Ratan Tata and Caroline Jones’ love story is one of deep affection, sacrifice, and lasting memories.
Ratan Tata was famous for his vision, business technique and social work. Ratan Tata was a man of words who believed in ‘forever kinds of friendships and bonds’. And one such relationship he had with his ex-girlfriend, due to whom he never married.
Ratan Tata’s Love Story with Caroline Jones
Renowned industrialist Ratan Tata, admired for his business acumen and philanthropy, also had a lesser-known chapter in his life: a poignant love story with Caroline Jones, an American woman he met while working in the USA. This story, revealed by his biographer Thomas Mathew, sheds light on a deeply personal side of the iconic businessman.
Love Began in San Francisco
While in the United States, Ratan Tata crossed paths with Caroline Jones in San Francisco. Mathew described how Caroline was captivated by Tata’s Greek God-like looks, hazel eyes, and magnetic personality. The attraction was mutual, and the two quickly fell deeply in love.
“They were madly in love,” Mathew said. “Caroline was charmed by Tata from the moment she met him.”
The couple planned to marry, but fate had other plans. Tata was called back to India when his grandmother fell ill. He asked Caroline to join him in India, but the outbreak of the Indo-China war led her to reconsider, and their love story came to an abrupt end. Caroline later married Owen Jones, marking a painful but necessary parting of ways.
Ratan Tata’s Heartbreaking Visit In 1966
Despite their separation, Tata’s feelings for Caroline lingered. In 1966, after the birth of Caroline’s first child, he traveled to San Francisco to meet her. During the visit, he took Caroline and her husband Owen out for dinner, confessing that he had hoped to find her unhappy so that they might reconnect again. Instead, he saw her happy in her life with Owen, which convinced him to let go of their past.
Mathew revealed, “After that dinner, Tata vowed never to contact Caroline again unless she reached out to him first. He honored this promise for decades.”
A Reunion After Four Decades
Caroline’s husband, Owen, passed away in 2006, opening a new chapter in her life. In 2008, she reached out to Tata via email. Their reconnection marked the beginning of a renewed bond. Caroline began visiting India every December, spending two to three weeks at Tata’s home.
Even during their years apart, Caroline never forgot Tata. Mathew shared a touching detail: “She kept his photos hidden in the bottom drawer of her wardrobe, which was her lingerie drawer. Whenever she thought of him, she would take the photos out, say ‘sorry,’ and put them back.”
Despite the decades and the miles between them, their bond endured in a quiet yet profound way, showing that some connections remain unbroken by time or circumstance.