Leading Indian businessman Ratan Tata, who shaped India’s Tata Group conglomerate, has died aged 86.

Tata had been undergoing treatment at a hospital in Mumbai, according to reports.

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He drove projects at Tata Motors including the Nano – envisaged as an Indian conceived low-cost car for the masses along the lines of the Volkswagen Beetle. Ultimately, the Nano failed to meet the lofty ambitions that were set for it, but many in the industry admired Tata’s vision and his long record as a business leader who led the industrial acquisitions that built up the Tata Group.

In a statement, the Tata Group said: “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.”

India Prime Minister Narendra Modi described Tata on X as a visionary leader, and a compassionate and extraordinary human being.

Tata Sons (Tata Group’s holding company) chairman N Chandrasekaran also highlighted Ratan Tata’s philanthropic activities.

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