Who is Shantanu Naidu, Ratan Tata's 'Millenial' Assistant and Close Friend?

New Delhi: Shantanu Naidu, the millennial and the youngest general manager of Tata Groups had a remarkable and strong bond with the late industrialist Ratan Tata who passed away on Wednesday, October 9.

Tata's trusted assistant, Shantanu serves as both his assistant and the general manager of the emeritus business. Expressing his sorrow, Naidu in a heartfelt emotional post on LinkedIn said, "The hole that this friendship has now left with me, I will spend the rest of my life trying to fill. Grief is the price to pay for love. Goodbye, my dear lighthouse."

Ratan Tata, the chairman emeritus of the Tata Group, passed away at the age of 86 after a long illness. The philanthropist had been in the hospital due to health issues related to his age. A recipient of Padma Vibhushan breathed his last at south Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital. Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran confirmed the death late in the evening.

Who is Shantanu Naidu?

Shantanu Naidu is a 29-year-old professional who became well-known after a video of him celebrating Ratan Tata's birthday went viral. Tata, who had no children, treated Naidu like his son, and they shared a close friendship. Naidu was employed at Tata Group in May 2022 as per his profile.

Naidu has a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Savitribai Phule Pune University. He also earned an MBA from Cornell Johnson Graduate School of Management, where he excelled in various leadership roles and earned accolades such as the Hemmeter Entrepreneurship Award and the Johnson Leadership Case Competition.

He began his career as a design engineer at Tata Elxsi, where he created a project to help protect stray dogs from traffic accidents by designing reflective collars to make them more visible at night.

Ratan Tata, a dog lover, noticed Naidu’s project and invited him to meet. This meeting led to a strong friendship and partnership.

Naidu is also an entrepreneur, he founded Goodfellows, a start-up that offers companionship services for senior citizens, valued at about Rs 5 crore. Tata supported Naidu's ventures and invested in Goodfellows, strengthening their bond. Ratan Tata's passing marks the end of a significant era for Tata Sons, a key player in India's industrial and philanthropic landscape.