Industrialist Rata Tata passed away on Wednesday night at the age of 86. His funeral will take place on Thursday, October 10 and he will be accorded a state funeral by the Maharashtra government, as announced by CM Eknath Shinde.
The citizens of the country are deeply saddened and most feel like it's a personal loss due to his unparalleled work in bringing the Tata Group on a global platform, his philanthropic work amidst much more. Tata touched many lives and inspired many. As many celebs also mourned his loss, ex-girlfriend Simi Garewal also bid an emotional farewell to him.
As the tycoon passed away, she penned a note on X, and said, "It's too hard to bear your loss..too hard.. Farewell my friend..#RatanTata"
For those not in the know, Simi had admitted to have dated him for a brief period of time. They later parted ways but continued to remain very close friends. She had said in an interview in 2011, "Ratan and I go back a long way. He’s perfection, he’s got a sense of humour, is modest, and the perfect gentleman. Money was never his driving force. He’s not as relaxed in India as he is abroad."
Tata had appeared on Simi's chat show once and had revealed he almost came close to getting married a few times, but never ended up marrying.
She had also once spoken about him, in a description she wrote on her Youtube channel for her show 'Rendezvous with Simi Garewal', which read, "Ratan Tata was my first friend in Mumbai. We had both just returned from abroad into terra incognita; both at the threshold of an unchartered world that lay ahead. Decades of triumphs later, Ratan's intrinsic personality hadn't changed: a man with a commanding presence yet a disarming diffidence. Still shy, still reticent, but ever articulate and gracious. At work he is a corporate visionary; away from the office - a recluse."
Simi had also said it was such a pleasure hence to have him on her show. "For a man who stays clear from the flashbulb glare of fame, it was generous of Ratan to be my very first guest in 'Rendezvous with Simi Garewal'. Few had seen Ratan at the time and I remember he won loads of admirers! My crew was floored by his lack of pretense. I remember he shook hands with each of them before leaving - in his Maruti," said Simi.
Many other celebs like Salman Khan, Ajay Devgn, Priyanka Chopra, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Alia Bhatt among others have expressed their grief on Tata's demise, as he's left a mark on everyone with his inspiring life.
The mortal remains of Tata were kept at NCPA lawns before taking it for a state funeral at a crematorium in Worli. Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde, Amit Shah, Mukesh and Nita Ambani among others visited NCPA to pay their last tribute to Tata.