With his death on Wednesday at the age of 86 in a Mumbai hospital, Ratan Tata will be remembered as the industrialist and philanthropist icon who led Tata Group to global prominence with visionary leadership that remained deeply committed to humanitarian causes. His contributions to India’s industrial growth and his generosity in charitable endeavors will make a lasting legacy.
Tata’s humanitarian work went beyond business and touched the lives of many, including animals. He was well known for loving dogs. He was close to his pet dog, Goa. For this bond, visuals showed Goa sitting outside the lawns of the National Centre for the Performing Arts, Mumbai where Tata’s mortal remains lay in respect to people paying their last respects.
On the stage of the NCPA stood the public and dignitaries bidding their final adieux to a much-beloved figure, Tata, whom people admired and revered for his humility and kindness. Of them was Goa, that stood silently and paid homage to the owner he loved in an offhand yet moving way.
Ratan Tata had not only redrawn the industrial sceneries of India through his extraordinary career but also acted as a big philanthropist with regard to education, health, and rural development of the country. It is a great loss for the nation indeed.
The presence of Goa at the memorial brought out the close nature that there was between Tata and his loyal companion, thus adding an emotional touch to an otherwise grave moment.
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Goa was much more than the plaything of Ratan Tata. He was probably a constant visitor to Bombay House-the headquarters of Tata Group. He had rescued the stray dog in Goa. Naming it after the very place where they had met and took him back home to Mumbai. Gradually, all of them became a part of Tata’s life. He already had some dogs at home.
In a heartwarming show of loyalty, Goa was spotted in the procession as he bid goodbye to the man who had given him a home and a chance for life again. Tata had earlier posted on Instagram, “A few heart-warming moments with the adopted Bombay House dogs this Diwali, especially Goa, my office companion,” showcasing his love for pets. Tito and Tango were also part of his family throughout his life.
Much more than a pet and owner, they were lifetime bonds that such pets inspired in Tata so much that, in 2018, he had once cancelled plans to receive a lifetime achievement award from King Charles III (then Prince Charles) because one of his dogs had fallen seriously ill. His friend Suhel Seth recalled, “Tango and Tito, my dogs-one of them has fallen terribly ill. I cannot leave him and come.”
This incident once again showed how committed Tata was to his pets; it demonstrated how close they were to him and not just pets but families.