Skip to content

Search

Latest Stories

Taj’s Tata passes away

Modi: Tata provided steady leadership to one of India’s oldest business houses

Taj’s Tata passes away

RATAN TATA, CHAIRMAN emeritus of Tata Sons, one of India's largest conglomerates and owner of Taj Hotels, passed away on Wednesday at the age of 86. The veteran industrialist died at a hospital in Mumbai.

Taj Hotels, a luxury chain under the Indian Hotels Co. Ltd., was founded by Jamsetji Tata in 1903 and is part of the Tata Group.


Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran, describing Ratan Tata as his "friend, mentor and guide," confirmed the industrialist's passing in a statement.

"It is with a profound sense of loss that we bid farewell to Mr. Ratan Naval Tata, a truly uncommon leader whose immeasurable contributions have shaped not only the Tata Group but also the very fabric of our nation,” Chandrasekaran said. “For the Tata Group, Ratan Tata was more than a chairperson. To me, he was a mentor, guide, and friend. He led by example, with unwavering commitment to excellence, integrity and innovation. Under his leadership, the Tata Group expanded globally while staying true to its core values.”

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on X:

“Shri Ratan Tata Ji was a visionary business leader, a compassionate soul and an extraordinary human being. He provided stable leadership to one of India’s oldest and most prestigious business houses. At the same time, his contributions went far beyond the boardroom. He endeared himself to many with his humility, kindness, and unwavering commitment to improving society.”

He received India's Padma Bhushan in 2000 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2008.

Tata began his career in the group in 1962 and served as director-in-charge of National Radio and Electronics in 1971. In 1991, he became chairman of Tata Industries, leading its transformation into a strategic think tank and high-tech incubator.

Tata briefly worked with Jones and Emmons, a prominent architectural firm in Los Angeles, before graduating in architecture from Cornell University in 1962. He also completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School in 1975.

The Tata Group’s legacy extends beyond business into philanthropy, with more than 65 percent of Tata Sons’ shares funding charitable causes in education, healthcare, and social development. Even after retiring in 2012, he continued to invest in startups and support philanthropic initiatives.

Taj is now the world's second fastest-growing brand, after Sheraton’s Four Points, and has risen three positions in the brand strength index to become the strongest hotel brand globally, according to recent data from Brand Finance. The brand excelled in metrics such as familiarity, consideration, recommendation, and reputation, solidifying its dominant position in India’s hotel sector.

Employees at the Taj Mahal Hotel in New Delhi performed the Indian national anthem in Indian Sign Language to celebrate India’s 78th Independence Day on Aug. 15. The hotel shared the video on its social media accounts, extending Independence Day wishes to all Indians.

More for you

AAIB: Fuel Cutoff Triggered Air India Crash—Preliminary
Photo by Basit Zargar/AFP.

AAIB report: Fuel cutoff triggered Air India crash

Summary:

  • A preliminary report on the June 12 Air India crash in Ahmedabad found fuel to the airplane’s engines was cut off.
  • One pilot asked the other why he cut off fuel, the other denied it.
  • Air India will cut international widebody service by 15 percent through mid-July after the crash.

INDIA’S AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT Investigation Bureau’s preliminary report found that fuel to the Boeing 787-8’s engines was cut off, indicating pilot action may have caused the crash. No actions are recommended for Boeing 787-8 or GEnx-1B operators at this stage.

Keep ReadingShow less
Ranju Alex Marriott Honored with Bharat Gaurav 2025 Award
Tripura Star News

Marriott’s Alex receives Bharat Gaurav 2025

Summary:

  • Ranju Alex, Marriott International’s South Asia VP, received the Bharat Gaurav Award 2025.
  • The award, by the Bharat Gaurav Award Foundation, honors outstanding achievements by Indian nationals.
  • She joins past recipients including Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Indra Nooyi and Gaur Gopal Das.

Ranju Alex, regional vice president for South Asia at Marriott International, received the Bharat Gaurav Award 2025 at the British House of Commons in London. The award recognizes her work in advancing diversity, inclusion and gender equity in the Indian workplace.

Keep ReadingShow less
Wyndham & Cygnett inks Pact for India Expansion
Photo credit: The Economic Times

Wyndham, Cygnett ink pact for India expansion

Summary:

  • Wyndham and Cygnett signed a 10-year deal to launch La Quinta and Registry Collection Hotels in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
  • Gurgaon-based Cygnett, founded in 2014, is led by Founder and Managing Director Sarbendra Sarkar.
  • In June, Wyndham CEO Geoff Ballotti announced India expansions at the company’s 2025 Global Conference in Las Vegas.

WYNDHAM HOTELS & RESORTS and Cygnett Hotels & Resorts signed a 10-year deal to launch La Quinta by Wyndham and Registry Collection Hotels in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. The partnership aims to add more than 60 hotels across the region over the next decade.

Keep ReadingShow less
Marriott hotel expansion South Asia

Ventive, Marriott ink 7-hotel deal for India, Sri Lanka

Summary:

  • Ventive Hospitality entered management contracts with Marriott International for seven hotels with 1,548 rooms in India and Sri Lanka.
  • The deal includes brand debuts in Sri Lanka, Varanasi, Pune, Navi Mumbai and Mundra, with plans for a hotel on Ventive’s leasehold land in Mundra.
  • Three properties involve capital expenditure of Rs 700 to 750 crore and are on Ventive’s balance sheet.

VENTIVE HOSPITALITY ENTERED management contracts with Marriott International for seven hotels totaling 1,548 rooms in India and Sri Lanka, all scheduled to open in 2030. The partnership will increase Ventive’s portfolio from 11 hotels in India and the Maldives with 2,000 keys to more than 4,000 keys in four to five years.

Keep ReadingShow less
Open Hotels by Olive launches AI-powered remote hospitality model with US patent filing

India's Olive debuts AI hotel brand ‘Open’

Summary:

  • Olive by Embassy launched Open Hotels, a remote-operated, AI-native brand.
  • Filed a U.S. patent application for its Remote Hotel Management System.
  • Aims to operate 1,000 hotels in India by 2030 and expand globally.

INDIA’S EMBASSY GROUP hospitality arm, Olive, recently launched Open Hotels, a remote-operated, AI-native hotel brand. The sub-brand plans to integrate 130 hotels and generate $23.5 million or Rs 200 crore in revenue this financial year.

Keep ReadingShow less