Shantanu Naidu, a close associate and the youngest general manager of Tata Trusts, wrote an emotional Instagram post three days after Ratan Tata's death. In the post, Naidu expressed his deep sorrow that he is still trying to come to terms with the death of his mentor. He wrote, "I have finally got time to sit down and feel things. I am still trying to accept that I will never see him smile again or give him a chance to smile."

Naidu was seen at Ratan Tata's funeral, where the late industrialist was cremated with full state honours. Ratan Tata had developed a close friendship with Naidu over the years and their friendship can be gauged from the fact that Naidu joined the mourning along with other close aides of Tata.
Message for Mumbai Police
In his Instagram post, Naidu also wrote about the support he received from people across the country. He also expressed his gratitude to strangers who offered their condolences. "In the last 3 days, I have received so many messages from strangers across the country. Reading these, it feels like you and I have been part of a family for years,"

Naidu wrote. Naidu said that these messages gave him a lot of courage in his time of grief. Naidu also thanked the Mumbai Police for paying tribute to Tata during his cremation. Naidu said, “These generous policemen of Mumbai were so kind that they embraced the entire city. It felt like a farewell gift. Thank you, that's what I really mean.”