Mistry, then deputy chairman of Tata Sons, with chairman Ratan Tata in 2011 (Source: BCCL)
In 2012, Cyrus Mistry was appointed as the chairman of Tata Sons. In addition to being at the head of the vast conglomerate, he was also CEO to Tata’s major subsidiaries — including Tata Steel, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Tata Motors, Indian Hotels, Tata Chemicals and others.
Half-Irish and half-Indian, Mistry was not just the sixth chairman of the group but also the second chairman who did not carry the Tata name, after Nowroji Saklatwala.
Till 2012, the unassuming Mistry was a relatively low-profile figure within India Inc circles, spending time with his wife Rohiqa, teenage sons - Firoz and Zahan - and his two dogs.