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Simone Tata, mother of Tata Trusts chairman Noel Tata, passed away on Friday at a city hospital after a short illness. She was 95 years old and was also the stepmother of the late Ratan Tata. According to a statement from the Tata Group, the last respects for the founder of Lakmé will be held on Saturday morning at the Cathedral of the Holy Name Church, Colaba.
“She will always be remembered for her contribution to the growth of Lakmé as India’s leading cosmetic brand and for 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,” a Tata Group spokesperson said in a statement. A positive outlook and a deep resolve helped Simone overcome many challenges in her life, it added.
She is survived by her son, Noel, his wife, Aloo Mistry, and grandchildren, Neville, Maya, and Leah.
Simone Tata was born in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1930. She first came to India as a tourist in 1953. She studied at Geneva University and later married Naval H Tata in 1955. In the early 1960s, she began working with the Tata Group. She also drew public attention in 2022 for being the only Tata family member to attend Cyrus Mistry’s funeral, a moment noted because of the strained ties between Mistry and the Tata family.
Simone joined the business world of the Tata Group in 1962 when she became a member of the Lakme Board. At that time, Lakme was part of Tata Oil Mills. She is remembered for helping Lakme grow into one of India’s top cosmetics brands.
In 1996, the Tata Group sold Lakme to Hindustan Lever Limited (HLL). The money from the sale was used to start Trent, which led to the creation of the well-known Westside retail brand under Trent Ltd. Simone Tata served as Trent’s Non-Executive Chairperson until 2006.
She also led the Sir Ratan Tata Institute and worked as a trustee for Children of the World India (CWI), a charity linked to a French organisation. In addition, she served as a trustee of the India Foundation for the Arts, which supports arts development and infrastructure in India.
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