'Most handsome industrialist': Birthday wishes pour in for Ratan Tata on Twitter

Ratan Tata, arguably one of India's most loved industrialists, turns 83 today. Wishes poured in from all quarters on his birthday. While some thanked him for his contribution to India's growth, some gushed over his charming appearance. Most of all, though, netizens took to social media to thank Tata for his philanthropy. 

Tata is known for his philanthropic endeavours. He is known for contributing in the areas of education, medicine and rural development. Over 65% of his shares is invested in charitable trusts. Speaking at the Stanford Social Innovation Review, Tata had said, "Working on the shop floor as a young man, I saw close up the misery and hardship of the less fortunate and thought about how one makes a difference to improve lives. As I moved up through the departments and divisions, I continued to see hardship and had more opportunity to do something about it."

Tata Trusts, the philanthropic arm of the group aims to solve issues such as child malnutrition by focussing on maternal health and alleviate poverty. He had once said he has become more sensitive to the pain and suffering that exists.

Meanwhile, the Tata Education and Development Trust endowed a $28 million scholarship to provide financial aid to deserving undergraduate students from India. The Tata Group also donated $50 million for the construction of an executive centre at Harvard Business School. TCS also gave $35 million to Carnegie Mellon University, the biggest-ever international donation to the university.

Tata Group also endowed IIT Bombay in 2014 and formed the Tata Center for Technology and Design (TCTD) to help people with limited resources access design and engineering.

Tata has always credited his grandmother Navajbai Tata, who raised him, for instilling in him the will to help the needy. "She had homes for the poor all over the country... She operated in that way not to gain visibility for herself, but because she was very kind-hearted and passionate in terms of doing away with misery," he had said according to Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy.

Ratan Tata was born on December 28 in 1937 in Mumbai. His parents Naval Tata and Sonoo separated when he was 10 years old. He studied in Campion School in Mumbai till Class 8, following which he joined Cathedral and John Connon School in Mumbai and Bishop Cotton School in Shimla. He graduated from Riverdale Country School in New York CIty. In 1959, he received a degree in Architecture from Cornell University and pursued an Advanced Management Program from Harvard Business School in 1975. He joined the Tata Group in 1961 and was promoted to management in 1970.

Known for his community work and business, Tata was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2000 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2008. He has also been awarded the Honorary Fellowship of The London School of Economics and Political Science in 2007, the title of Honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire, United Kingdom in 2009, the 'Honorary Knight Grand Cross of The Order of the British Empire' in 2014, and the 'Oslo Business for Peace Award' by the Business for Peace Foundation in 2010.

Here's how netizens wished Ratan Tata on this 83rd birthday:

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