The stepmother of the late industrialist Ratan Tata, Simone Tata, passed away on Friday at Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai following a short illness, at the age of 95. The Tata Group announced that the final respects will be paid on Saturday, December 6th, from 9:00 am to 10:30 am at the Cathedral of the Holy Name Church in Colaba, with a mass to follow at 11:00 am.

Simone Tata, a discreet yet influential figure in the Indian business landscape, is celebrated for her role in elevating Lakmé to the forefront of the cosmetics industry in India and establishing the foundations for contemporary fashion retail with the Westside network of establishments.

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The statement read, "Simone Tata will be remembered for her contribution to the growth of Lakmé as India’s leading cosmetic brand and laying the foundation for fashion retail with the Westside chain. She also guided the work of many philanthropic organisations, including the Sir Ratan Tata Institute”.

“With her positivity and deep resolve she overcame many challenges in her life while touching many of us deeply. May her soul rest in peace and God give us the strength to overcome this loss”.

Simone Naval Tata, formerly known as Simone Dunoyer, was born in March 1930 in Geneva, Switzerland. Her initial visit to India as a tourist occurred during the 1950s, at which time she encountered Naval Tata, a prominent industrialist and philanthropist hailing from the renowned Tata clan.

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Their union was formalized in 1955, leading to her establishment as a permanent resident of Mumbai. As a result of this union, Simone assumed the role of stepmother to Ratan Tata and Jimmy Tata, offspring from Naval's prior marriage, and subsequently became the biological mother of Noel Tata, who now serves as the chairman of Tata Trusts and three Tata Group enterprises. Simone Tata held a mere seven-year age difference from her stepson Ratan Tata.

In the early 1960s, Simone Tata was appointed to the board of Lakmé during its infancy as a subsidiary of Tata Oil Mills.

 

That period marked the beginning of her influential role in directing the growth and reputation of Lakmé, as she navigated the brand's transformation into a widely recognized and esteemed beauty label in India.

Through her adept strategies and focused branding initiatives, Tata steered Lakmé to become a prominent player in the competitive cosmetics industry, successfully positioning it as a sought-after and iconic household name.

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In the mid-1990s, following the acquisition of Lakmé by Hindustan Lever (now Hindustan Unilever), she spearheaded the establishment of Trent Limited utilizing the profits from that transaction. Trent introduced the Westside chain, which emerged as a prominent department store format in India and a key component of the Tata Group's retail portfolio.