J.R.D.TATA

One of the pioneering industrialists of India, Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhoy(J.R.D Tata ) was born in Paris on July 29, 1904. He became the chairman of the Tata Group in 1938. He saw the assets of the Tata Group climbing from Rs 62 crore (Rs 620 million) in 1939 to over Rs 10,000 crore (Rs 100 billion) in 1990.

Under him, the Tata Group diversified into a large number of sectors from airlines to hotels, trucks to locomotives, soda ash, heavy chemicals to pharmaceuticals, financial services, tea, air-conditioning etc. He was not only an industrialist, but was a pioneering aviator too and brought commercial aviation to India, besides being a patron of the arts and philanthropist.

He faced severe problems like foreign exchange crunch and severe government controls on big business, but all these could not deter him. He was a great leader and motivator. He encouraged entrepreneurs such as Sir Homi Mody, Russi Mody, Sumant Moolgaokar and Darbari Seth, and many others.

He formed the Tata Administrative Service and the Tata Management Training Centre the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, and was the longest serving member of the Atomic Energy Commission. He passed away in Geneva on November 29, 1993.