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Cornell pays tribute to late Ratan Tata
He served three terms as a trustee and was named Cornell’s Entrepreneur of the Year in 2013.
Tata with students at the 2012 Tata Scholars Reception. / Image - Jason Koski/Cornell University
Cornell University has paid tribute to Ratan N. Tata, one of India’s most influential business leaders and philanthropists, who passed away on Oct. 9 in Mumbai at age 86.
Tata, a former Cornell trustee and one of the university’s largest international donors, left a profound legacy through his support of scholarships, research, and technology innovation.
Chairman emeritus of Tata Sons and leader of the Tata Group from 1991 to 2012, Tata expanded the global reach of the conglomerate while maintaining a focus on public good. His philanthropic contributions, especially through the Tata Trusts, have had a lasting impact on education and rural development in India.
“Ratan Tata has left an extraordinary legacy in India, across the world and at Cornell, which he cared about deeply,” said interim president Michael I. Kotlikoff, adding “His generosity and concern for others enabled research and scholarship that improved the education and health of millions of people in India and beyond, and extended Cornell’s global impact.”
In 2008, a $50 million gift from the Tata Trusts created the Tata-Cornell Institute for Agriculture and Nutrition, and in 2017, a $50 million investment from Tata Consultancy Services helped build the Tata Innovation Center on Cornell Tech’s Roosevelt Island campus in New York City.
Born into a prominent industrial family in 1937, Tata enrolled at Cornell as a member of the Class of 1959. Initially pursuing mechanical engineering, he switched to architecture and credited his training for his success in business.
“Looking back over Ratan's life and career, I am not only filled with gratitude for all he has given and accomplished, but also with a deep respect for his kindness, generosity and eternal optimism that has improved lives in India and around the world,” said J. Meejin Yoon, dean of Cornell’s College of Architecture, Art, and Planning.
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