Cyrus Mistry, who succeeded Ratan Tata as chairman of the Tata Sons but was later ousted in India’s most high-profile boardroom coup, was killed in a car accident in Maharashtra’s Palghar on Sunday, said police. He was 54.
Mr Mistry was travelling from Ahmedabad to Mumbai in a Mercedes car, it added.
Pictures from the accident site showed the mangled remains of the silver Mercedes car. The accident happened when the car hit the road divider at Charoti area of Palghar, 135 km from Mumbai.
“The accident took place around 3.15 pm, when Mistry was travelling to Mumbai from Ahmedabad. The accident took place on a bridge over the Surya river. It seems an accident,” said Palghar district superintendent of police, Balasaheb Patil.
Two other persons travelling with him, including the car driver, were injured. All the injured persons have been shifted to a hospital in Gujarat.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the nation in mourning the loss of the business tycoon, calling it a “big loss” to the world of commerce and industry.
“The untimely demise of Shri Cyrus Mistry is shocking. He was a promising business leader who believed in India’s economic prowess. His passing away is a big loss to the world of commerce and industry. Condolences to his family and friends. May his soul rest in peace,” PM Modi tweeted.
The untimely demise of Shri Cyrus Mistry is shocking. He was a promising business leader who believed in India’s economic prowess. His passing away is a big loss to the world of commerce and industry. Condolences to his family and friends. May his soul rest in peace.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 4, 2022
Union Minister of Commerce Piyush Goyal tweeted his condolences, terming him Indian industry’s “shining star”.
Deeply anguished & shocked by the sudden passing away of Cyrus Mistry.
Indian industry has lost one of its shining stars whose contributions to India’s economic progress will always be remembered.
My heartfelt condolences to his family & friends. pic.twitter.com/74bzEPsr3a
— Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) September 4, 2022
Union Minister for Women Development Smriti Irani said Mr Mistry “epitomised kindness”.
A gentle soul, a man with a vision and a mission; Cyrus as I will always remember him epitomised kindness. The news of his demise comes as a shock. My condolences to his family & loved ones. Om Shanti 🙏 #cyrusmistry
— Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) September 4, 2022
RPG Enterprises Chairman Harsh Goenka remembered Mr Mistry as “a friend, gentleman, a man of substance”.
So sad to hear of the shocking news of the passing away of #CyrusMistry in an accident. He was a friend, a gentleman, a man of substance. He was instrumental in creating the global construction giant Shapoorji Pallonji and ably led the Tata group.
— Harsh Goenka (@hvgoenka) September 4, 2022
Industrialist Anand Mahindra said it was “hard to digest” the news of Mr Mistry’s death.
“I got to know Cyrus well during his all-too-brief tenure as the head of the House of Tata. I was convinced he was destined for greatness. If life had other plans for him, so be it, but life itself should not have been snatched away from him. Om Shanti,” said Mr Mahindra.
Supriya Sule, Sharad Pawar’s daughter, said she was devastated.
Devastating News My Brother Cyrus Mistry passed away. Can’t believe it.
Rest in Peace Cyrus. pic.twitter.com/YEz7VDkWCY
— Supriya S
“Gone too soon”, tweeted Sena’s Priyanka Chaturvedi.
Mr Mistry, who was the sixth chairman of Tata Sons, was ousted from the position in October 2016. He had taken over as the chairman in December 2012 after Ratan Tata announced his retirement.
