Veteran industrialist and philanthropist Ratan Tata breathed his last on October 9 in Mumbai's Breach Candy Hospital after battling with a prolonged illness. His unfortunate demise has left behind numerous of anecdotes, which will continue to inspire generations.
In a recent interview with NDTV, Ratan Tata's official biographer, Thomas Mathew, revealed that the business tycoon once fell deeply in love with an American girl, named Caroline Jones, during his time in California in the 1960s. However, it seems as if circumstances were not in the favour of the duo.
Mathew stated that despite their relationship, Ratan Tata had to relocate to India after his mother fell ill. Jones's parents, on the other hand, were reluctant to send their daughter to India due to the ongoing tensions with China.
"In 1962, he wanted to come back because his mother was not keeping well. He came back, and Caroline was supposed to join him. In 1962, India was a distant place for Americans, and the war with China (the same year) scared every American, so she did not have the guts to come to India," Mathew said in the interview.
Ratan Tata, in 1991, took the charge of the Tata Group amidst India’s economic liberalisation, and led the firm through vast foreign competition and internal challenges. During his leadership, the group acquired various companies, including some big names - Jaguar and Land Rover (JLR), Tetley Tea, Daewoo Motors, Air India among others.
