Ratan Tata, the chairman emeritus of the Tata Group and a visionary leader who transformed the salt-to-software conglomerate, passed away at the age of 86 at a Mumbai hospital late Wednesday night

Ratan Tata, the former Tata Group chairman, has died at the age of 86, according to a statement from the Indian conglomerate.

"He provided stable leadership to one of India's oldest and most prestigious business houses. At the same time, his contribution went far beyond boardrooms," said Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Oct 9 (Reuters) - Ratan Tata, the former Tata Group chairman who put a staid and sprawling Indian conglomerate on the global stage with a string of high-profile acquisitions, has died, the Tata Group said in a statement late on Wednesday. He was 86.