Ratan Tata Cornell University: The Cornell University on Thursday mourned the loss of Ratan Tata, an alumnus and a revered Indian businessman, who passed away at a hospital in Mumbai on Wednesday night.
Tata, who passed away at the age of 86, was Cornell’s largest international donor – supporting scholarships, research to reduce rural poverty and malnutrition in India, and technology innovation.
As a former trustee of Cornell, Tata made historic donations to support scholarships, technology innovations, and other causes, leaving an indelible mark on the university.
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Cornell University tribute to Ratan Tata
As Ratan Tata passed, Cornell University remembered him, his contributions in the field of education and innovation and paid a remarkable tribute to him.
“Ratan Tata has left an extraordinary legacy in India, across the world, and at Cornell, which he cared about deeply,” said Interim President Michael I. Kotlikof. “Ratan’s quiet demeanor and humility belied his international profile. His generosity and concern for others enabled research and scholarship that improved the education and health of millions of people in India and beyond, and extended Cornell’s global impact,” he added, Cornell’s official statement read.
Tata enrolled at Cornell for the class of 1959, as a mechanical engineer major student. However, he then switched to architecture after just two years.
“Though he did not pursue an architecture career – being called back to the family business and starting as an apprentice on a shop floor at Tata Steel – Tata from 2014-19 served on the jury panel for the Pritzker Architecture Prize, one of the field’s top honors.”
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He credited his architectural training for some of his success in business, including learning to approach problems creatively and from multiple perspectives, Cornell stated.
“When Ratan Tata graduated from Cornell with a degree in architecture, it would have been impossible to imagine the global impact his visionary leadership, philanthropy and commitment to humanity would go on to have – advancing education and research across many sectors,” said J. Meejin Yoon, the Gale and Ira Drukier Dean of AAP.
In addition to serving three terms as a trustee, from 2006 to 2022, Tata was named Cornell’s Entrepreneur of the Year in 2013, and served from 2014 on as a member of AAP’s Advisory Council.
Donations by Ratan Tata
According to Cornell University, in 2008, a USD 50 million gift from the Tata Trusts created the Tata-Cornell Institute for Agriculture and Nutrition, a long-term research initiative, and endowed the Tata Scholarship for students from India.
In 2017, a USD 50 million investment from Tata Consultancy Services helped build the Tata Innovation Center on Cornell Tech’s Roosevelt Island campus in New York City.
According to the statement, as of this academic year, 305 Tata scholarships have been awarded to 89 students from India, with a special emphasis on supporting students from “non-feeder” schools, helping to attract talented applicants and elevate the university’s profile there.
Tata, who never got married or had children, valued his years in Ithaca and returned regularly for trustee meetings and reunions, Cornell stated.
“Getting through Cornell gave me a sense of achievement,” Tata said back in 2009. “Those years at Cornell were probably the best investment that one could have made in time,” he had added.
