Ratan Tata dies at 86: 9 lesser known facts about business tycoon

Ratan Naval Tata, sometimes known as Ratan Tata, requires no introduction. The industrialist, entrepreneur, and Tata Sons Chairman Emeritus is well-known for his humanitarian efforts on a national and worldwide scale. Born on December 28, 1937, he was nurtured by his grandmother, Navajbai Tata. 

Ratan Tata has received two of India's highest civilian honours, the Padma Vibhushan (2008) and the Padma Bhushan (2000), for his immense contributions to nation-building.

Jamsetji Tata, the founder of the Tata Group, is Ratan Tata's great-grandfather. His parents split when he was ten years old, and he was reared by his grandmother, Navajbai Tata, Ratanji Tata's wife.

It is important to note that he came close to marrying four times but could not do so for various reasons. He claimed that while working in Los Angeles, he fell in love. However, due to the 1962 Indo-China War, the girl's parents refused to transfer her to India. Afterwards, he never married.

Ratan Tata attended Campion School in Mumbai till the eighth grade, then Cathedral and John Connon School in Mumbai, and finally Bishop Cotton School in Shimla. He graduated from Riverdale Country School in New York City in 1955. 

Ratan Tata began his career with the Tata Group in 1961, and his first role was supervising Tata Steel's shop floor operations. He then attended Harvard Business School to complete his education. Ratan Tata is a graduate of Cornell University's College of Architecture.

Ratan Tata took TCS public in 2004. Under his leadership, the Tata Group gained worldwide recognition via the landmark acquisitions of Anglo-Dutch steelmaker Corus, British automobile manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover, and British tea giant Tetley.

In 2009, he vowed to create the cheapest automobile that India's middle class could buy. He fulfilled his promise and launched Tata Nano at ₹1 lakh.

He was also famous for his generosity. Under his guidance, the Tata Group created the $28 million Tata Scholarship Fund at Cornell University to benefit Indian undergraduate students. In 2010, Tata Group contributed $50 million to create an executive facility at Harvard Business School (HBS), where he obtained his undergraduate education, known as Tata Hall. In 2014, the Tata Group gave ₹95 crore to IIT-Bombay, establishing the Tata Centre for Technology and Design (TCTD) to create design and engineering concepts for underserved populations.