Tata Trust's youngest general manager and Ratan Tata’s close aide, Shantanu Naidu, has expressed anguish over the demise of the group’s patriarch. He has posted a heartfelt farewell message on Instagram.
Ratan Tata, the veteran industrialist and Chairman Emeritus of Tata Sons, passed away late Wednesday at the age of 86 after a brief illness. He had been admitted to Mumbai's Breach Candy Hospital on Monday following a sudden drop in blood pressure and was critically ill in the intensive care unit.
In his LinkedIn tribute, Naidu reflected on the deep friendship he shared with Tata, honouring the legacy of this national icon. “The hole that this friendship has now left with me, I will spend the rest of my life trying to fill. Grief is the price to pay for love. Goodbye, my dear lighthouse,” wrote the 30-year-old.
Who is Shantanu Naidu And How He Met Ratan Tata
Shantanu Naidu, who grew up in Pune, earned his engineering degree from Savitribai Phule Pune University in 2014. He then went on to obtain a Master’s in Business Administration from Cornell Johnson Graduate School of Management in 2016.
After his studies, Naidu started his professional journey as an automobile design engineer at Tata Elxsi in Pune. In May 2022, at the age of 29, he began working with Ratan Tata.
Naidu gained widespread attention when a video of him celebrating Ratan Tata’s birthday went viral on social media. Although Ratan Tata has never married or had children, he has welcomed Naidu into his life as a valued and beloved member of his close circle.
ALSO READ: PM Modi Departs For Laos To Attend ASEAN-India, East Asia Summits
Naidu first met Tata when he proposed an idea to do away with dog fatalities in road accidents. He proposed the idea of dog collars and also wrote to the Tata group in this regard. Naidu’s idea was hailed and he was invited for a meeting to discuss the innovative venture. This marked the beginning of their friendship.