Ratan Tata

      Ratan Tata (born 1937) is the great-grandson of Jamshedji Tata, the founder of Tata Group. Ratan Tata's father Naval Tata is Adopted by Jamshedji childless younger son, also named Sir Ratanji and his wife Navajbai Tata. At the age of seven Tata's father Naval Tata and mother get separated. Both he and his younger brother Jimmy were raised by their grandmother Lady Navajbai.

       Ratan Tata completed his schooley education from Bombay and Shimla school. When he invited to speak at his alma mater at the Cathedral and John Cannon School, Bombay, he mentioned his regrets that he not recovered from a fear of public speaking. He didn't partici pate in enough activities. It was his big loss. And he also recalled his mathematics teacher. Who felt, Ratan never complete the school.

      After engineering degree, in 1961 Ratan Tata joined Tata Iron and Steel Company Limit (TISCO) Jamshedpur- the flagship com pany of Tata. He spent there six year and learnt both the technical aspect of the company's products and the corporate values of the Tata Group. In 1968, Ratan Tata back to Bombay on a more senior position. He was given the charge of two sick companies - National Radio and Electronics Company Limited (Nelco) and Central India Textile in the Tata group. Very difficultly he managed them and turned around within a few years. This experience gave him a lot of strength. 

     In 1982, for treatment of his mother's cancer, Ratan flew with her to New York. In stay of four month there, he thought on new avenues for Tata Group to branch into, because the once dominant and monopolist group was now facing stiff competition in all spheres of business. Ratan became aware of the consumer revolution. He considered a process called the 1983 Tata Strategic Plan. This was the turning point in 100-year old Tata group legacy. With JRD Tata's support, Ratan diversified group into contemporary industries like telecommunication software, biotechnology etc. He strengthened his control over the near-independent component companies of the Tata group while creating a culture of competitiveness within the organiza tion. Gradually, the tiredness of employees and management changed.

      In 1991, Ratan became the chairman of the Tata group. Which was opposed by the most influential senior executives of the Tata group and the head of the company. They criticized the decision and did not agree with his leadership and plans. However, Ratan remained unwaveringly true to his vision in the face of conflict and opposition. Focusing on innovation and efficiency, he made many changes to stream line and transformed Tata from a large India-focused company into a global business, with 65 percent of its revenue coming from abroad. Under his leadership, Tata tea acquired Tetley, one of the largest tea companies. Tata Steel acquired Corus Group, an Anglo-Dutch steel and aluminium producer. Tata Motors acquired Jaguar and Land Rover two iconic British brands. This gave Tata Group stand in the passenger vehicle segment. 

     Ratan Tata designed India's first indigenous cars - Sierra, Estate and Indica and Tata Nano-a compact affordable car in 2008. Tata Group came in software field such as Tata Consultancy Services. These efforts put Tata at the top of the Indian and international economy. Existing businesses were improved and, despite intense competition, they returned to leadership positions in the market. Earnings increased, and people began to realize that Ratan was also a pioneer in emerging software taking the Tata Group to a global high. 

      Though Ratan got success in his attempt, he faced many challenges from his own senior managers. In the 1990s, his disagreement with the trade union at Telco's Pune plant became ugly and threatened to tarnish the good reputation of the Tata Empire built in a century. But Ratan fought and wonand inherited the legacy of his predecessors. Ratan Tata retired from all the executive responsibilities of the Tata group on December 9, his 75th birthday. As chairman Cyrus Mistry was not proved good, he returned to the interim chairmanship till the current chairman, Natarajan Chandrasekaran. Now Ratan Tata, is the chairman emeritus of Tata Sons. He is also the Chairman of two major Tata Trusts, Sir Dorabji Tata and Allied Trust and Sir Ratan Tata Trust. He is a member of the Prime Minister' Council on Trade and Industry, the Advisory Board of the RAND Centre for Asia Pacific Policy, the program board of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation of India AIDS initiative, Cornell University, South Africa's International Investment Council board and the Asia-Pacific Advisory Committee for the New York Stock Exchange, to name a few. he also serves on the Interna tional Advisory Board of multinational companies such as Mitsubishi American International Group and J.P. Morgan Chase.

      Government of India honoured him with the Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan. His performance was recognized by the governments of France, Japan, Singapore, Italy and the United Kingdom with knighthoods and medals. He is the recipient of numer ous honorary degrees awarded by various international universities as quell as the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Rockefeller Foun dation in 2012.

       Ratan Tata, as usual, lives a simple life without the stewardship of his tall man. He repeatedly expressed the need for a level playing field: "My dream is India where every Indian has an equal opportunity to shine on quality. In a country like ours, we must strive to live and move by example, not to gain wealth and prestige. He is known for his views on ethics, high standards and encouraged the youth of the country to be the first Indian to give priority to the country, than state or religious affiliations.