- Thursday, February 27, 2025
By: Shubham Ghosh
SHAPOORJI Pallonji Group’s head Pallonji Mistry passed away at his residence in Mumbai in the western Indian state of Maharashtra, company officials said on Tuesday (28). He died mid-sleep on the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday, the officials added.
Mistry, the largest individual shareholder in the Tata Group with a 18.4 per cent holding in the conglomerate, was 93. He is survived by his wife — Patsy Perin Dubash, and four children — sons Shapoor Mistry and Cyrus Mistry, and daughters Laila Mistry and Aloo Mistry.
While Shapoor runs the Shapoorji Pallonji Group, Cyrus served as the chairman of the Tata Group from 2012 to 2016. Aloo is the spouse of Ratan Tata’s half-brother Noel Tata.
Mistry, who was born to a Parsi family on June 1, 1929, took up Irish citizenship through marriage in the early 2000s. He received the Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest civilian award, in 2016 for his contribution in the field of industry and trade.
He received his schooling at Mumbai’s Cathedral & John Cannon School before he went to London’s Imperial College for higher education. He started his career at 18, when he worked for his father in the family business (founded in 1865). In the 1970s, he helped the business expand it to the Middle East, including in the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.
The 156-year-old Shapoorji Pallonji Group currently operates in construction business in Africa, India, the Middle East and South Asia. The group has constructed some of Mumbai’s iconic services such as the Malabar Hill reservoir and buildings such as the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) building, the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) building, Brabourne Stadium, etc.
Indian president Ram Nath Kovind expressed his grief over the demise of Mistry and said the latter was a doyen of the infrastructure and building industry whose contribution to wealth creation and nation-building would be long remembered.
“I am sad to learn that Pallonji Mistry is no more. He was doyen of infrastructure and building industry. His contribution to wealth creation and nation building will be long remembered. Condolences to his family & friends,” Kovind tweeted.
I am sad to learn that Pallonji Mistry is no more. He was doyen of infrastructure and building industry. His contribution to wealth creation and nation building will be long remembered. Condolences to his family & friends.
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) June 28, 2022
Indian prime minister Narendra Modi also condoled Mistry’s death. In a tweet, he said, “Saddened by the passing away of Shri Pallonji Mistry. He made monumental contributions to the world of commerce and industry. My condolences to his family, friends and countless well-wishers. May his soul rest in peace.”
Saddened by the passing away of Shri Pallonji Mistry. He made monumental contributions to the world of commerce and industry. My condolences to his family, friends and countless well-wishers. May his soul rest in peace.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 28, 2022
[With agency inputs]
