'Goodbye, My Dear Lighthouse': Shantanu Naidu's Heartfelt Tribute To Ratan Tata

Shantanu Naidu, Tata's trusted assistant, shared a moving tribute on LinkedIn, mourning the loss of his mentor and dear friend

Shantanu Naidu and Ratan Tata shared a special bond, which grew through their mutual love for dogs.

Source : Shantanu Naidu /LinkedIn

Shantanu Naidu, Ratan Tata's trusted assistant, shared a moving tribute on LinkedIn, mourning the loss of his mentor and dear friend. Alongside a picture of them together, Naidu wrote, "The hole that this friendship has now left with me, I will spend the rest of my life trying to fill. Grief is the price to pay for love. Goodbye, my dear lighthouse."

Tata, the chairman emeritus of Tata Group, passed away at the age of 86 on Wednesday at Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai. The veteran industrialist had been admitted to the hospital's intensive care unit (ICU) since Monday.

Naidu and Tata shared a special bond, which grew through their mutual love for dogs. In a conversation with Brut India, Naidu fondly recalled Tata’s witty sense of humor and described him as the "Millennial Dumbledore," referencing the wise and beloved character from the Harry Potter series. He admired Tata’s profound wisdom and his tendency to surround himself with young people.

Tata also publicly supported Naidu, once joking, "Clearly, Shantanu doesn't like the work that he's got in my office. So, he looks for dogs that need companionship. The other people that need companionship."

Naidu’s journey with Tata began in 2014 when he was working as a design engineer at Tata Elxsi in Pune. A fifth-generation employee of the Tata Group, Naidu co-founded a project to create reflective collars for street dogs to ensure their safety. After funds for the initiative started to dwindle, Naidu’s father encouraged him to write a letter to Ratan Tata. To his surprise, Tata responded two months later, and the two met in Mumbai. Tata, impressed by Naidu's efforts, invited him to work alongside him.

In 2022, Naidu launched Goodfellows, a start-up dedicated to addressing the companionship needs of senior citizens, an initiative supported by Tata.

The passing of Ratan Tata marks the end of an era for Indian industry, and Naidu's tribute captures the deep personal and professional impact Tata had on those around him.