Who Was Ratan Tata's Stepmother, Simone Tata? A Visionary Entrepreneur Who Passed Away At 95

Ratan Tata's stepmother, Simone Tata passed away at the age of 95. According to reports, she bid farewell to the world on December 5, 2025. If the reports are to be believed, Simone Tata was recovering from that illness, and she was receiving treatment at the Breach Candy Hospital after initial treatment at King's Hospital in Dubai. The report about her demise was confirmed through a statement by the Tata Group.

Who is Ratan Tata's stepmother, Simone Tata?

For the unversed, Ratan Tata's stepmother, Simone Tata had a strong impact on Indian business as well as on the Tata legacy. She is survived by her son, Noel, his wife, Aloo Mistry, and her grandchildren, Neville, Maya, and Leah. Today, we will learn about Simone Tata and how her contributions and leadership helped Lakme to be one of the biggest cosmetics brands.

Simone, in recent years, grabbed a whole lot of attention, being the only person from the Tata family to join the funeral of Cyrus Mistry. The topic became widely publicised, given the fact that both families have had a strained relationship. For the unversed, Simone's son, Noel is married to Aloo, who is the sister of Cyrus Mistry. As per the statement, Simoen Tata's funeral will be held on Saturday morning at the Cathedral of the Holy Name Church in Colaba. Confirming the death of Simone, Tata Group shared:

"Ms. Simone Tata, 95, passed away this morning at Breach Candy Hospital, Mumbai, after a brief illness. 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. With her positivity and deep resolve, she overcame many challenges in her life while touching many of us deeply."

How did Simone get to know the Tatas, and how did she become appointed to Lakme?

About  Simone Tata, she was born in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1930. At the age of 23, she visited India, and this changed the course of her life. She started studying at the University of Geneva. Afterwards, at the age of 25, Simone got married to Naval H Tata in 1955. Following this, during the 1960s, Simone Tata started working with the Tata Group. Her journey in the business world started after she was appointed to the brand, Lakme, which was under Tata Oil Mills back then. Tata launched Lakme because former PM Jawaharlal Nehru urged the Tata Group to launch a cosmetic brand, as Indian women were spending foreign reserves on Western makeup brands.

How did Simone Tata improve Lakme and make it one of the popular brands in India?

Lakme was established by the Tata group in 1952, and it was in 1962 that Simone Tata was appointed to the brand, following which Lakme became one of the most prominent Indian cosmetic brands. Simone was selected as a managing director and later became the chairperson of the brand. Under Simone's direction, Lakme became popular among the masses, and she didn't stop there; she continued to try to improve the brand by shaping its products and bringing international ideas and formulations to it.

In 1966, the Tata Group sold Lakme to HCL (Hindustan Lever Limited). After the same, she moved to Trent, where the Tata Group pushed an early retail chain. Following this, the Westside brand was born, which transformed India's shopping culture. She also served as the chairman of the Sir Ratan Tata Institute, a trustee of Children of the World India (CWI), and the India Foundation for the Arts.

We wish the Tata family strength to deal with the tough time!

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