Ratan Tata Biography and some interesting things

Ratan Tata was born into an old Parsi family of Bombay (present-day Mumbai), the first child of Soonoo & Naval Hormusji Tata. Ratan's childhood was troubled, his parents separating in the mid-1940s, when he was about seven and his younger brother Jimmy was five. His mother moved out and both Ratan and his brother were raised by their grandmother Lady Navajbai. He was schooled at the Cathedral and John Connon School in Mumbai.

In 1962, after graduating from Cornell University with a degree in Architecture and Structural Engineering, Ratan joined the family business. Ratan turned down a job offer from IBM, following the advice of J.R.D. Tata, and entered the family business. Ratan joined the Tata Group in December 1962, when he was sent to Jamshedpur to work at Tata Steel. He worked on the floor along with other blue-collar employees, shoveling limestone and handling the blast furnaces. In 1971, Ratan was appointed the Director-in- Charge of the National Radio & Electronics Company Limited (Nalco), a company that was in dire financial difficulty.

Ratan suggested that the company invest in developing high-technology products, rather than in consumer electronics. J. R. D. followed Ratan's suggestions. From 1972 to 1975; Nalco eventually grew and recovered its losses. In 1977, Ratan was entrusted with Empress Mills, a textile mill controlled by the Tatas. When he took charge of the company, it was one of the few sick units in the Tata group. Ratan managed to turn it around and even declared a dividend. In 1998, Tata Motors introduced his brainchild, the Tata Indica.

On January 31st, 2007, under Ratan Tata's chairmanship, Tata Sons successfully acquired Corus Group, an Anglo-Dutch steel and aluminum producer. With the acquisition, Ratan Tata became a celebrated personality in Indian corporate business culture. The merger created the fifth largest steel producing entity in the world. Ratan Tata was honored by the Government of India with the Padma Bhushan on 26th January 2000, on the occasion of the 50th Republic Day of India.

He serves in senior capacities in various organizations in India and he is a member of the Prime Minister's Council on Trade and Industry. In March 2006 Tata was honored by Cornell University as the 26th Robert S. Hatfield Fellow in Economic Education, considered the highest honor the university awards to distinguished individuals from the corporate sector. He recently received an honorary doctorate from the London School of Economics and listed among the 25 most powerful people in business named by Fortune magazine in November 2007.

Ratan Tata is indeed a visionary and has made India proud. With novel ideas like the Tata Nano Priced at a lakh only, more people can afford to buy a car. He has played a very important role in helping increase the standard of living of the common man. The future of India is bright with leaders like Ratan Tata showing the way to success.

Quicl reveal and some interesting things about Ratan Tata:

Ratan Tata is an Indian businessman. He was the chairman of the most famous Indian brand Tata Group. 

Ratan Tata was born on 28 December 1937 in Bombay, India.

Ratan Tata’s father was Naval Tata and mother was Sooni. Naval Tata was adopted by Jamsetji’s younger childless son Ratan Tata (Grandfather’s name was same). At an age of seven Ratan Tata’s parents got separated. He was raised by his grandmother Navajbai.

Ratan Tata studied at Campion School in Bombay, Bishop Cotton School in Shimla and Cathedral and John Connon School. He completed his B.S. on Architecture from Cornell University in 1962. He got his degree in Advanced Management Program from Harvard Business School in 1975.

From his childhood he was interested in the cars.

Besides being great grandson of Jamsetji Tata, Ratan Tata started his career in Tata Group in 1962 as a general worker in the Tata steel. He did not have to work there for a long time.

He was made chairman of Tata group in 1991 after the J.R.D Tata’s resignation. At that time many people criticized that decision as he does not have that level of experience to run a company as big as Tata’s.

Under the leadership of Ratan Tata, Tata Group became a global brand. Tata group acquired many companies including Tetley, Jaguar Land Rover, and Corus. TCS was also build in his leadership.

 His interest in car also helped to build Tata Nano and Tata Indica.

On 28 December, 2012 Ratan Tata resigned from the post of chairman of Tata Group. Cyrus Mistry took his post.

Ratan Tata won Padma Bhushan in 2000 and Padma Vibhushan in 2008. He was awarded Lifetime Achievement Award by Rockefeller Foundation in 2012.