RK Krishna Kumar file photo | Photo credit: Bijoy Ghosh
Tata group tycoon and Ratan Tata’s close confidante RK Krishnakumar passed away in Mumbai on Sunday due to cardiac arrest. He was 84 years old.
He was a director at Tata Sons, the holding company of the Tata group. For many years he was the Vice Chairman of India Hotels Company Limited (IHCL). He previously headed Tata Global Beverages and was instrumental in the acquisition of global tea company Tetley in 2000, establishing Tata Global Beverages as a significant player in the beverages sector.
Condoling his death, Tata Sons Chairman N. Chandrasekaran said, “R. Krishnakumar was a veteran Tata leader who made immense contributions to the Tata group during his lifetime.
“I had the privilege of knowing him and what stood out was his deep sense of compassion as a human being. He always wanted to help the less privileged and make a positive impact on their lives.”
“We pray for his departed soul and will miss him dearly,” he added.
A member of the Tata Administrative Services, Mr Krishnakumar, who was born in Kerala, was also involved in the affairs of Ratan Tata’s investment firm RNT Associates and Tata Trusts after his retirement in 2013.
Fresh from Presidency College, Chennai, he joined the Tata Group in 1963 and worked in several companies in leadership roles.
Ratan Tata said in a statement, “Words cannot describe the loss I feel at the passing of my friend and colleague Mr. RK Krishnakumar. I will always remember the camaraderie that we shared within the group and individually. He was a true stalwart of the Tata Group and Tata Trusts and will be missed by all.