Lost a cherished mentor and friend: Tata Chairman N Chandrasekaran honours Ratan Tata's legacy in his year-end message

In his year-end message, Tata Group Chairman N Chandrasekaran delivered a powerful reflection on the events of 2024, mentioning both the legacy of the late Ratan Tata and the Group’s plans for the forthcoming year, 2025.

In his message, Chandrasekaran touched on the year’s geopolitical upheavals, including ongoing conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, and Sudan, and the growing focus on resilience over efficiency in global supply chains.

He paid a heartfelt tribute to Ratan Tata, whose passing earlier this year left an irreplaceable void within the Group and by and large, India Inc. “Our Group has lost an irreplaceable role model and leader. And I have lost a cherished mentor and friend,” he wrote.


He further stressed that the tributes pouring in from around the world were only a small reflection of the profound impact Ratan Tata had, saying, “There isn’t room in this letter to capture fully what he meant to us.”

Emphasizing Tata Group’s commitment to India’s future, Chandrasekaran revealed plans to create 500,000 new jobs in manufacturing alone over the next five years. These positions will be spread across key sectors such as semiconductors, electric vehicles, solar equipment, and other critical hardware industries.

“These will come in part from the aforementioned investments in facilities across India—factories and projects that will produce batteries, semiconductors, electric vehicles, solar equipment and other critical hardware destined to play a central role in the economy of tomorrow,” he said. In addition, the Group anticipates generating numerous jobs in sectors like retail, technology services, aviation, and hospitality.

Despite the challenges of 2024, the chairman offered optimism for the future, highlighting the significant strides the Group has made in hi-tech industries, including the opening of several new manufacturing plants across India. Among the most significant projects are India’s first semiconductor fab in Gujarat and a new battery cell manufacturing plant in the UK. "Big strategic bets, made with his encouragement, are bearing fruit, particularly in hi-tech industries and manufacturing where our footprint continues to expand," Chandrasekaran noted.

'Chandra', as he signed in the letter, also wrote on the transformative power of Artificial Intelligence and its growing role in healthcare and mobility, emphasizing that advancements in technology are now leading scientific discoveries. “A fundamental reversal is taking place,” he said, pointing to AI's potential to revolutionize industries and improve human well-being.

Looking ahead to 2025, Chandra expressed confidence in India's economic growth, driven by the expansion of manufacturing and the digital revolution. "India’s economy is strong and the great trends of the age are in our favour," he said, setting a hopeful tone for the year to come.