New Delhi: Friday morning brought sad news for the Tata family, as Simone Tata passed away at Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital after a brief illness. She was 95 and was the mother of Tata Trusts chairman Noel Tata and stepmother of the late Ratan Tata. The Tata Group said that people can pay their last respects to the founder of Lakmé on Saturday, December 6, 2025, from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the Cathedral of the Holy Name Church in Colaba, followed by a mass at 11:00 a.m.
In its statement, Tata Sons paid tribute to her legacy, saying, “Ms. Simone will always be remembered for her contribution to the growth of Lakmé as India’s leading cosmetic brand and laying the foundation for fashion retail with the Westside chain. She also guided the work of many philanthropic organisations including Sir Ratan Tata Institute.”
The statement further expressed condolences, saying, “With her positivity and deep resolve she overcame many challenges in her life while touching many of us deeply.” It added, “May her soul rest in peace and God give us the strength to overcome this loss.”
She is survived by her son Noel Tata, daughter-in-law Aloo Mistry, and grandchildren Neville, Maya, and Leah.
A Look Back at Simone Tata’s Journey
Born as Simone Naval Dunoyer in Geneva, Switzerland, she first visited India as a tourist in 1953. Two years later, she married Naval H. Tata and soon began her professional journey with the Tata Group in the early 1960s.
Simone Tata joined the board of Lakmé in 1961, when it was a small subsidiary of Tata Oil Mills Company (TOMCO), known for popular personal care brands like Hamam, Okay, and Modi Soaps. Her strong vision and leadership played a key role in transforming Lakmé into a leading cosmetics brand in India.
She became chairperson of Lakmé in 1982 and earned the title “Cosmetic Czarina of India” for making beauty products widely accessible to Indian women and helping build one of the country’s first modern consumer brands.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: ZEE News
