A nation mourns: Ratan Tata cremated with full state honour

DIGNITARIES AND CITIZENS UNITE TO PAY FINAL RESPECTS TO TATA

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MUMBAI: India's financial capital, Mumbai, came to a standstill on Thursday as the nation bid a tearful farewell to one of its most revered business icons, Ratan Tata. Tata passed away at the age of 86 at Breach Candy Hospital, marking the end of an era for both the Tata Group and the Indian corporate landscape.

The last rites were conducted with full state honours at the Worli Crematorium, attended by prominent politicians, corporate leaders, celebrities, and ordinary citizens who had come to pay their final respects to the man who transformed the Tata Group into one of the largest and most influential conglomerates in India. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, and former Chief Minister Sushilkumar Shinde were among the dignitaries present. Family and friends as well as top officials of Tata group joined the ceremony where Mumbai Police paid tribute to Tata with a gun salute.

Tata's body, draped in the Indian national flag, was transported from his residence to the National Centre for the Performing Arts in South Mumbai, where it was kept for public viewing. A hearse adorned with white flowers carried his remains, reflecting the respect and admiration he commanded throughout his life. Following a gun salute from the Mumbai Police, the cremation rites were performed according to Parsi traditions, marking a poignant moment in the community's evolving customs regarding funeral practices.