Tata Group Chairman Expresses Grief Over Air India Tragedy in Heartfelt Letter

A Heartfelt Message from Tata Group's Chairman

In a poignant letter to his employees, Natarajan Chandrasekaran, the Chairman of Tata Group, conveyed his sorrow and support following the devastating Air India plane crash near Ahmedabad airport, which resulted in the loss of 241 lives.

June 12: A Day of Mourning for Tata Group

Chandrasekaran referred to June 12 as “one of the darkest days in the Tata Group’s history,” stating, “Words cannot provide comfort at this moment, but my thoughts are with the families and friends of those who lost their lives or were injured in this tragedy. We stand with them.” The Tata Group acquired Air India in January 2022.

“This is an incredibly challenging time. What transpired yesterday is beyond comprehension, and we are in a state of shock and grief. Losing even one person is a tragedy, but the scale of this loss is unimaginable,” he expressed.

Encouraging Patience Among Employees

Recognizing the uncertainty surrounding the crash's cause, he called on employees to exercise patience and assured them that the details would be disclosed once available.

“Like you, we are eager to understand what happened. While we currently lack answers, we will find them. There is much speculation, some of which may be accurate and some not. I urge you to remain patient,” he wrote.

Commitment to Transparency

“We experienced a tremendous loss of life yesterday. Understanding why this routine flight turned into a disaster will be clarified by trained investigators once their work is complete. We will communicate transparently about the circumstances surrounding this tragedy once we have confirmed facts,” he added.

“In the last 24 hours, investigative teams from India, the UK, and the US have arrived in Ahmedabad to probe the crash. They have our full cooperation, and we will be open about the findings. We owe this to the families and loved ones, our pilots and crew, and to all of you,” Chandrasekaran emphasized. “The Tata Group is committed to its societal responsibilities, which includes being forthright about what happened yesterday.”

Safety as a Core Value

He reaffirmed that safety has always been the Group's utmost priority since taking over Air India, stating, “As a trusted Group, ensuring the safety of Air India’s passengers was our primary focus from the outset. There can be no compromise on this.”