Kumar Mangalam Birla, Chairman of the Aditya Birla Group, on Thursday condoled the death of Tata Sons Chairman Emeritus Ratan Tatadescribing it as a “personal loss” to him.
Speaking exclusively to India Today TV, Birla appreciated Tata’s unparalleled contributions to society and said his great legacy goes beyond the industry as he has touched India in a real way.
“Ratan Tata’s legacy as a philanthropist and philanthropist will actually be greater than his legacy as an industrialist, which in itself has been greater. I knew him very closely. I saw him in the role of a colleague, as a member of the Tata Steel board,” Birla said.
Ratan Tata, known for transforming the Tata Group into a world-renowned conglomerate, He died at the age of 86 on Wednesday night at Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai.
Aditya Birla Group Chairman also reflected on Ratan Tata’s lifestyle, noting that the only luxury he allows himself is in buying suits and shirts.
“He was modest. He lived in a simple home and, despite growing up, he had only two or three employees. The only luxury he allowed himself was spending money on suits and shirts. He was a truly kind person. He ran the Tata Group as a trustee of the shareholders and people. Ratan Tata left history once and life that I think we should all celebrate.
Talking about the competition and cooperation between Aditya Birla Group and Tata Group, Kumar Mangalam Birla said that the two groups are like brothers and there is no competition.
“There has never been a sense of competition, one could say that these two groups were like brothers, their fortunes are almost inextricably linked. There was a time when we held more shares in the Tata companies than they themselves. Architects of post-independence India see great similarities, culture and shared values ​​between both families and both groups,” he added.