and body styles that he launched in India and later on in the global markets. It began in 1998 when the first affordable passenger car Indica was introduced in India. The car became an instant hit due to its frugal engine and spacious cabin. Later on, Tata launched cars and SUVs like Safari, Sierra, etc. All of these models were also sold in the global car markets like Spain, Italy, and Britain as well.
7. Just after the acquisition of Jaguar Land Rover, Tata Motors launched the Nano which was the world's cheapest car, available at just $1,191, on sale back then. However, due to the negative marketing of Nano being cheap, the car did not sell well as per the expectations. Later on, Ratan Tata axed the Nano and publicly admitted that it was his mistake to market it as the "cheapest car".
8. Ratan Tata was an avid lover of airplanes. In fact, he flew an F-16 Falcon fighter jet in the UK, becoming the first Indian to fly it. In 2018, he took the audience at the Indian Air Force show by making a surprise entry in an F/A-18 Superhornet fighter jet. Due to his love and vision for airplanes, Tata Group acquired Air India completely in 2022, and a merger with Vistara Airlines is also going to take place very soon.
9. His tremendous achievements were not only limited to automobiles and technology, but he also loved animals a lot. In fact, he recently inaugurated an animal hospital run by the Tata Group, in Mumbai. It is open to all and stray animals like dogs, cats, cows, etc., are all treated from Tata Trust funds.
10. All of his life's work was whole-heartedly mentioned, acknowledged, and appreciated by the Indian government, as he was awarded the second-highest civilian honor Padam Vibhushan Award, back in 2008 for his lifetime achievements. But his award-winning list does not end here, he was awarded Padam Bhushan (2000), Honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (2009), Business Leader of the Year (2006), Oslo Business for Peace Award (2010), Lifetime Achievement Award (2014), Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy (2007), and CNN-IBN Indian of the Year in Business (2006).

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Ratan Tata: Contribution To The Automotive World

It is no hidden fact that Mr. Ratan Tata was solely responsible for launching new cars and introducing new segments in India as well as select global markets. Some of his major highlights or key achievements in the auto world are as follows:

1. In 1998, Tata launched Indica in India. The Indica was an entry-level hatchback that was offered with petrol and diesel engine options. It became an instant hit due to its fuel-efficient engine, spacious cabin, and comfortable ride quality. Later on, Tata launched a more refined version of it in 2001, named V2. It sold so well that Indica broke top-selling car records in India. It was later exported to international markets like the UK, Spain, Italy, and South Africa.
2. Tata also introduced the Safari SUV in 1998, which became the first-ever affordable 4X4 lifestyle vehicle in India. It was loved for its handsome looks, super comfortable ride, and road presence. Tata also became the first manufacturer to sell a full-size SUV with a turbo-petrol engine option. However, this engine was later axed due to its poor efficiency. The Safari was also sold in the Nordic nations and the Latin American market.
3. In 2008, Ratan Tata acquired the British luxury car brand Jaguar Land Rover in an interesting case of revenge. It is reported that Ratan Tata had earlier tried to partner with JLR but the meetings were not fruitful. In fact, it is said that a few words of humiliation were also aimed at him. However, the tables turned and JLR came to an abrupt end, facing bankruptcy verge. There and then, Tata Group came and conquered the JLR brand, thus, saving the brand identity. Not only that, but, Tata also managed to save the Land Rover brand from completely submerging into the sea of failure.  
4. In some interviews, Ratan Tata exposed his wish to create an affordable car that could be utilized by families who travel by two-wheelers. His compassionate nature turned his dream into a reality in 2009 when Tata Nano was launched in India. The Rs 1 lakh car, or the most affordable car in the world was launched. Tata Nano became an instant hit but its magic faded away soon as customers did not want to get associated with the 'cheap car' brand tag. Therefore, despite facelifts and feature add-ons, the dream car of Ratan Tata failed eventually and its production was shut down in January 2020.
5. Under the leadership of Mr. Ratan Tata, the Tata Group grew from a $5 billion organization to a $100 billion organization. This success is nothing short of a testimony of his excellence, his vision, and his hard work.

While the whole auto world mourns the passing away of Mr. Ratan Tata, we at CARS24 salute his courage and humility that changed the dimensions of the automotive world globally.

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