Meet the Woman Who Shaped Ratan Tata’s Life: The Grandmother Who Brought Him Back From LA

Behind every great man is a story—and for Ratan Tata, that story is his remarkable grandmother, Navajbai Tata. While the world knows Ratan Tata as the business mogul who transformed Tata Sons into a global powerhouse, few know about the woman who shaped his life and brought him back from the glitzy streets of Los Angeles to lead one of India’s biggest conglomerates.

Born into a wealthy Parsi family in 1937, Ratan Tata’s childhood wasn’t as picture-perfect as one might think. His parents separated when he was young, and it was his grandmother, Navajbai Tata, who took him and his brother Jimmy under her wing. Navajbai, a powerhouse in her own right, took charge of the Tata estate at the age of 41 after her husband’s death. She raised young Ratan with a mix of love, discipline, and the values that would guide him throughout his life.

In various interviews, Ratan Tata has credited his grandmother for shaping his personality and teaching him the value of dignity. “She brought us up in every way,” Tata once said. “When my mother remarried, kids at school were relentless. But my grandmother taught us to retain dignity at all costs—a lesson I carry to this day.”

Ratan Tata almost never returned to India. After completing his education at Cornell University, he was all set to build his life in Los Angeles. He worked as an architect and was falling in love with the vibrant city. But then came the call that would change everything—his grandmother, old and ailing, wanted to see him again. “In those days, even telephone calls were hard to make,” Tata recalled. “But she appealed to me, and it touched me, so I came back.”

And the rest, as they say, is history. Ratan Tata’s return to India, thanks to his grandmother’s influence, set him on the path to becoming one of the most revered business leaders in the world. Her teachings and love guided him through the challenges of leading Tata Sons and left an indelible mark on his legacy.