Inspiring story: The Ratan Tata Biography

Anyone can be a businessman, but being an industrialist requires more from a man. India is blessed to have an industrialist who has become the idol of thousands with his significant contributions. He is Ratan Naval Tata. The man is a living legend with millions of followers in this country. Ratan Tata and the entire Ratan Tata family deserve to be looked up to. The TATA Group has helped India’s economy grow and given jobs to tens of thousands of young people.

This man has crossed the country’s boundaries and spread his wings beyond them. Starbucks and Jaguar have joined forces with Tata for a mutually beneficial partnership. Ratan Tata had a number of well-known Indian brands, such as Tata Steel, Tata Motors, Tata Digital, Tata Electronics, and Tata Hotels. He also grew his business even more. Let’s delve deeper into Ratan Tata’s biography and look into the life of Ratan Tata.

Who is Ratan Tata?

 

 

The son of Sooni Tata and Naval Tata, Ratan Tata is one of India’s most prominent and successful industrialists. He is the grandson of Jamshedji Tata, the founder of the Tata Group. The glorious family tree of the Tata family consists of many bright minds. Ratan Tata has been the proper heir to them. 

Born in 1937 in Mumbai, Ratan Tata saw British India very closely. After his parents’ separation at age 10, he was raised by his grandmother, Navajbai Tata, the widow of Ratanji Tata. 

As he belongs to Gujarat, his first language is Gujarati. Both his father’s and mother’s families were well recognised.

Glorious Tata Family History

The Ratan Tata family has been holding one of the strongest pillars in India for decades. The Tata family is a business family of Parsi origin that came to Mumbai from Navsari in Gujarat. Jamshedji Tata was the founder of this family’s fortune. The Petit Baronets have a direct connection with the Tata family through Sylla Tata, who married Sir Dinshaw Maneckji Petit, 3rd Baronet. 

The Tata family settled in Mumbai during the last decade of the 19th century. The parent company of the Tata Group is Tata Sons. Various Tata family charitable trusts hold about 65% of the stock in these companies. The Dorab Tata Trust and the Ratan Tata Trust are two of them. Pallonji Mistry has 18% of the shares, and different Tata Sons own the rest. 

Tata Family Tree

 

 

The Tata family has made a name for themselves through their birth and work. If we start speaking about Ratan Tata’s family members,there will be no end. Ratan Tata’s family has set a goal for Indian industrialists. Just look at this chart, and you will know how inspirational this family has been throughout the decades. 

• Jamshedji Tata is a stalwart of the Tata group who is also revered as one of the fathers of Indian industry. 
• Dorabji Tata was the elder son of Jamshedji Tata. He had been famous as an Indian industrialist, philanthropist, and the 2nd chairman of Tata Group. 
• Jamshedji Tata’s younger son, Ratanji Tata, was the grandparent of Ratan Tata, and now you can make it out very simply that Ratan Tata is named after Ratanji Tata. After Ratanji Tata’s untimely demise, his wife, Navajbai Tata, adopted an orphan, Naval, the grand-nephew of her mother-in-law, and raised him as her son. 
• Naval Tata, the grandson of the sister of Hirabai Tata, wife of group founder Jamshedji Tata, carried the surname “Tata” by birthright. He was the first in the family of Tata to achieve Padma Bhushan. 
• Naval Tata is the father of Ratan Tata, the 5th chairman of the Tata Group.

Know About Ratan Tata’s Father – Naval Tata

Naval Hormusji Tata is the father of Ratan Tata. He was an eminent former employee of the Tata Group and Sir Ratanji Tata’s adopted son. He was born on August 30, 1904, to a middle-class family in Surat. When Naval’s father died, he went to live at the J. N. Petit Parsi Orphanage. Ratanji Tata’s wife, Navajbai, took Naval in when he was living in the orphanage. 

Naval went to Bombay University and got a degree in economics. He then went to London and took a course in accounting. He began working at Tata Sons in 1930 as a despatch clerk and assistant secretary and quickly advanced to the position of Assistant Secretary of Tata Sons Ltd. He eventually rose to the position of Vice Chairman of Tata Sons. The management of the four textile mills, the Sir Ratan Tata Trust, and the three Tata electric enterprises were under his direct purview. He was JRD Tata’s closest friend and coworker and had worked for Tata Sons the longest. 

On Republic Day in 1969, the President of India presented Naval with the Padma Bhushan. That same year, he was given the Sir Jehangir Ghandy Medal for his work to bring peace to the workplace. He passed away in Mumbai on May 5, 1989, from cancer.

