From Innovation To Philanthropy: How Ratan Tata Changed The Course Of Business In India (image-Instagram/ratantata)

From the moment you wake up and take a sip of Tata tea, cooking your breakfast with a sprinkle of Tata Salt, wearing your Fastrack or Titan watch, driving in Tata cars, to using countless products made with Tata Steel, the brand is a crucial element, especially for middle-class Indians.

One of India’s most powerful and admired individuals and the man behind it all, Ratan Tata, died at the age of 86 on the night of Wednesday. He had been reportedly undergoing treatment at Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital for the past few days.

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From 1991 to 2012, under the chairmanship of Ratan Tata, the Tata Group’s profits multiplied 50 times. The sheer impact the visionary has had when it comes to business in India is far too significant to ignore.

Born on December 28, 1937, in then Bombay, Ratan Naval Tata belonged to the Parsi ethnic community. That Tata’s family business, led by his father Naval Tata, had made a name for itself in manufacturing and commercial fields. Born in luxury and comfort, Ratan Tata returned to India after graduating from Cornell and later Harvard University Business.

In 1962, Tata joined his family business by initially working on the shop floor of Tata Steel. In 1981, he served as the chairman of Tata Industries, where he transformed the group think tank by promoting new ventures and expanding the high-tech business.

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Two years later, he launched the everyday product that now stays in every Indian household—Tata Salt. The salt brand became India’s first national-branded salt. At a time when unbranded and unpackaged salt was widely used, Tata Salt first introduced iodised vacuum-evaporated salt to the large public of the country.

In 1986, Ratan Tata was appointed Chairman of Air India, India’s then-luxury national carrier, before he stepped down in 1989.

Rising through the ranks, he succeeded JRD Tata as chairman of Tata Sons following the latter’s retirement in 1991. As India embarked on an economic transformation that year with opening its doors to the world, Tata too became in charge of the conglomerate’s globalisation process. Despite the internal resistance he faced, Tata pursued what is now called “reverse colonialism” by acquiring British-based brands such as Jaguar, Corus Steel, and Tetley.

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At a time when owning a car was the biggest and richest dream many middle-class consumers of the country could afford, Tata launched the unique idea called Tata Nano in 2008. “I remember seeing a family of 4 on a motorbike in the heavy Bombay rain—I knew I wanted to do more for these families who were risking their lives for lack of an alternative,” he said in a 2020 interview with Humans of Bombay. Touted as the world’s cheapest car, with a launch price of Rs 1 lakh, the Tata Nano failed to become a sensation due to a variety of reasons, such as mechanical and marketing issues. Nevertheless, Ratan Tata stayed true to his idea and maintained his pride over the car.

As a business tycoon, he backed over 50 up-and-coming startup companies in India, giving young and bright minds a much-needed platform to expand their business ventures.

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While synonymous with innovation, Ratan Tata is also often associated with philanthropy and his kindness. The business icon disbursed much of his personal wealth on health and education projects for the deprived sections of society. An avid animal lover, Tata opened India’s first Small Animal Hospital in Mumbai with a state-of-the-art facility for pets. With a special compassion for stray dogs, in Bombay House, the headquarters of the Tata Group, stray dogs are taken care of and provided with amenities, giving them a home and much-needed love and care.