Meet Shantanu Naidu, Ratan Tata’s Assistant And Close Friend

Ratan Tata, the former chairman of Tata Sons and a cherished industrialist, sadly passed away on Wednesday. Shantanu Naidu developed a significant relationship with the late billionaire, overcoming their age gap and blending the viewpoints of both boomers and millennials. Shantanu held the roles of his personal assistant and the general manager of his company.

Who Is Shantanu Naidu?

Raised in Pune, the 31-year-old has an engineering degree from Savitribai Phule Pune University and an MBA from Cornell Johnson Graduate School of Management. 

He started his professional journey as an automobile design engineer at Tata Elxsi, where he launched the innovative project Motopaws, aimed at safeguarding stray dogs from traffic accidents. In addition, he is the founder of Goodfellows, a company focused on offering comprehensive assistance to the elderly during their final years.

He gained recognition for the first time when a video of him celebrating Tata’s 84th birthday went viral online. In the simple birthday celebration, Naidu was seen clapping and singing a birthday song for his boss. He also rested his hand on the businessman’s shoulder and fed him a cupcake.

Ratan Tata, who remained unmarried and had no children, was frequently seen with Naidu during his infrequent public outings. Since 2018, Naidu worked as Tata’s manager, overseeing various tasks and initiatives under his guidance.

Shantanu’s Post For Ratan Tata

Tata embraced Shantanu as a cherished and closest part of his inner circle, considering him like a son, even though he is unmarried and has no children of his own.

Shantanu Naidu, Tata's trusted aide, shared a LinkedIn post reflecting on his deep friendship with the national icon. 'I will try for the rest of my life to fill the hole that this friendship has now left with me.' 'Grief is the price to pay for love.' The 30-year-old posted a throwback picture of the two of them together along with the message, 'Goodbye, my dear lighthouse.'