'His Life, His Times': A Timeline of the Life Journey of Ratan Tata

Former chairman of Tata Group, Ratan Tata, who died at the age of 86 in a Mumbai hospital on Wednesday, was a visionary business leader and a truly humble human being. In his honour, the state of Maharashtra has declared a day of mourning today. The national flag will be flown at half-mast across government offices. People can pay respects to the late businessman at the National Centre for Performing Arts, where his body has been kept. He will be cremated in the Worli area of Mumbai today.

Ratan Tata was born in 1937. He went on to study architecture and engineering before joining India's biggest business house in 1962. He took full control of the vast Tata empire in 1991 when he was appointed as Chairman of Tata Sons and Tata Trusts. He has been credited with driving the growth and globalisation of the Tata group, which made him not only the most powerful businessman in India but one of the most influential tycoons in the world.

Here's the timeline of the life journey of India's foremost tycoon.

• 1937: Ratan Tata is born to Soonoo and Naval Tata.

• 1955: Leaves for Cornell University (Ithaca, New York, USA) at age 17; goes on to study architecture and engineering over a seven-year period.

• 1962: Awarded bachelor of architecture degree.

• 1962: Joins the Tata group as an assistant in Tata Industries; later in the year, spends six months training at the Jamshedpur plant of Tata Engineering and Locomotive Company (now called Tata Motors).

• 1963: Moves to Tata Iron and Steel Company, or Tisco (now called Tata Steel), at its Jamshedpur facility for a training programme.

• 1965: Is appointed technical officer in Tisco’s engineering division.

• 1969: Works as the Tata group’s resident representative in Australia.

• 1970: Returns to India, joins Tata Consultancy Services, then a software fledgling, for a short stint.

• 1971: Is named director-in-charge of National Radio and Electronics (better known as Nelco), an ailing electronics enterprise.

• 1974: Joins the board of Tata Sons as a director.

• 1975: Completes the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School.

• 1981: Is appointed Chairman of Tata Industries; begins the process of transforming it into a promoter of high-technology businesses.

• 1983: Drafts the Tata strategic plan.

• 1986-1989: Serves as Chairman of Air India, the national carrier.

• March 25, 1991: Takes over from JRD Tata as Chairman of Tata Sons and Chairman of the Tata Trusts.

• 1991: Begins restructuring of the Tata group at a time when the liberalisation of the Indian economy is underway.

• 2000 onwards: The growth and globalisation drive of the Tata group gathers pace under his stewardship and the new millennium sees a string of high-profile Tata acquisitions, among them Tetley, Corus, Jaguar Land Rover, Brunner Mond, General Chemical Industrial Products and Daewoo.

• 2008: Launches the Tata Nano, born of the trailblazing small car project he guided and commanded with zeal and determination.

• 2008: Is awarded the Padma Vibhushan, the country’s second-highest civilian honour, by the Government of India.

• December 2012: Steps down as Chairman of Tata Sons after 50 years with the Tata group; is appointed Chairman Emeritus of Tata Sons.

• October 2024: Mr Tata passes away at the age of 86.