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 by the Chief Minister's office said. Ratan Tata, aged 86 years, died at a Mumbai hospital on Wednesday night.
Tata, who led the salt-to-software conglomerate for over two decades, was admitted at the Breach Candy hospital's intensive care unit since Monday.
It also said that the national tricolour will be flown at half-mast on all government offices in Maharashtra on Thursday as a sign of mourning. No entertainment events will be held across the state on Thursday.
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.
Shinde, who is also the Shiv Sena chief, reminisced Tata's role during the 26/11 terror attack. Taj Hotel at Colaba, owned by the Tata Group, was one of the targets during the November 2008 attack.
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.
Through his tenure as the chairman of the conglomerate for more than two decades, Tata led its transformation into a global powerhouse via high-profile acquisitions.
Some of his most high-profile acquisitions include British tea company Tetley (2000), Corus Steel (2007), and Jaguar and Land Rover (2008). He was the chairman of the Sir Ratan Tata Trust and Allied Trusts, and the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust and the Allied Trusts.
His foundation Tata Trusts has built technology centres to provide scholarships to students and support projects related to healthcare, rural development, education and sustainable living. Ratan Tata also donated $50 million to Harvard Business School, his alma mater, for building an executive center.