Lakme Cosmetic co-founder Simone Tata has sadly passed away at the age of 95. She was also prominently known as the mother of Tata Trusts chairman Noel Tata and the stepmother of late business mogul Ratan Tata. She left for the heavenly abode on Friday morning, December 5, after succumbing to a brief illness at Mumbai’s Breach Candy hospital. She was initially being treated at King’s Hospital in Dubai.
Tata Group issues statement after Simone Tata’s death
The Lakme Cosmetics icon will be bid her final farewell at the Cathedral of the Holy Name Church in Colaba, according to a statement from the Tata Group.
“She will always be remembered for her contribution to the growth of Lakmé as India’s leading cosmetic brand and for laying the foundation for fashion retail with the Westside chain. She also guided the work of many philanthropic organisations, including the Sir Ratan Tata Institute,” it added.
“With her positivity and deep resolve, she overcame many challenges in her life while touching many of us deeply. May her soul rest in peace, and God give us the strength to overcome this loss.”
Simone Tata is survived by her son Noel Tata, daughter-in-law Aloo Mistry and grandchildren Neville, Maya and Leah.
Who was Simone Tata?
The Swiss-born Indian businesswoman came to India in the 1950’s, which helped her cross paths with future husband, Naval H Tata. Two years down the line, they got hitched in 1955, and Simone Tata made Bombay her home.
History will remember her for undisputed contributions that ultimately boosted both Indian brands Lakme and Westside to where they stand today. Having pursued her graduation at Geneva University, there was no way of knowing what held in her future.
The Tata matriarch entered the business family business following her appointment to the Lakme Board in the early 1960s. At the time, the cosmetics brand was a subsidiary of Tata Oil Mills. Simone’s acumen ultimately lifted the present-day household brand out of darkness.
Taking charge as Managing Director in 1961, he eventually soared to the Chairperson seat in 1982. It was under guidance that Lakme finally found its footing as a cosmetic brand in India. As is well established now, the company is no longer a domestic unicorn, but also a much-loved name on the global stage.
In 1996, Lakme finally came under Hindustan Lever Limited (HLL), as Tata used the proceeds from the deals to birth Trent, which inevitably beckoned the arrival of the ever-so-loved Westside brand on the Tata horizon. Simone Tata’s brilliance extended to the retail sector through this venture.
Beyond her entrepreneurial streak, the late Tata family matriarch also emerged as the chairman of Sir Ratan Tata Institute and a trustee of charitable organisation Children of the World India (CWI). On top of that, she was even a trustee of the India Foundation for the Arts.