Early Life of Ratan Tata 

Ratan Tata was born to Naval and Sonoo Tata in Bombay on December 28, 1937. Naval Tata was adopted by Ratanji Tata, the younger son of Jamsetji Tata. His parents separated when he was ten years old. He and his half brother, Noel Tata, were raised by their grandmother, Navajbai Tata.

From where Did Ratan Tata Completed His Studies

Before moving on to Cathedral and John Connon Schools in Bombay and Bishop Cotton School in Shimla for more academic pursuits, he attended Campion School in Bombay up until the eighth grade. In 1955, when he completed school, he got his diploma from Riverdale Country School in New York City. He graduated with a bachelor’s in architecture from Cornell University after studying there for four years. In 1975, he enrolled in the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School, which he has continued to support financially.

List of Companies Owned by Ratan Tata’s TATA

The Tata Group’s subsidiaries are run independently by their boards of directors and shareholders. Some of these are –

• Tata Consultancy Services

One of the biggest IT service-based businesses in the world was founded in 1968, and it hasn’t looked back since. TCS, which stands for Tata Consultancy Services, has its main office in Mumbai and employs 5,09,058 people. An additional TCS campus is located in Chennai. According to enterprise value, it is the biggest provider of IT services in the world.

•  Jaguar Land Rover

Many people are unaware that the luxury automaker Jaguar Land Rover is owned by an Indian business. Its headquarters are in England, and William Lyons founded it in 2008. It belongs to Tata Motors Ltd. as a subsidiary. It has a sales revenue of Rs. 2298.4 crore and employs 39,787 people.

• Tata Steel Limited

The most prevalent metal on earth is steel. Tata Steel Limited started producing steel in 1907. The business was started by Jamsetji Tata and was first based in Mumbai. This multinational steel-making company has its headquarters in Jamshedpur, India. It is one of the biggest in the world. It is also called the “steelmaker,” whose products are used in most places.

• Titan Company Limited

It’s almost impossible not to know about Titan Company Limited if you like accessories like watches and sunglasses. It was started by Xerxes Desai in 1984, which makes it one of the top companies in India that makes accessories for people. The company’s headquarters, which have about 7500 employees, are located in Bangalore.

• Tata Power Company Limited

Dorabji Tata started this company in 1911. It is one of the Tata Group’s most important subsidiaries. The production, transmission, and distribution of energy are within the purview of this organisation. It is the biggest integrated power business in the nation. With 8613 employees, the company’s headquarters are in India.

The products and services provided by the Tata Group are part of daily life for those who live in India. It has vowed to serve the people of the world for the long term and has done so for more than 150 years, especially the people of India.

Ratan Tata as Chairperson of Tata Sons

Ratan Tata was chosen by JRD Tata to succeed him as chairman of Tata Sons when he retired in 1991. Several business leaders, many of whom had spent decades in their individual organisations, resisted him vehemently. By establishing a retirement age, Tata started to replace them. He also made reporting to the group headquarters a requirement for each firm. Under his direction, Tata Sons’ overlapping businesses were streamlined into a cohesive whole.

During his 21 years in charge, sales went up more than 40 times, and profits went up more than 50 times. He convinced Tata Tea to buy Tetley, Tata Motors to buy Jaguar Land Rover, and Tata Steel to buy Corus. This turned the company from a mostly Indian-focused conglomerate into a multinational corporation with operations in many countries. He also developed the Tata Nano automobile. The car’s pricing was restricted to a level that was affordable to the typical Indian buyer.

On December 28, 2012, Ratan Tata, who turned 75, resigned from his position as chairman of Tata Sons. Once Cyrus Mistry was chosen as his replacement, the Board of Directors and Legal Department decided to have him fired on October 24, 2016, at which point Ratan Tata was appointed the group’s temporary chairman.

Ratan Tata, Venu Srinivasan, CEO of the TVS Group, Amit Chandra of Bain Capital, Ronen Sen, a former diplomat, and Lord Kumar Bhattacharya were put on a committee to choose Ratan Tata’s successor. On January 12, 2017, the committee appointed Natarajan Chandrasekaran to serve as the Chairman of Tata Sons.

Ratan Tata invested his own money in CashKaro.com, Teabox, and Snapdeal. He also made investments in Nestaway, Dogspot, Xiaomi, and Ola Cabs.

Major Contributions of Ratan Tata

Ratan Naval Tata’s staff helps him get exposure abroad and a reputation for his company. Under his direction, the company grew and became a global conglomerate by buying companies like Jaguar, Tetley, Land Rover, and Corus. Because the Tata Group was so successful in business, it was listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

He had a significant role in the creation of the Tata Nano and Tata Indica. Since he made TATA NANO so that it could be used in most homes, we can see how dedicated he was to the job he was trying to do, even for the average person.

