Was Ratan Tata adopted and not JRD Tata's biological son?

Written By Sonali Sharma | Updated: Oct 11, 2024, 02:17 PM IST

He received his early education at Campion School, Mumbai, Cathedral and John Connon School, Mumbai, Bishop Cotton School, Shimla, and Riverdale Country School in New York City.

Ratan Tata Death: Ratan Tata, Chairman Emeritus, Tata Sons, passed away on Wednesday evening. For the past few days, Mr. Tata was admitted to the Breach Candy Hospital in south Mumbai. Mr. Tata was hospitalized on Monday (October 7, 2024) owing to age-related issues and to control his blood pressure. Ratan Tata known for his humility and simplicity, rose to become the Chairman of the Tata Group. 

Ratan Tata has often been compared to Jamshedji Tata and JRD Tata. For a very long time, the Tata family has represented more than just business success. The Tata family is deeply committed to improving society and is founded on humanitarian ideals, inventiveness, and strong dedication. 

However, many people might find it intriguing because Naval Tata, Ratan Tata's father, was merely a distant member of the Tata business family when he was born on August 30, 1904.

At Ahmedabad Advance Mills, Naval Tata's father was employed as a spinning master. When Naval was four years old in 1908, his mother sent him to Navsari, Gujarat, where she began to work as an embrioder to make ends meet.

Under these conditions, Naval Tata was placed in the JN Petit Parsi Orphanage, where he became acquainted with Sir Ratanji Jamsetji Tata's wife, Navajbai Tata. At thirteen, Navajbai decided to adopt Naval. Naval Tata then received formal education, graduating from the University of Bombay with a degree in economics. After that, he travelled to London and enrolled in accounting studies.

Ratan Tata, Adopted and Raised By Grandmother

Ratan Tata was born on December 28, 1937 into a Parsi household in Bombay, British India (now known as Mumbai). Sooni Commissariat and Naval Tata were his parents. Ratan Tata's parents separated when he was only ten years old. 

Following that, he was formally adopted by his grandmother, Nawazbai Tata, via the J.N. Petit Parsi Orphanage. Noel Tata, the stepbrother of Naval and Simone Tata, was reared with Ratan Tata. His early schooling was at Bishop Cotton School in Shimla, Cathedral and John Connon School in Mumbai, Campion School in Mumbai, and Riverdale Country School in New York City. He was a Harvard Business School and Cornell University alum. At the age of 86, Ratan Tata departed from this life on October 9.

Despite graduating from Cornell University with degrees in architecture and structural engineering and completing the Harvard Advanced Management Program, Ratan Tata began his career with humility in 1962, working for Telco (now Tata Motors) and then Tata Steel, where he was employed in the blast furnace crew and limestone quarries.