Ratan Tata’s Colaba neighbours share stories of everyday encounters with the billionaire | Trending

A nation is mourning the loss of its icon as celebrated industrial and philanthrop Ratan Tata breathed his last on Wednesday night. Ratan Tata, chairman emeritus of Tata Sons, died after a brief illness in Mumbai. He was 86. FILE – Tata Sons Chairman Ratan Tata reacts as he speaks during a press conference prior to the launch event of the Tata Nano in Mumbai, India, March 23, 2009. (AP Photo/Gautam Singh, File)(AP) A towering icon of industry and philanthropy, he was known as much for his compassionate nature as for his business acumen. In the hours following his death, several Mumbaikars have shared stories of their chance encounters with the humble billionaire who walked among common men. “Very down to earth and humble”One X user, who goes the name of Lotus on the microblogging platform, remembered Ratan Tata as a “very down to earth” person who always stopped to chat with neighbourhood kids. “I have some nice memories of Sir Ratan Tata. When I used to live in Colaba some decades ago, he used to live next door in Bakhtawar and would religiously walk his 2 Doberman dogs every evening in his shorts and T-shirt,” the woman remembered. Bakhtawar is the name of Ratan Tata’s house in Colaba, Mumbai. According to the X user, Ratan Tata came across as a simple and friendly man who would always stop to say hello and chat with kids in the compound. The woman said she would sometimes also spot the billionaire playing tennis or sipping tea at the US Club. “A gracious and chivalrous gentleman,that’s the memory I have of this legend,” she wrote. “He stopped, talked to me” Another former neighbour of Ratan Tata, named Abhishek Deshpande, remembered the billionaire who would walk his two dogs every evening a few decades ago. Deshpande recalled that when Ratan Tata saw him, he stopped to chat with him. The memory left a strong mark. “It reminds me of the 1st time I met Ratan Tata when growing up in Mumbai. He was on his regular evening walk with his dogs in the United Services Club in Colaba. How down to earth can one be, when he saw I wanted to shake hands with him, he stopped, talked to me about my school,” he recalled on X. “No assants, no security” Debargha Ambuly said that he got a glimpse of the national icon when he had just moved to Mumbai. Ambuly saw Ratan Tata as the business tycoon was exiting his car without an entourage or security of any kind. “What a man! What an Icon! What a life! What a True India! Got a glimpse of him when I just moved to Mumbai- near Colaba getting down from a Mercedes S class and looking for a building,” he remembered. “No assants no security. And people near in awe.”