One of his main goals in life was to raise the standard of living for Indians and help people make more progress. He is a well-known philanthropist as well; about 65% of his wealth is in charitable trusts.

What is Ratan Tata Net Worth?

Ratan Tata’s net worth is $260 Billion as per the record 2022. He is also opening new brands in the upcoming years and will tie up with companies beyond our country’s boundaries.

Other Assets Owned By Ratan Tata

Mr. Ratan Tata’s home is located in Mumbai, India. He has several properties in India. He bought an opulent home in 2015, according to records. This real estate property is valued at 150 crores of rupees.

Ratan Tata’s Cars: Mr. Tata owns a sizable collection of automobiles. He is the proud owner of many of the most prestigious luxury cars in the world. Mr. Ratan Tata owns several car companies, such as Maserati Quattroporte, Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz, Honda Civic, Range Rover, Chrysler Sebring, Jaguar, Cadillac XLR, and Buick Super 8.

 

Philanthropic Work of Ratan Tata

Ratan Naval Tata is an outstanding businessman who is also quite active in humanitarian causes. He is a well-known Indian philanthropist who works to improve education, medicine, and agriculture. Tata worked with the University of New South Wales Faculty of Engineering to create capacitive deionization, which improves the quality of water in underdeveloped places.

In order to build an executive centre at Harvard Business School, Tata Group companies and Tata charities donated $50 million in 2010. (HBS). As a result, it was decided to name the executive centre Tata Hall in honour of Ratan Tata. Recall that Ratan Tata earlier completed a seven-week advanced management programme at the same business school.

With a $35 million gift from TCS, a 48,000-square-foot facility called TCS Hall was constructed. The Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) research centre for intelligent systems and autonomous vehicles has received the largest single corporate donation from TCS.

The Tata Education and Development Trust, a non-profit arm of the Tata Group, has started a $28 million fundraising campaign called the Tata Fundraising Campaign. This will allow Cornell University to help Indian undergraduates pay for their education.

The Centre for Neuroscience at the Indian Institute of Science received a grant from the Tata Trusts, headed by Ratan Tata, in the amount of $750 million to study the causes of Alzheimer’s disease.

Ratan Tata Thoughts

 

 

Below are some great thoughts of one of the most dynamic and smart minds of all times –

1. “I don’t believe in taking the right decisions. I take decisions and then make them right.”
2. “If you want to walk fast, walk alone. But if you want to walk far, walk together.”
3. “I’ve often felt that the Indian Tiger has not been unleashed.”
4. “People still believe what they read is necessarily the truth.”
5. “If it stands the test of public scrutiny, do it… If it doesn’t stand the test of public scrutiny then don’t do it.”
6. “Power and wealth are not two of my main stakes.”
7. “None can destroy iron, but its own rust can! Likewise, none can destroy a person, but its own mindset can!”
8. “Businesses need to go beyond the interest of their companies to the communities they serve.”
9. “Ups and downs in life are very important to keep us going because a straight line even in an ECG means we are not alive.”
10. “There are many things that, if I have to relive, maybe I will do it another way. But I would not like to look back and think about what I have not been able to do.”
11. “Don’t be serious, enjoy life as it comes.”
12. “I have always been very confident and very upbeat about the future potential of India. I think it is a great country with great potential.”
13. “Take the stones people to throw at you, and use them to build a monument”
14. “Young entrepreneurs will make a difference in the Indian ecosystem.”
15. “I would say that one of the things I wish I could do differently would be to be more outgoing.”

How Much Ratan Tata Donated Till Now?

Not Warren Buffet or Bill Gates, Tata group has been the most prominent philanthropist in the history of humanity. Therefore, there is a massive craze for Ratan Tata’s biography. Everyone wants to know the man whose family donated $102 Billion over 100 years. 

 

How Many Awards Ratan Tata Got?

 

 

Ratan Tata was awarded the third and second highest civilian honours by the Indian government, the Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan, respectively, in 2000 and 2008. Along with receiving numerous national civilian honours, Ratan Tata has also received numerous state civilian awards, including the Maharashtra Bhushan in 2006 for his enormous contributions to Maharashtra’s public administration and the Assam Baibhav in 2021 for his outstanding work in advancing cancer treatment in Assam.

