Youth, students flock to NCPA to pay homage to 'role model' Ratan Tata

For students and other young people who gathered at Mumbai's NCPA (National Centre for Performing Arts) lawn to pay their last respects to Ratan Tata on Thursday, he was not just an industrialist but a role model with a human face, known for his philanthropy and love for animals.

Abhishek Gabhne (23) from Nagpur, an MBA student at a Mumbai college, came to the NCPA in south Mumbai to pay tribute to Tata, who died in Mumbai's Breach Candy Hospital on Wednesday night, aged 86.

For him, Tata was a definition of philanthropy. "I felt I lost a family member. He did a lot for the people and the country," the student said, battling humidity and a long queue. "If people can go to Lalbaughcha Raja (a Ganesh pandal known to attract a large number of devotees), one can definitely go to pay respect to the raja who ruled the hearts of people."

Rohit Rathod (22), another college student and a resident of the city's Colaba area, was also at NCPA as a mark of respect for the work done by the veteran industrialist through the Tata Trusts and as an animal lover. "Such persons will never be made again," Rathod said.

Sujay Kulkarni (24), an employee of the Centre for Developing Advanced Computing, said he has been hearing about the work done by Tata since his childhood, and compared Ratan Tata to a yug purush (once in a lifetime human). "Who will you pay your respect to if you don't pay respect to him?" Kulkarni asked.

Thousands of people from all walks of life, including politicians, corporate leaders and senior police officials, gathered at NCPA, where Tata's mortal remains have been kept, to pay homage to the legendary industrialist.