Mr. Ratan Naval Tata (December 28, 1937–October 9, 2024) chaired the Governing Council of TIFR during the first two presentations for a new Centre of TIFR, the International Centre for Theoretical Sciences (ICTS), held on 13th October, 2006 and 2nd August, 2007. During these presentations, he was highly attentive and provided strong support and approval for the initiative. This project fulfilled a long-standing need in India for a Centre that would combine outstanding research in theoretical sciences with a robust national and international visitor program, benefiting both research and higher education in the country. His support continued consistently during subsequent periodic reports to the Council over the following years.
Mr. Tata also took a special interest in the architectural design of ICTS, emphasizing that it should reflect and support the Centre’s mission. In a special meeting with the architects, which lasted an hour and a half, he paid close attention to the plans. Initially, he remarked that the design “looked like a convention centre” rather than a research institute. His comment caused concern among some high-ranking officials of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE). However, when Mr. Tata visited ICTS in September 2016, he seemed pleased with the final outcome, nodding and smiling in approval. He acknowledged that the design aligned with the vision and activities of the Centre, which he wholeheartedly applauded.
Additionally, Mr. Tata, believing that TIFR should also engage in societally impactful research, supported the ICTS project BlxLight, the “Indian ‘Open Lightpath Exchange’ facility in Bangalore for Global Scientific Cooperation in the Data-Intensive Sciences,” which was launched in 2011. Under his leadership, Tata Communications immediately provided, free of charge for two years, two high-speed links that connected to the US GLORIAD research network. This connection enabled Indian researchers to efficiently move vast amounts of valuable data and access cutting-edge tools and technologies for large-scale data research. The pilot project was a resounding success, with over seven terabytes of data downloaded by researchers working in fields such as genetics and fluid dynamics.
Ratan Tata is widely respected for his humility, ethical leadership, and long-term vision. He is a leader who prioritized the welfare of employees and society, alongside business growth. His personal involvement in many of the Tata Group’s ventures, including his support for the Tata Institute and its Centres, like ICTS, highlights his commitment to innovation and knowledge development that can ultimately bring about meaningful change in the lives of people, both in India and around the world.
He will be greatly missed!