Ratan Naval Tata, one of India’s most revered business leaders and cherished citisens, passed away last night in Mumbai at the age of 86.
Beyond the numerous accomplishments that marked his remarkable life, Tata’s deep affection for dogs stood out, shining just as brightly as his many accolades.
He often reached out to his Instagram community to help find loving forever homes for rescued dogs.
In one striking example of his love for dogs, Ratan Tata once turned down an invitation from Buckingham Palace. In 2018, Ratan Tata was scheduled to receive a lifetime achievement award for his philanthropic efforts from Prince Charles (now King Charles III) at Buckingham Palace, during an event organised by the British Asian Trust. However, he cancelled his plans at the last moment due to the critical illness of one of his beloved dogs.
This incident was once narrated by Indian businessman Suhel Seth. He recalled that he had received several missed calls from Tata when he was at London’s Heathrow airport. After 11 missed calls, when he finally connected with him, Tata explained, “Tango and Tito, his dogs—one of them had fallen ill. I can’t leave him and come.”