Ratan Tata, Indian tycoon who took his empire global, dead at 86

. Ratan Tata, the former chairman of Indian conglomerate Tata Group,has died at the age of 86, according to a statement from the firm.. ..

In 2008, he famously oversaw Tata Motors purchase of British car brandsJaguarandLand Roverfrom Ford (F).. ..

Born in 1937 to a family of Parsis, an ethno-religious group of Persian descent in India who follow the Zoroastrian religion, Tata graduated from Cornell University where he studied architecture and structural engineering.. ..

And thats been something thats been carried on by their successors through the years.. . Tata took over as chairman in 1991, the same year India unleashed major economic reforms, including devaluing the rupee, to open its economy to the world..

Seven years later, Tata Steel prevailed in a $12.1 billion battle for control of Corus, a British steel company.. . Tataretired as group chairman in 2012and was chairman emeritus of holding company Tata Sons before his death..