Ratan Tata cremated with state honours, hundreds gather to say goodbye

Ratan Tata, a towering icon of industry and philanthropy who died on Wednesday, was cremated after he was accorded a state funeral by the Maharashtra government. His funeral took place according to the rituals followed by the Parsi community. He was cremated in an electric crematorium.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who called Tata a “unique blend of morality and entrepreneurship”, also declared a day of mourning in the state on Thursday to pay tribute to the industrialist.
The body of Tata was kept at the National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA) in south Mumbai’s Nariman Point from 10.30 am to 4 pm on Thursday for people to pay their respects. His body was then taken to the Worli crematorium for last rites.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah attended the last rites of Ratan Tata on behalf of the Centre. Amit Shah, Union Minister Piyush Goyal and other ministers and top businessmen like Ambanis were present at the site.
The Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said the Tricolour on government offices in Maharashtra would be flown at half-mast as a sign of mourning. There will be no entertainment events as well.
In a post on X, Eknath Shinde called Tata, who spearheaded the salt-to-software conglomerate for several decades, a living legend who successfully helmed the 150-year-old Tata Group.
“Ratanji Tata was a living legend who successfully led the Tata Group with a tradition of excellence and integrity spanning nearly 150 years. The decisiveness and mental toughness he displayed time after time took the Tata Group to different industrial heights,” Shinde tweeted.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the death of Ratan Tata, calling him a visionary business leader and a compassionate soul. The PM said one of the unique aspects of Tata was his passion towards dreaming big and giving back.
“Ratan Tata Ji was a visionary business leader, a compassionate soul and an extraordinary human being. He provided stable leadership to one of India’s oldest and most prestigious business houses. At the same time, his contribution went far beyond the boardroom. He endeared himself to several people thanks to his humility, kindness and an unwavering commitment to making our society better,” PM Modi said.