When Ratan Tata reunited with his first true love after 50 years: 'I married a man who was...'

Ratan Tata, the revered Chairman Emeritus of the Tata Group, who passed away in October last year, was well-known for his bachelorhood throughout his life. Although he was romantically involved with several women at different times, including a well-known affair with former actress Simi Garewal, there was one woman who many believed to be his ‘one true love’—Caroline Jones, who later became Caroline Emmons.

Ratan Tata’s love story with Caroline began when they met while Ratan was working at an architecture firm in Los Angeles. According to Tata’s own admission, he and Caroline fell deeply in love, and they both envisioned a future together. However, their relationship came to an unexpected end due to the 1962 Indo-China war, which created a significant strain on their plans for marriage.

Caroline, then only 19 years old, moved on after her breakup with Ratan. She fell in love with Owen Jones, an architect and a flyer, who she felt was similar to Ratan. However, Caroline's father believed she was merely rebounding from her previous relationship. Despite her new life with Owen, Ratan Tata later visited the United States to meet her but found out that Caroline was married with a second child. Tata, ever the gentleman, took her husband out for dinner, told Caroline he was happy for her, and promised not to contact her again, a promise he kept until her husband's passing.

Caroline later reflected on how she married a man who was quite similar to Ratan, as mentioned in the biography "Ratan Tata: A Life" by Thomas Mathew. After Owen Jones passed away in 2006, Caroline, years later, watched the film The Darjeeling Limited, which sparked old memories. When a friend casually suggested a visit to India, Caroline decided to search for Ratan Tata online. To her surprise, she found out that Ratan was now the Chairman of Tata Sons and Tata Trust. She emailed him, mentioning her plan to visit India.

In the following years, Caroline and Ratan reconnected. They met in Delhi and rekindled their long-lost friendship. Caroline began visiting India frequently, staying at Ratan Tata’s residence, and even attended his 80th birthday celebrations in Mumbai on December 28, 2017. Their friendship remained strong even after years apart, with Ratan making sure to meet Caroline whenever he visited the United States.

The biography reveals that Caroline’s love for Ratan never truly faded, as she had preserved a torn page from a book with Ratan’s picture for years, a symbol of the lasting connection between them. Despite not being together romantically, the bond they shared remained special, and they continued to cherish each other's company well into their later years.