Ratan Tata once surprised his dog trainer at Bombay VT: 'You hold the pup, I’ll take...'

Ratan Tata, the iconic industrialist and philanthropist, is revered not only for his business sense but also for his passion for animals, especially dogs. A story from 1984 is illustrative of this relationship when Tata came across a fluffy German Shepherd puppy during a visit to TELCO in Jamshedpur. Intrigued by its high spirits, he made arrangements to have the puppy brought to his house in Mumbai—very much more than a formality.

Tito was the puppy that was given to the TELCO dog trainer by name Uday Kumar to be taken through training. Kumar was surprised to see Tata himself standing in the Bombay VT station when he reached there. Tata could not be more humble and kind to her; he said to her, “You take the pup and let me take your bags.” It was the start of a one-month relationship that Tata gave to Kumar; he ate like a pet and was even fed the same food that Tata gave his pet dog.

Tata’s concern for animals did not end with this first meeting. In 2018, he turned down a lifetime achievement award presented to him by King Charles III at Buckingham Palace to look after an ill dog that touched the King. Additionally, in his will, Tata provided for Tito to be taken care of for his entire life by Rajan Shaw, Tata’s cook for many years.

Tata’s legacy is also evident in the philanthropic works he had for the welfare of animals. He has established India’s largest tertiary care animal hospital in Mumbai to make sure that thousands of pets get the medical care they need. His headquarters is Bombay House, where he allows stray dogs to enter and feed on food that has been provided for them—a mark of his generosity.