As a versatile personality, Ratan Tata achieved numerous awards for his endeavours. Some of the remarkable of them include:

• Padma Bhushan Award, the second-highest civilian award 
• Padma Vibhushan Award, the third-highest civilian award 

Year	Name	Awarding organisation
2001	Honorary Doctor of Business Administration	Ohio State University
2004	Medal of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay	Government of Uruguay
2004	Honorary Doctor of Technology	Asian Institute of Technology.
2005	International Distinguished Achievement Award	B’nai B’rith International
2005	Honorary Doctor of Science	University of Warwick.
2006	Honorary Doctor of Science	Indian Institute of Technology Madras
2006	Responsible Capitalism Award	For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST)
2007	Honorary Fellowship	The London School of Economics and Political Science
2007	Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy	Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
2008	Honorary Doctor of Law	University of Cambridge
2008	Honorary Doctor of Science	Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
2008	Honorary Doctor of Science	Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur
2008	Honorary Citizen Award	Government of Singapore
2008	Honorary Fellowship	The Institution of Engineering and Technology
2008	Inspired Leadership Award	The Performance Theatre
2009	Honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE)	Queen Elizabeth II
2009	Life Time Contribution Award in Engineering for 2008	Indian National Academy of Engineering
2009	Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic	Government of Italy
2010	Honorary Doctor of Law	University of Cambridge
2010	Hadrian Award	World Monuments Fund
2010	Oslo Business for Peace award	Business for Peace Foundation
2010	Legend in Leadership Award	Yale University
2010	Honorary Doctor of Laws	Pepperdine University
2010	Business for Peace Award	Business for Peace Foundation
2010	Business Leader of the Year	The Asian Awards.
2012	Honorary Fellow	The Royal Academy of Engineering
2012	Doctor of Business honoris causa	University of New South Wales
2012	Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun	Government of Japan
2012	Lifetime Achievement Award	Rockefeller Foundation
2013	Foreign Associate	National Academy of Engineering
2013	Transformational Leader of the Decade	Indian Affairs India Leadership Conclave 2013
2013	Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year – Lifetime Achievement	Ernst & Young
2013	Honorary Doctor of Business Practice	Carnegie Mellon University
2014	Honorary Doctor of Business	Singapore Management University
2014	Sayaji Ratna Award	Baroda Management Association
2014	Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE)	Queen Elizabeth II
2014	Honorary Doctor of Laws	York University, Canada
2015	Honorary Doctor of Automotive Engineering	Clemson University
2015	Sayaji Ratna Award	Baroda Management Association, Honoris Causa, HEC Paris
2016	Commander of the Legion of Honour	Government of France
2018	Honorary Doctorate	Swansea University
2022	Honorary Doctorate of Literature	HSNC University

 

What are some of the well-known books written on the Biography of Ratan Tata? 

• I Came Upon a Lighthouse: A Short Memoir of Life with Ratan Tata by Shantanu Naidu
• The Wit & Wisdom of Ratan Tata
• A Complete Biography of Ratan Tata
• Ratan Tata – A Life by Thomas Matthew
• Pride Of The Nation: Ratan Tata by Prateeksha M. Tiwari

Learnings From The Life and Success of Ratan Tata

The life and success of Ratan Naval Tata is an inspiration, and there is so much that one can learn from his life and his stories. One of the most important things he has taught us is to be able to go beyond our limits. Ratan Tata pushed global trade against fierce resistance. Nowadays, half of Tata’s overall revenue comes from overseas sales. Under his leadership, Tata acquired Taj Boston, Tetley, and Jaguar Land Rover. This was more than just a commercial deal; it was a message to the world that a huge multinational organisation can be purchased by an Indian enterprise if it so chooses.

He started off as a blue-collar employee at Tata Steel. He is renowned for being modest, which has been demonstrated a number of times. On November 26, 2008, he paid a visit to the 80 workers whose families had been affected by the terrorist assaults. He was never unpleasant, and practically everyone knew his first name.

He is someone who makes choices. He once declared, “I don’t believe in making the right decisions. I form opinions, which I then correct.” He is a risk-taker. He made some important decisions, like starting Tata Nano and buying the second-biggest steelmaker in Europe. He has countless stories like this that show us how to make big changes in our lives.

On an Ending Note…

As a parent, you must tell your children stories from the life of Ratan Tata. These stories and the lessons will give them the inspiration to work for good indefinitely. You will see your child reach new heights when they are influenced by the life and work of Ratan Tata and the Ratan Tata family. The family and individuals who have worked tirelessly for India and taken our beloved country to new heights

FAQs

1) Is Ratan Tata married or not?

Answer: No, Ratan Tata is not married. He came close to marrying four times, but he did not marry out of fear or some other reason. He loved a girl from Los Angeles. But before he could marry her, he had to come back to India due to a family member’s illness. Her parents forbade her from travelling to India. Ratan Tata didn’t marry and stayed true to his promise.

2) Who is Ratan Tata’s son?

Answer: Ratan Tata never married and does not have any children.

3) What is Ratan Tata’s age?

Answer: Ratan Tata is now 85 years old, having been born in December 1937 in British-ruled India.

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