Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan pays tribute to Ratan Tata, calls “Navratnas” of India

New Delhi [India], October 10 (ANI): Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday paid tribute to renowned industrialist Ratan Tata, and referred to him as “Navratnas” of India.

Ratan Tata, Chairman Emeritus, Tata Sons, passed away at Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai on Wednesday night. He was 86.

“…Tata is one of the Navratnas of our country… I was fortunate to spend some time with him. Ratan Tata was a very simple, ordinary and very affectionate person. The country has suffered a loss with his death. His thoughts, suggestions, and guidance, are definitely important for all of us, the policymakers of the country… We will definitely miss Ratan Tata ji.”

“I pray to God that the values and ideas that Ratan Tata ji carried, may those thoughts remain relevant in the development of our country,” Pradhan added.

Meanwhile, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey also expressed grief over the demise of Ratan Tata. “It is a big loss for Jharkhand… Ratan Tata started his life as an engineer but he has also worked in furnaces… He was always concerned about Jharkhand… He wanted to build another steel plant in Santhal Pargana… He was a very noble person,” he said.

The mortal remains of Ratan Tata was moved to the Worli crematorium in Mumbai from the lawns of the NCPA at Nariman Point in the city, where it was kept for the masses to pay their last respects. A large throng of people had gathered at the NCPA lawns to pay their last respects.

The mortal remains were taken for final journey to the Prayer Hall at the Worli Crematorium, Dr E Moses Road, Worli for the final rites was kept for the masses to pay their last respects. Union Ministers Amit Shah and Piyush Goyal, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis were among those who arrived at the crematorium to attend the last rites.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will attended the last rituals of the veteran industrialist on behalf of the Government of India. Gujarat government has declared one day of mourning in respect of Ratan Tata today.

The national flag will be flown at half-mast and no cultural or entertainment programme of the government will be held today.

Ratan Tata, born on December 28, 1937, in Mumbai, was the Chairman of Ratan Tata Trust and Dorabji Tata Trust, two of the largest private-sector-promoted philanthropic trusts in India. He was the Chairman of Tata Sons, the holding company of the Tata Group, from 1991 until his retirement in 2012. Then he was appointed Chairman Emeritus of Tata Sons.

He was honoured with the country’s second-highest civilian award, the Padma Vibhushan, in 2008.