'Many are mistreated...': When Ratan Tata opened up about his personal journey behind cancer care

Ratan Tata touched millions of lives through his unwavering leadership of the Tata Trusts, the legacy of social welfare and philanthropy. Beyond industrial achievements, Ratan spearheaded a mission to transform cancer research, awareness and treatment, revolutionising cancer care in India. His motivation and dedication came from his personal loss when he lost both his parents to the disease. 

Just three years after Ratan Tata was appointed head of Tata Industries, his mother Soonoo was diagnosed with cancer. His experience with his mother in the hospital in the United States influenced his dedication to improving cancer care in India. In 1989, his father Naval Tata succumbed to cancer, which further bolstered his aim to revolutionise cancer treatment in the nation. In a public address, Ratan talked about the personal loss saying, “Both my mother and my father died of cancer. Millions of people are struck by this disease, and many are mistreated, treated too late, or not at all. The country has had poor facilities to deal with it.”

Although Tata Trusts was involved in cancer care with the establishment of the Tata Memorial Hospital in 1941, Ratan Tata’s Cancer Care Program became a beacon of hope for cancer patients nationwide. The program’s initiative, Distributed Cancer Care Model offered high-quality and affordable cancer care close to patients’ homes. Under his guidance, a vast network of cancer care centers was created across the nation to provide early diagnosis and treatment support to patients. His initiatives catered to millions of cancer patients and countless families with financial assistance through the Tata Trusts.  

Ratan’s Tata Trusts has expanded its network to 20 cancer hospitals across multiple states including Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Assam and Gujarat. The trust also funded cancer research initiatives which helped improve survival chances in cancer patients. Ratan Tata’s commitment and legacy in fighting the devastating disease continue to transform the nation’s healthcare landscape while inspiring generations with his philanthropy. 

Meanwhile, Ratan Tata, the chairman emeritus of the Tata Group, breathed his last on October 9, at the age of 86. He had been hospitalized due to age-related health issues at Breach Candy Hospital in South Mumbai. Tata Sons chairman N. Chandrasekaran confirmed his demise with an official statement that read, “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.”