Ratan Tata was widely regarded as one of the most respected and beloved industrialists in India. Although he may not be as wealthy as Mukesh Ambani, the Tata name carries a legacy that extends far beyond any other corporate house in the country. This is largely due to the Tata heritage and Ratan Tata’s own contributions. After stepping down as chairman of Tata Sons, he continued to serve as Chairman Emeritus. However, it is quite possible that Ratan Tata could be the last member of his family to hold the chairman position of the salt-to-software conglomerate that bears their name. Like his mentor JRD Tata, Ratan Tata has no children. In fact, he has never married.
Ratan Tata was named after his grandfather, Ratanji Tata. His father, Naval Tata, was adopted from an orphanage by Ratanji and his first wife, Soonoo. They had a second son, Jimmy, before divorcing, after which Naval married Simone, a Swiss national who was visiting India. Noel Tata, the son of Naval and Simone, runs several businesses, including Trent. Ratan Tata was only ten years old when his parents divorced, a challenging experience for him. In an interview with Humans of Bombay, he recalled how his grandmother helped him navigate this difficult period. She taught him to stay strong, ignore the taunts and bullying he faced due to the divorce—a significant stigma in the 1940s—and encouraged him to stand up for his beliefs while remaining respectful.
Ratan Tata credits his grandmother for his decision to attend Cornell University. He shared with Humans of Bombay that while his father wanted him to study in the UK, he was determined to go to the US, specifically Cornell. He stood firm and got his wish. To his father's disappointment, he later switched from engineering to architecture, all the while maintaining his dignity.
After graduating, Ratan Tata took a job in Los Angeles, where he worked for two years. Reflecting on his time in the US, he said, “It was a great time. The weather was beautiful, I had my own car, and I loved my job." He also fell in love and nearly got married during this period. However, he decided to return to India temporarily due to his grandmother’s poor health, having been away from her for almost seven years.
Ratan Tata had hoped his then-girlfriend would join him in India. “But because of the 1962 Indo-China war, her parents weren’t okay with her making the move anymore, and the relationship fell apart,” he told Humans of Bombay.
In the years that followed, Ratan Tata went on to lead the Tata Group, elevating it to even greater heights than his predecessor, JRD Tata. Life, as it unfolded, led Ratan Tata to remain unmarried.
