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Ratan Tata dies at 86: Fans remember his kind gesture for woman who trolled him as ‘chhotu’
Ratan Tata, Chairman Emeritus of Tata Sons, died at 86. Known for his compassion, he once defended a woman who referred to him as 'chhotu' on Instagram.
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Ratan Tata, Chairman Emeritus of Tata Sons, died late on Wednesday night at Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital. He was 86. As political leaders and business tycoons mourned the loss of a towering icon of industry and philanthropy, the public remembered a man whose genuine concern and compassion for others marked his every act.
Ratan Tata was celebrated not only for his business acumen but also for his deep sense of philanthropy and compassionate worldview. His love for animals was well known to all, but he was a rare business leader for whom profit was not the only measure of success. Those who knew him, even slightly, remembered him as a man who took genuine interest in the wellbeing of others.
One such incident that perfectly encapsulated Ratan Tata’s compassion was when he advocated on behalf of a woman who called him “chhotu”.
“Please treat with respect”
The incident took place in 2020, shortly after Ratan Tata joined Instagram after a long absence from public life.
In February 2020, Tata shared an Instagram post to celebrate the milestone of reaching 1 million followers on the platform. "This wonderful online family is not what I expected when I joined Instagram and I have you to thank for it," he wrote.
One Instagram user took to the comments section and referred to the national icon as “chhotu” in her congratulatory comment. “Congratulations chhotu," the Instagram user wrote. She was immediately bombarded with messages calling her out for being “rude” and “disrespectful” to Ratan Tata.
However, the woman found an unlikely ally in Mr Tata himself. Ratan Tata defended the woman against trolls in an act that has now resurfaced as an example of his boundless goodwill and compassion.
“There is a child in each of us. Please treat this young lady with respect," he wrote in the woman’s defence.
Screenshots of his Instagram comment have resurfaced after his death as fans celebrated his enduring legacy of love and compassion.
(Also read: Ratan Tata’s assistant Shantanu Naidu shares goodbye post for national icon: ‘Grief is the price to pay…’)
