Farewell, Ratan Tata: Wrapped in tricolour, notable figures pay last respects to national icon; list here

Several dignitaries paid their respects to Ratan Tata following his passing, including President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Nepal Prime Minister Sharma Oli. Tata's mortal remains, wrapped in the tricolor, were brought for public viewing, allowing many to honor the legacy of the esteemed industrialist

Aishwarya Nair

First Published Oct 10, 2024, 12:27 PM IST | Last Updated Oct 10, 2024, 2:38 PM IST

Mumbai: The mortal remains of Ratan Tata, the Chairman Emeritus of Tata Sons and recipient of India's Padma Vibhushan, the second highest civilian honor, were draped in the tricolor as they arrived for public viewing at the National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA) in South Mumbai on Thursday (Oct 10). Visuals from the scene depicted a large crowd as people gathered to catch a final glimpse of the corporate titan.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will attend on behalf of the central government, and full state honours will be accorded to Tata. Crowds are expected to gather throughout the day, with a special route in place for those wishing to honour the late industrialist. At 3:30 PM, Tata's body will be taken to the Worli crematorium for the final rites.

Among the early ones who arrived to pay respect were Nationalist Congress Party (SP) president Sharad Pawar, his daughter MP Supriya Sule, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray, Aditya Birla Group Chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla, finance industry stalwart Deepak Parekh and Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das.

"It is with a profound sense of loss that we bid farewell to 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," Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran said in a statement.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences, remembering Ratan Tata as a "visionary business leader and compassionate soul." He commended Tata for his stable leadership of one of India's oldest business houses, highlighting his dedication to social causes and his constant display of kindness and humility.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde described Tata as "a unique blend of morality and entrepreneurship," praising his leadership of the Tata Group. "Ratanji Tata was a living legend who successfully led the Tata Group for decades, taking it to new industrial heights," Shinde said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

Here's a list of dignitaries who paid tributes to the national icon:

President Droupadi Murmu

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar

Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Nepal Prime Minister Sharma Oli

Former President Ram Nath Kovind

Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde

Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar and NCP working President Praful Patel

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman

EAM Jaishankar