Who Is Mohini Mohan Dutta, Mystery Man Whom Ratan Tata Bequeathed Rs 500 Crore?

Late business tycoon Ratan Tata bequeathed nearly a third of his remaining assets to a mysterious individual.

Tata, who passed away on October 9, 2024, left assets worth Rs 500 crore to Mohini Mohan Dutta, a person not widely known to his family or inner circle, as reported by The Economic Times.

While the will identified Dutta as one of the inheritors of Tata's fortune, the distribution will only occur after probate and certification by the High Court, which is expected to take at least six months.

Who is Mohini Mohan Dutta?

Mohini Mohan Dutta, a Jamshedpur-based entrepreneur, co-owns Stallion, which later became part of Tata Services. Before the merger, Dutta held an 80% stake in Stallion, with Tata Industries owning the remaining 20%.

At Tata's funeral, Dutta shared that he first met the tycoon in Jamshedpur at the Dealers Hostel when he was just 24 years old.

Although Dutta was not well-known prior to his inclusion in Tata's will, insiders from the Tata Group have said the entrepreneur always claimed to have had a close relationship with the family.

"He helped me out and really built me up," Dutta had said to the media in the past.

Dutta, believed to have had nearly a six-decade-long association with Tata, was reportedly invited to Ratan Tata's birth anniversary celebration at the NCPA in Mumbai in December 2024. The event was exclusively attended by close family and associates.

Dutta's daughter also worked within the conglomerate, initially at Taj Hotels until 2015, and later at Tata Trusts until 2024, according to a report by Fortune.

Ratan Tata's Will

Tata's will, made public around two weeks after his passing, allocated his wealth among various beneficiaries, including his brother, half-sisters, dedicated household staff, and his executive assistant, Shantanu Naidu.

Tata also included provisions to ensure lifelong care for his pet dog, Tito. His shares in Tata Sons were transferred to the Ratan Tata Endowment Trust.

His assets included a beach bungalow in Alibaug, a two-storey house in Juhu, fixed deposits exceeding Rs 350 crore, and a stake in Tata Sons.