Mumbai: Noted industrialist and philanthropist Ratan Tata, Chairman Emeritus of the Tata Group, was recently conferred with KISS Humanitarian Award 2021.
The award ceremony was held at his residence in Mumbai on Monday, marking a significant recognition of his commitment to social development and exemplary corporate leadership. It was attended by Tata Group Chairman N Chandrasekaran and three-time Grammy Award winner Ricky Kej, among others.
Founder of KIIT and KISS Achyuta Samanta presented the award to him.
Due to health reasons, Ratan Tata has been avoiding public appearances, leading to the private ceremony at his home. Usually reticent about accepting accolades, he agreed to accept this award following a personal request from Achyuta Samanta. Though the award was announced in 2021, he was unable to receive it then because of the COVID pandemic, a KISS release said.
In his acceptance, Tata expressed his gratitude towards KISS and its founder. “I am extremely happy to receive this honour. This is the most significant moment of my life,” he remarked.
“Ratan Tata is a revered name in India, and he is truly a good person. Being able to honour him today with this award is a privilege for us,” said Samanta.
“Ratan Tata’s social work and leadership have been influencing me since my childhood. I have respected and liked him from a young age. My father was an employee of Tata Company. Since then, I have respected and liked Ratan Tata,” he said, adding that his father died in a train accident when he was only four years old.
On the occasion, around 40,000 students of KISS wished Ratan Tata a healthy, long, and disease-free life.
Initiated in 2008 by Achyuta Samanta, the KISS Humanitarian Award recognises individuals and organisations that embody the spirit of humanitarian work worldwide. Previous recipients of this prestigious award include a diverse group of global leaders, Nobel laureates, and notable figures from various sectors.
