The Maharashtra government declared a day of mourning in the state on Thursday to pay tributes to Tata Group chairman emeritus Ratan Tata. . A statement quoting Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said the national tricolour on government offices in Maharashtra will be flown at half-mast on October 10 as a sign of mourning. There will be no entertainment events on Thursday, the statement said.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said on Wednesday that the industrial titan will be accorded a state funeral.Shinde added that Tata's relatives informed that the industrialist's mortal remains will be kept at south Mumbai's National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA) from 10 am to 4 pm on October 10 for people to pay their last respects. Abhinav Deshmukh, Additional Commissioner of Mumbai Police (South Zone), said: "People who come for darshan are requested that if there is no parking facility there, then they will have to follow the instructions of the police and make their own parking arrangements before coming. Police will be fully deployed." Ratan Tata's last rites will be performed in Worli later in the day. Describing Tata as the pride of the country, Shinde said that the veteran industrialist will always be an inspiration for the next generation of entrepreneurs.
Ratan Tata became the chairman of the Tata Group in 1991 and led the group till 2012. He led major Tata companies, including Tata Motors, Tata Steel, Tata Consultancy Services, Tata Power, Tata Global Beverages, Tata Chemicals, Indian Hotels and Tata Teleservices. In 2008, he received the Padma Vibhushan, the second highest civilian honour in India, after receiving the Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian honour in 2000. He joined Tata in 1961, where he worked on the shop floor of Tata Steel. He later succeeded J R D Tata as chairman of Tata Sons upon the latter’s retirement in 1991. Under his tenure the Tata Group acquired Tetley, Jaguar Land Rover, and Corus, in an attempt to turn Tata from a largely India-centric group into a global business.