"She Taught Me How To...": Ratan Tata On Being Raised By His Grandmother

Ratan Tata, Chairman Emeritus of Tata Sons, turned 85 today. The philanthropist, who took over as the Chairman of the Tata Group in 1991, is credited with steering the conglomerate to greater heights. Now, as wishes pour in for Mr Tata on his birthday, the popular Facebook page ‘Humans of Bombay' has paid tribute to the industrialist through a post highlighting his relationship with his grandmother.

In the Instagram post, Ratan Tata shares that it was his grandmother, Navajbai Tata, who raised him after his parents divorced. “She taught me how to live with dignity,” he says, adding that she supported him when his father opposed his plan to become an architect.

The philanthropist recalls that he fell for someone and “almost got married” while working in Los Angeles, US, but returned to India after his grandmother got sick. “Here I started working at the Tata Group. Over six years, I found my footing,” he says.

Mr Tata shares that when he was appointed as the chairman of the Tata Group in 1991 by JRD Tata, the decision drew backlash. “But I let my silence and my actions talk. Ever since my life has been about creating an impact,” asserts Ratan Tata. He adds that this is why even after stepping down in 2012 he still looks into Tata Trusts.

Ratan Tata has strived for the welfare of society by providing affordable cancer treatment or improving rural life in India. The industrialist says he tries to live by what his grandma taught him – “doing the right thing”.

Rata Tata was born to Naval and Sooni Tata in 1937. His parents parted ways when he was 10. In November, Rata Tata praised Humans of Bombay for their work when its founder, Karishma Mehta, gifted him a book containing a story about him. “I salute you, telling stories is important… it's important to work,” he was quoted as saying by the founder.