Veteran industrialist and philanthropist Ratan Tata, who died at the age of 86 on Wednesday night, was single and never married. In a rare appearance on a talk show with his ‘friend’ Simi Garewal in 1997, the business mogul opened up about his never being married and admitted that he sometimes longed for a wife and a family.
When asked what motivated him to not have a wife, children or family, Ratan Tata replied, “There are many times I feel lonely for not having a wife or family. And, sometimes I long for it. Sometimes I enjoy having a wife or family. the freedom of not having to worry about someone else’s feelings or someone else’s worries (But) sometimes, it gets very lonely.
He said that many things, including time and his busy schedule at the time, made him single.
“I came very close to getting married many times, It didn’t work out,” said the business giant and noted that “it’s never too late”.
When asked how he unwinds from having such a large business organization, Ratan Tata said he will go for a run with his dog, listen to some music, or watch TV.
The industrialist said he loved to go to the beach and recalled the incident when he and Garewal first met. “This is something I still love. There’s something about being alone where a lot of thinking is done, and a lot of relief is done.”
He also admitted that he is lonely and said “overtime a person becomes lonely, work makes you a little lonely”.
On Thursday morning, Simi Garewal, former actor and TV actress, paid tribute to her “friend” and posted a picture from the 1997 ‘Rendezvous’ show with Ratan Tata.
“They say you’re gone.. It’s so hard to bear your loss..so much.. Farewell my friend,” he tweeted.
Ratan Tata’s body has been kept at the National Center for Performing Arts (NCPA) in Mumbai for the public to pay their last respects.
At 3.30 pm, it will be taken to the crematorium in Worli for a traditional Parsi funeral.