Manmohan Singh's tribute to Ratan Tata: 'Had courage to speak truth to men in power'

'A man who had the courage to speak truth to those in power' - former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's brief but telling epitaph about industrialist and philanthropist Ratan Tata, who died at the age of 86.

In a heartfelt letter to Tata Sons Chairperson N Chandrasekaran, the Congress veteran said he had been left "deeply saddened" by the news and lamented the passing of a "stalwart of Indian industry".

Ratan Tata, the former Prime Minister said, was much more than a business icon, a sentiment that echoes the thoughts of 145 crore Indians gathered today in their grief.