Suzlon Founder Tulsi Tanti Dies At 64
Tanti suffered a cardiac arrest on Oct. 1 and died the same day.
Tulsi Tanti, founder of Suzlon Energy Ltd., died on Saturday. He was 64.
Tanti, chairman and managing director at the wind turbine maker, “suffered a cardiac arrest and passed away the same day”, the company said in an exchange filing.
“In this difficult time, the company continues to be supported by its highly experienced board of directors and senior management who are both able and committed to take Shri Tanti’s legacy forward and realise his vision for the company,” the filing said.
Tanti complained of chest pain in his car in Pune after returning from a press conference in Ahmedabad, said close friend Manu Pambhar. He asked the driver to take him to a hospital but died before getting any medical help, Pambhar said.
In a mail to employees, Suzlon Group Chief Executive Officer Ashwani Kumar wrote that while the world will "remember Tulsibhai as the pioneer of wind energy and a warrior against climate change, we know him even better as the champion of creating a better world for our future generations".
"Our chairman was extremely optimistic about the future of renewables and the part that Suzlon has to play in it. As he said, 'The world is ready now and so are we. Our time has come. Now there is no stopping Suzlon and the green energy revolution.'"
Tanti is survived by his wife Gita, son Pranav, and daughter Nidhi.
Born in 1958 in Rajkot, Tanti was a former textile trader. He graduated from Gujarat University with a bachelor's degree in commerce.
He founded Suzlon Energy, now valued at Rs 8,535.9 crore, in 1995 when the global wind energy market was dominated by global players.
Tanti was also the chairman of Belgium-based turbine part maker ZF Wind Power Antwerpen since May 10, 2006 and the president of Indian Wind Turbine Manufacturers Association.
Tanti’s death comes at a time when Suzlon Energy was set to announce the opening of its Rs 1,200 crore rights issue on Oct. 11.
The group was looking to repay debt accumulated, fund working capital and deploy the rest for general corporate purposes.