Ratan Tata’s Stepmother Simone Tata, Founder of Lakme’s Legacy in India, Passes Away at 95

Mumbai: Simone Tata, stepmother of former Tata Group chairman Ratan Tata and mother of Noel Tata, died on Friday, December 5. She was admitted to Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai a few days ago. According to reports, she was suffering from Parkinson's disease for a long time. This is the same disease, which Ratan Tata had also faced. She was also in a hospital in Dubai during the initial phase of treatment, but when her condition worsened, she was brought to Mumbai.

Who was Simone Tata?

Simon Tata was born in Geneva, Switzerland. She first came to India in the summer of 1953 when she was only 23 years old. During this time she met Naval Tata. Naval was 26 years older than her and had separated from his first marriage. The closeness between the two grew and they got married in 1955. After this Simon made Mumbai his permanent home.

What role did she play in creating the identity of Lakme in India? 

Simone Tata has been a big name in the Indian cosmetic industry. The idea of ​​starting a trusted makeup brand for women in India was given to Tata Group by former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, because at that time Indian women were dependent on foreign brands. After this, Lakme was established in 1952. Simon took Lakme to every household and made it India's first big beauty brand. When the Tata Group sold Lakme to Hindustan Unilever in 1996, Simon used the money from the sale to establish a new retail brand, Westside. Today Westside is one of India's most successful department store chains.

Came to Ratan Tata's funeral in 2024

Simon led the Tata Group's consumer-focused businesses for more than four decades, including Lakme and Trent. After retirement in 2006, she was rarely seen in public life. In 2019, she was seen in a wheelchair during the inauguration of the Westside store in South Mumbai. She was also present at Ratan Tata's funeral in 2024.