Shantanu Naidu, late Ratan Tata's close confidant and manager, has announced a significant career shift on LinkedIn. Naidu, who was often referred to as Tata's shadow in his later years, expressed his enthusiasm for his new post at Tata Motors.

In his post, Naidu wrote, “I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as General Manager, Head - Strategic Initiatives at Tata Motors!”

He added, “I remember when my father used to walk home from the Tata Motors plant, in his white shirt and navy pants, and I would wait for him in the window. It comes full circle now.”

Along with his heartfelt sentiments, Naidu posted a photo of himself posing with a Tata Nano, a vehicle intimately connected with Ratan Tata's idea of inexpensive mobility in India.

Naidu's relationship with Ratan Tata was intensely personal in addition to being professional. In his will, the businessman mentioned Naidu, emphasising their unique relationship. A Times of India report states that Tata waived his education loan and offered his stake in Naidu's companionship business, Goodfellows.

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Naidu posted a moving ode to his mentor when Ratan Tata passed away on October 9, 2024, following a brief hospital stay in Mumbai.

“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,” he wrote, posting a picture of the two together.

Tata was 86 years old when he passed away. He was a legendary figure in the Indian corporate world. Although his death signaled the end of an era, his influence lives on in Naidu and others he nurtured.