'His generosity enabled research...': Cornell's tribute to Ratan Tata
Cornell University has paid a touching tribute to its illustrious alumnus, Ratan Tata, who died on Wednesday at the age of 86. The Ivy League institution emphasized Tata's humility and generosity, thanking him for making research possible that greatly enhanced education and health in India. "Ratan Tata's quiet demeanor and humility belied his international profile," said Michael Kotlikoff, interim president of Cornell University.
Tata's significant contributions to Cornell University
Notably, Tata, a former Cornell trustee and the university's largest international donor, was instrumental in the establishment of the Tata-Cornell Institute for Agriculture and Nutrition in 2008. His generous $50 million contribution in 2017 helped build the Tata Innovation Centre at Cornell's Roosevelt Island campus in New York. The university also noted that "Ratan Tata has left an extraordinary legacy in India, across the world and at Cornell."
Tata's scholarship fund and architectural legacy at Cornell
Another of Ratan's philanthropic initiatives, the Tata Scholarship Fund, offers scholarships to 20 Indian students every year at Cornell University. So far, 305 Tata scholarships have been awarded to 89 students from India. J Meejin Yoon, the dean of Cornell University College of Architecture, Art and Planning, lauded Tata's global impact through his visionary leadership and commitment to humanity.
Tata's architectural training and its influence on his business
Tata had first enrolled at Cornell University to study mechanical engineering but changed his major to architecture two years later. He often credited his architectural training at Cornell for some of his business successes, especially in nurturing a creative approach to problem-solving. "We tried and we tried, and we improved, and we reconceived what we had to do. It's no different in business," Tata said in a documentary produced by his classmates.
Tata's role in fostering India-Cornell collaboration
Even after returning to his family business and starting at Tata Steel, Tata's bond with architecture never faded. He was on the jury of the prestigious Pritzker Architecture Prize from 2014 to 2019. In 2008, Tata Trusts set up the Tata-Cornell Institute for Agriculture and Nutrition and donated $50 million to fund the Tata Scholarship for Students from India. In 2017, another $50 million investment from Tata Consultancy Services built the Tata Innovation Center at Cornell Tech.
