Ratan Tata death anniversary: Entrepreneur, industrialist, and philanthropist, Ratan Tata, passed away on October 9, last year. A dark day for the Tata Group, the 86-year-old chairman, inspired and uplifted several unforgettable projects. Born on December 28, 1937, Ratan Tata was the eldest son of Naval Tata and Sonoo Commissariat.
He was widely looked up to and known for his immense compassion, humility, and honour. The peculiar love for his pet dogs and the heartfelt bond will always be a marker in his life. In fact, Tata’s will provided for his German Shepherd Tito, including a fund of Rs 12 lakh and Rs 30,000 allocated quarterly. His longtime cook, Rajan Shaw, was given the responsibility to look after him.
Skipping out on an award for Tito
Tito, Ratan Tata‘s most-loved dog, was adopted nearly six years ago after his previous dog passed away. He has always expressed immense love for his dog. A loyal companion and much more, Ratan Tata even skipped out on meeting Prince Charles in London for him. In 2018, he was set to receive a prestigious lifetime achievement award from Prince Charles in London. However, when Tito fell gravely ill, Tata chose to remain by his side and told the dignitaries, “One of my dogs is ill. I can’t leave him and go.”
A sanctuary for strays
Tata not only cared deeply for his dogs, but he also transformed Bombay House into a haven for strays. One of his top priorities was to provide them with shelter, food, water, and a place to live. Often seen on the group’s social responsibility efforts, the dogs are still cared for with kindness and compassion.
Through his social media, Ratan Tata often appealed for adopting dogs and strays. His active advocacy helped provide emergency medical procedures for injured pets and strays. His team has been especially active during harsh weather conditions, like monsoon, to provide the dogs a safe place to stay. Tata even launched the Small Animal Hospital in Mumbai, providing one of the most advanced animal care facilities for pets.
The inspiring imagery has always portrayed Ratan Tata as a dog-lover. Several viral images have shown Taj Hotel employees shielding a stray with an umbrella during a downpour. It also hits hard once seen in the perspective of the humiliating signboard put up during the British Raj outside the hotel. It read “Dogs and Indians not allowed.” Furthermore, dogs are most often never shooed away from the hotel entries and are a constant feature of celebrations and even red carpet events. Such compassionate gestures have earned Rata Tata immense love from animal lovers and made him a true advocate for the stray.