According to sources, Union Home Minister Amit Shah will attend the death ceremony of veteran industrialist Ratan Naval Tata in Mumbai on Thursday and represent the Indian government. Shah will pay respects to Tata’s mortal remains on behalf of the government as Prime Minister Narendra Modi travels to Laos to attend the ASEAN-India and East Asia Summits.

Ratan Tata, the former chairman of the Tata Group who built the company into India’s largest and most influential conglomerate, has died at the age of 86. He breathed his last at 11:30 pm on Wednesday at Breach Candy Hospital in south Mumbai after being admitted there in the intensive care unit since Monday.

A recipient of the Padma Vibhushan, Tata was known for his visionary leadership and a series of high-profile deals that reshaped the group. During his more than two-decade tenure as chairman, he led the group through a period of remarkable growth, acquiring major international companies such as British steelmaker Corus and luxury car brands Jaguar Land Rover.

Prime Minister Modi paid tribute to Tata in a post on X, calling him “a visionary business leader, a compassionate soul and an extraordinary human being.” Modi highlighted Tata’s contributions beyond the business world, praising his “humility, kindness and unwavering commitment to the betterment of our society.”

Mumbai Police was the first to report Tata’s death, which was later confirmed by Tata Group Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran, who described Tata as “a truly unusual leader whose immeasurable contributions not only to the Tata Group but also to the Tata Group.” have shaped the fabric of our nation.”

Ratan Tata was educated at Cornell University and began his career in the workshop of Tata Group companies after returning to India in 1962. He gained experience in several companies in the group before taking over the management of National Radio and Electronics Co. in 1971. In 1981, he became chairman of Tata Industries and took over leadership of the Tata Group from his uncle JRD Tata in 1991.

Under Tata’s leadership, the conglomerate expanded significantly, expanding into various sectors such as steel, energy, software and aviation. It introduced India’s first super app, entered chip manufacturing and plans to open an iPhone assembly plant. The group’s revenue reached $165 billion in the last financial year.