A Tribute to JRD Tata
The journey of a man who did not only take Tata Group to newer heights, but also played a pivotal role in building India post independence.
15 August, 1947 marked the birth of an independent India. It sure was a reason to rejoice. But, the joy of Independence was soon followed by the gloom of reality. Indians were now tasked to build the nation of their dreams. It wasn’t the end of our struggles. It was just the beginning.
We found our ray of light in a visionary, whose ideas shaped the future of the nation, whose grit laid the groundwork of the Industrial Revolution, whose words were considered with the deepest sincerity even by various Prime Ministers of India.
The man was JRD Tata.
Born in 1904, JRD Tata joined Tata Group at the age of 21 as an unpaid apprentice. By that time, the Group, which was established in 1868 by the legendary Jamsetji Tata, had already become one of the largest business conglomerates in India.
But life did not go as planned. Within a year of his apprenticeship, JRD Tata had to witness his father’s demise. And at a very young age, he was handed the batons of directorship at Tata Sons.
Many would have assumed it to take a toll on the young Tata. Instead, he moved swiftly following his passion and achieving his dreams while making the company as well as his country proud!
In 1929, Tata fulfilled one of his dreams by receiving a commercial pilot’s license. He was one of the first Indians to do so and later came to be known as the father of Indian civil aviation. His first establishment towards the company’s growth stemmed from his passion.
Tata Air Mail, a courier service was launched in 1932. The airmail service was later rebranded as Tata Airlines, which became the nation’s first domestic carrier. Tata himself flew its first flight, carrying air mail from Karachi to Bombay. It was ultimately renamed Air India in 1946 and then nationalised in 1953 by the government of India.
Under JRD’s leadership, significant changes were made in Tata Sons. From a conglomerate of 14 enterprises, Tata Sons grew to 95 enterprises!
Chemicals, hospitality, engineering, automobile, power, you name it. In fact, most of the big Tata companies you see now were founded under his watch.
A profound example is TCS.
But, one man could not possibly be an expert in all fields, right? JRD was no exception. Then how did he manage to be such a visionary?
Well, he was a people’s person. He knew how to pick passionate people, nurture them, and give them autonomy to fly.
He backed Summant Moolgaokar to build Tata Motors. Yes, Tata Sumo is named after him. The unwavering support that he lent to Darbari Seth made Tata Chemicals India’s premier Chemical Enterprise. The list of visionaries that came from Tata’s stables under JRD’s leadership can go on and on.
His vision was not just restricted to Tata Groups. It spawned the entire nation. JRD, alongside other business tycoons and great thinkers, drew the Bombay Plan.
It laid down a long-term plan for India’s economic development after World War II. In the words of Manmohan Singh, the plan stays relevant to this date, 60 years after it was made!
He dreamt and achieved, rightly drawing the meaning to his name, ‘Jehangir: conqueror of the world’. But not just business, peoples’ hearts as well!
He read and replied to every single postcard that came his way. He believed in a firm relationship with employees and workers. Tatas were one of the first Indian corporations to have established an HR department.
He wasn’t just a man of business, but a man of principles too. His ideology can be portrayed through what he once quoted:
“No success or achievement in material terms is worthwhile unless it serves the needs or interests of the country and its people and is achieved by fair and honest means.”
He established several institutes in the field of scientific research, medical, and artistic endeavours in India such as Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Tata Memorial Hospital, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, National Institute of Advanced Sciences, and National Centre for the Performing Arts.
Such was his contribution towards nation-building that he became the only industrialist to receive India’s highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna.
This is ReadOn’s tribute to the great Sir JRD Tata, and we work hard to live by some of the principles he laid. Tata is the true example of a welfare-enterprise, a true hallmark of stakeholder capitalism. We salute the man and the brand.
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This was a very motivating read. Thanks for sharing