Ratan Tata dies at 86: Remembering the legend’s heartfelt words about Visakhapatnam

Ratan Tata, the iconic industrialist and chairman emeritus of Tata Sons, passed away at the age of 86, leaving behind a legacy that took India to great heights. A visionary leader and a Padmabhushan Awardee, the man guided the Tata Group from 1991 to 2012, during which time it became one of the most respected global enterprises. While the entire nation mourns his loss, Visakhapatnam has its own reason to cherish the profound memory of Ratan Tata.

Just a day before his passing, a major announcement was made—Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) will be setting up an IT facility in Vizag. It was State IT Minister Nara Lokesh who shared the news, and less than 24 hours later, the world was shocked by Tata’s death. The news felt particularly poignant for Vizag, a city that Tata held in high regard, as he said so himself during his visit here six years ago.

On 10 December 2018, Ratan Tata flew to Vizag as he was invited to be the chief guest of the Andhra University Alumni Meet. His presence sparked mass registrations, as scores of more than 6,000 former students rushed to attend the event!

As India remembers the tycoon’s wonderful life today, Ratan Tata’s momentous speech at Andhra University is particularly memorable for Vizagites.

“How extremely impressed I have been in visiting Andhra University in these few hours and Vizag for the whole day,” was one of the first things he had said as he graced the event. He admitted that though he was unaware of Andhra University’s excellence, he was impressed by it. “Andhra University has been a university that I did not know in terms of the status and imminence it had and the contribution it has made to society. It’s been my ignorance of what has happened in this great university and how involved Vizag is as a dynamic city.”

Ratan Tata’s words at that event continue to resonate today, especially his optimism for its future. He envisioned a partnership between Tata and the educational institution, saying, “I think when I get back to Bombay, I would like to explore what we could do in the Tata Group with Andhra University… and if it makes sense, we will do something together. We should not do something that does not succeed.” He promised to explore opportunities between Tata Group and the university in the realms of data analytics, human genomic sequencing, and predictive businesses.

The people of Visakhapatnam now have a special reason to honour the memory of Ratan Tata, not just for his immense contributions to the business world, but for his enduring belief in the city’s potential.

In what feels like a poetic turn of fate, the announcement of TCS’s upcoming facility in Vizag now serves as a parting gift from one of India’s greatest industrialists.

Stay tuned to Yo! Vizag website and Instagram for more city and news updates.