Ratan Tata, the former Tata Group chief executive who brought a staid and sprawling Indian conglomerate onto the world stage with a series of high-profile acquisitions, has died, the Tata Group said in a statement late on Wednesday. He was 86.

Celebrities from various industries have come to X to pay their respects to the philanthropist and business tycoon.

What did Anand Mahindra say?

“I cannot accept the absence of Ratan Tata,” Anand Mahindra wrote as he shared a picture of the national icon. In the following lines, the Chairman of Mahindra and Mahindra expressed that Ratan Tata’s “mentorship and leadership” would have been invaluable during this time as “India’s economy is on the cusp of a historic leap forward.”

“Goodbye and get well soon Mr T,” Mahindra wrote as he finished his X share.

Check out the full post here:

Tribute to Harsh Goenka:

“The clock has stopped ticking. The Titan dies. #RatanTata was a role model of integrity, ethical leadership and philanthropy who left an indelible mark on the business world and beyond. He will be remembered forever. RIP,” Harsh Goenka posted, expressing his sadness over the death of Ratan Tata.

N Chandrasekaran’s statement

Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran confirmed the news of the death of India’s most popular industrialist. “It is with a deep sense of loss that we bid farewell to Mr. Ratan Naval Tata, a truly unusual leader whose immeasurable contributions shaped not only the Tata Group but also the fabric of our nation,” he said.

Ratan Tata was born in Mumbai and grew up with his grandmother after his parents separated. A graduate of Cornell University with degrees in architecture and civil engineering, he also completed an advanced management program at Harvard Business School.

Ratan Tata started his career in 1962 in the workshop of Tata Steel with workers. In 1991, he succeeded JRD Tata as chairman of Tata Sons and the Tata Group.