Ratan Tata, the revered industrialist and philanthropist, passed away on Wednesday at the age of 86. He had been admitted to Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital earlier this week due to a sudden drop in blood pressure and was in critical condition in the ICU. Tata’s passing marks the end of an era in India’s industrial and philanthropic history. While Tata’s accomplishments are well-known, there are also lesser-known personal aspects of his life that have surfaced over the years.
Though admired by millions, Ratan Tata never married or had children. However, one of the most intriguing revelations came in 2011 when veteran actress and talk show host Simi Garewal admitted to having dated the iconic businessman. In an interview with The Times of India, Simi shared, “Ratan and I go back a long way. He’s perfection, he’s got a sense of humour, is modest and the perfect gentleman. Money was never his driving force. He’s not as relaxed in India as he is abroad.” Although their relationship didn’t last, the two remained close friends, and Ratan even appeared on Simi’s talk show Rendezvous with Simi Garewal.
Interestingly, this wasn’t the only romantic relationship Tata experienced. In fact, the industrialist once confessed that he came close to marrying four times. One of his most serious relationships occurred during the early 1960s while he was living in Los Angeles. He fell in love with a woman who intended to move to India with him. However, the 1962 Indo-China War caused her parents to object to the idea, leading her to marry someone else in the US.
In an interview quoted by PTI, Tata said, “When you asked whether I’d ever been in love, I came seriously close to getting married four times and each time it got close to there and I guess I backed off in fear of one reason or another.”
Following Tata’s passing, N Chandrasekaran, the current Chairman of Tata Sons, expressed his deep sadness. In his statement, Chandrasekaran said, “It is with a profound sense of loss that we bid farewell to Mr. Ratan Naval Tata, a truly uncommon leader whose immeasurable contributions have shaped not only the Tata Group but also the very fabric of our nation. For the Tata Group, Mr. Tata was more than a chairperson. To me, he was a mentor, guide, and friend. He inspired by example, and his legacy will continue to inspire us.”
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