Billionaire Jaguar, Land Rover & Tetley tycoon leaves ‘generous’ amount of wealth to his DOG after dying aged 86
BILLIONAIRE businessman Ratan Tata has left a “generous” amount of his astonishing £91million wealth to his beloved dog.
The Jaguar, Land Rover and Tetley tycoon died earlier this month aged 86, but now his German shepherd, Tito, has been awarded “unlimited care” as part of his will.
Tata was never married and had no children meaning his fortune was split between whoever he chose.
The business mogul decided before his tragic death that the deserving trio was his best friend Tito, his long-term butler and general assistant Konar Subbiah and his cook, Rajan Shaw.
It is unclear how much of the £91million has gone towards each party.
His brother Jimmy Tata and two half sisters Shireen and Deanna Jejeebhoywill are set to inherit part of his sprawling estate.
In his will, Tata put clear provisions in place for Tito saying he will be given “unlimited care” for the rest of his life, The Times reported.
The pooch was by the Indian businessman’s side up until his final days.
Suhel Seth, a close pal of Tata’s, described the amount being given to all three parties as generous.
He said: “He has made very, very generous provisions for them.
“They will never have to work again and they will be very well looked after.”
He added that the uncommon offering “is not a statement of wealth”, rather a “gesture of gratitude for the joy and care” he felt from his pup and closest friends.
Tata was one of India‘s most internationally recognised business leaders with his conglomerate, the Tata Group, owning iconic British car brands Jaguar and Land Rover.
The Tata Group, which he led for more than two decades, is one of India’s largest companies, with annual revenues in excess of $100bn.
The business tycoon was admitted to the Breach Candy Hospital in south Mumbai, India before undergoing intensive care.
He was pronounced dead on Wednesday, October 10.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi described Tata as a visionary leader, a compassionate and an extraordinary human being.
Modi said on X, formerly Twitter: “He provided stable leadership to one of Indias oldest and most prestigious business houses.
“At the same time, his contribution went far beyond boardrooms.”
During his tenure as chairman of the Tata Group, the conglomerate made several high-profile acquisitions.
The group purchased British tea firm Tetley in 2000 for $432 million and Anglo-Dutch steelmaker Corus in 2007 for $13 billion – at the time the biggest takeover of a foreign firm by an Indian company.
Tata Motors then acquired British luxury auto brands Jaguar and Land Rover from Ford Motor Co in 2008 for $2.3 billion.
His pet projects at Tata Motors included the Indica – the first car model designed and built in India – as well as the Nano, touted as the world’s cheapest car.
Tata started his career after graduating with a degree in architecture at Cornell University.
After returning to India in 1962 he began working for a group his great-grandfather had founded nearly a century earlier.
He worked in several Tata companies, including Telco, now Tata Motors Ltd, as well as Tata Steel Ltd.
In 1991, he took control of the entire conglomerate when his uncle J.R.D. Tata stepped down.
In one of his first steps, Tata sought to reign in the power of some heads of Tata Group’s companies.
He enforced retirement ages, encouraged the promotion of younger people to senior positions and ramped up control over companies.
After decades of unparalleled success, Tata retired as chairman in 2012 and was currently Chairman Emeritus of Tata Sons.
After he stepped back from the Tata Group, the billionaire became known as a prominent investor in Indian startups.
He backed a plethora of companies including digital payments firm Paytm, Ola Electric, a unit of ride hailing firm Ola, and home and beauty services provider Urban Company.
Tata was also a licensed pilot who would occasionally fly the company plane.
He was known for his quiet demeanour, relatively modest lifestyle and philanthropic work.
Among his many awards, he received the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second-highest civilian honour, in 2008 for exceptional and distinguished service in trade and industry.