Shantanu Naidu, the youngest General Manager of Tata Trusts and a close associate of the late Ratan Tata, found himself in an unusual situation on October 10 when Mumbai Police stopped him while riding his motorcycle. Naidu was on his way to pay his final respects to Tata, who had passed away at the age of 86 following a brief illness.
A video of the incident soon went viral, showing police officers questioning Naidu about his identity and destination. In the clip, Naidu calmly explained that he was heading to the funeral procession. Earlier, he had been seen driving the truck that transported Tata’s body from his residence.
This moment showcased the close relationship Naidu shared with Tata, who had mentored him throughout his career. Later, Naidu expressed his grief on social media, posting a heartfelt message: “Goodbye, my dear lighthouse,” vowing to uphold Tata’s legacy.
During the funeral procession, Naidu led the way on his motorcycle, accompanied by a police escort, as the hearse traveled to the National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA) for public viewing. Numerous dignitaries and public figures gathered to honor Tata’s immense contributions to philanthropy and innovation.
Naidu first came into the spotlight in May 2022 when Tata hired him, following his innovative work in developing reflective dog collars to prevent accidents.
