Ratan Tata's First Love Story; From Romance To Enduring Friendship

New Delhi: In the early 1960s, long before he became a global business icon, Ratan Tata had a tender chapter of his life that few knew about. A romance that began in sunny Los Angeles was cut short by forces far bigger than two young hearts, a war between nations. 

Who was the woman Ratan Tata fell for?

When Ratan Tata went to the US for education and early work, he met Carolyn Emmons, a 19-year-old college student and daughter of a well-known architect. The two shared interests and grew close as friends and then more. Friends and even Carolyn’s family took a liking to Tata. For Carolyn, Tata was her first true love and someone she held in high regard. 

Tata had just finished studying architecture at Cornell University and took up work with the architectural firm where Carolyn’s father was a partner. Their connection deepened during this time. 

What changed everything in 1962?

In mid-1962, Tata rushed back to India to be with his ailing grandmother. Carolyn planned to follow him to India soon after. But before she could travel, war broke out between India and China in October 1962. The conflict lasted several weeks and shocked both nations.

For Carolyn’s family, the unrest in India made the idea of her travelling there uncertain and risky. Within a short period, what had once seemed a promising romance faltered. The couple drifted apart amid the wider uncertainty, and Carolyn eventually married another man, architect and pilot Owen Jones. She later said she ended up with someone very much like Tata. 

Did they ever meet again?

Decades later, memories brought them back together. In 2007, after watching a movie set in India, Carolyn felt a renewed connection to the country and wondered about Tata’s life. A quick online search revealed that he had become the chairman of Tata Sons and Tata Trusts. 

She reached out to him, and he welcomed her visit. In 2008, she spent five weeks in India, rekindling a friendship that had begun long before. Over the years, they stayed in touch. She visited him on trips to India and he met her in the Us on his travels. 

What does this story tell us?

Their bond survived distance, time and history’s twists. It began as young love interrupted by war and evolved into a deep friendship that lasted decades, through life's changes and even after Tata became a towering figure in Indian business and philanthropy. 

Their story reminds us that personal lives can be shaped by world events, and that meaningful relationships often take unexpected forms.