Who is Shantanu Naidu, Ratan Tata’s millennial manager, who became his closest friend?

They say true friendships transcend the boundaries of age, and become more about sharing a deeper connection and embracing different perspectives. Such was the remarkable bond between Shantanu Naidu, a millennial, and the late billionaire industrialist Ratan Tata.

Naidu, Tata’s trusted assistant and youngest general manager of his office, expressed grief over the passing of the visionary leader. The 86-year-old breathed his last on Wednesday night at Breach Candy Hospital following age-related illness.

Sharing a poignant post on LinkedIn for his ‘dear lighthouse’, the 30-year-old Naidu expressed the “deep void” left by the mentor’s passing.

“The hole that this friendship has now left with me, I will spend the rest of my life trying to fill. Grief is the price to pay for love. Goodbye, my dear lighthouse,” his post read.

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Naidu’s journey from engineering intern to Tata’s trusted general manager and friend is one that touches hearts. Here’s a closer look

1. Naidu’s unlikely friendship with Ratan Tata blossomed over their shared love for animals. In an interview with Brut, Naidu said when he was working as an automobile design engineer at Pune’s Tata Elxsi in 2014, he came across a dead dog in the middle of the road. Disturbed by the sight for months, Naidu developed reflective collars to protect stray dogs from being hit by cars at night.

2. After the demand for his dog collar grew, Naidu struggled to meet the target due to a lack of funds that is when his dad urged him to write a letter to Tata. Initially hesitant, he then finally wrote one. Two months later, Naidu got a reply from Tata asking him to meet him in person.

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3. Impressed by Naidu’s venture, Tata Sons’ chairman emeritus decided to support Naidu’s NGO, Motopaws, a project Naidu fondly describes as “Ratan Tata-backed.”

Motopaws quickly grew, implementing innovative solutions like dog collars and sensor-based anti-poaching devices for tigers, significantly reducing animal-related accidents across India.

4. In 2016, Naidu went on to pursue his MBA from Cornell Johnson Graduate School of Management in US, excelling in leadership roles and earning accolades, including the Hemmeter Entrepreneurship Award and the Johnson Leadership Case Competition.

During his time in the US, he kept in touch with the industrialist. After he completed his degree, Tata offered Naidu to work for his office.

5. As Tata’s assistant, he would take notes for his meetings as well as give feedback on the new startups he was investing in. He also, in fact, helped set up the octagenarian’s Instagram account. Over the last 10 years, Naidu became a close and trusted friend of Tata. He came into the spotlight public after a video surfaced on social media showing him celebrating Tata’s birthday, garnering the admiration of his fans across India.

28-year-old Shantanu Naidu often goes viral for his unique friendship with Ratan Tata. But did you know that his idea protects stray dogs from road accidents in 20 cities across 4 countries? #RatanTata #heroesofhumanity #friendship pic.twitter.com/rvJeKMHpNX

— The Better India (@thebetterindia) December 28, 2023

6. In 2021, Naidu founded another venture for the elderly known as Goodfellows, which was supported by Tata himself.

“You do not know what it is like to be lonely until you spend time alone wishing for companionship,” the 86-year-old businessman, who never married and had no children, said appreciating Naidu in The Times of India report.

Goodfellows reportedly has a net worth of Rs 5 crore, as per Times Now.

7. Beyond his managerial role, Naidu also penned a short memory of his life with Ratan Tata, called “I Came Upon a Lighthouse” under publishing house Harper Collins in 2021.

With input from agencies