Indian business tycoon Ratan Tata has passed away at the age of 86, as confirmed by the Tata Group, where he served as chairman for over two decades. Tata, recognised as one of India’s most prominent international business leaders, oversaw the conglomerate’s transformation into a global powerhouse, with annual revenues exceeding $100bn. Under his leadership, Tata Group acquired major companies such as Corus, Jaguar Land Rover, and Tetley.

Natarajan Chandrasekaran, the current chairman, described him as an “uncommon leader”, whose legacy will continue to inspire the group. UK Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also paid tribute, with Modi hailing him as a “visionary business leader”.

Born in 1937 to a Parsi family, Tata studied architecture at Cornell University before joining Tata Industries in 1962. In 1991, he succeeded JRD Tata as chairman, a role in which he remained until his retirement in 2012. Despite being drawn into a controversial management feud in 2016, Tata remained admired for his simplicity, passion for fast cars, planes, and scuba diving, as well as his deep love for dogs. He was awarded India’s Padma Vibhushan in 2008 for his contributions to industry and philanthropy.