Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata was not only a great industrialist but also a visionary and philanthropist who had the ability to perceive tomorrow’s day before yesterday. Regarded by many as the ‘Father of Indian Industry’, he not only founded the world-famous Tata Group but immensely contributed to the construction of industrial edifice of India.
It was his potent idea to construct an iron and steel company, which eventually translated into the construction of the first iron and steel plant of India in Sakchi village in Jharkhand (which eventually sprawled into the bustling industrial town of Jamshedpur).
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Man of Industry
By the early 1880s, he had set his mind on building a steel plant that would compare with the best of its kind in the world. Though the task was extremely ambitious and challenging for its time, his determination and vision were resolute. He faced several challenges towards this goal but Jamsetji remained steadfast in his resolve. Visitors can view the plans that Jamsetji Tata had devised for the steel company he had envisioned and tirelessly pursued for many years at the Tata Steel Archives in Jamshedpur,.
Though Tata Iron and Steel Company (TISCO) was established by Sir Dorabji Tata on 26th August 1907, three years after the demise of Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata on 19th May 1904, but it was Jamsetji’s idea and endeavors which eventually sprouted to TISCO’s fruition. TISCO began pig iron production in 1911 and commenced producing steel in 1912 as a branch of Jamsetji’s Tata Group. Now it is known as Tata Steel, and is one of the largest steel producing companies of the world.
For Higher Learning
Tata also played a crucial role in constructing the structure of higher education in India. It was Jamsetji Tata’s vision and his commitment towards education which eventually shaped into the formation of Indian Institute of Science, which is one of the premier institutes of higher education and research in science, in India. The institute was the brainchild of Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata.
From the website of IISC, Bengaluru we come to know that the Indian Institute of Science was founded in 1909 as a result of the joint efforts of Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata, the then British Government of India, and the Maharaja of Mysore.
According to the website of Indian Institute of Science, the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) was conceived in the late 1800s.With this objective in mind, Tata established a temporary committee led by Burjorji Padshah, an educator, to formulate a blueprint for the envisioned university. The committee developed a plan that underwent numerous revisions before reaching its final iteration. Tata also endowed a significant part of his personal wealth for this educational project.
The institute which began with just two departments – General and Applied Chemistry and Electrical Technology – today has over 40 departments spread across six divisions: Biological Sciences, Chemical Sciences, Electrical Sciences, Research that bridges disciplines, Mechanical Sciences, and Sciences encompassing Physics and Mathematics. It also has a new campus at Challakere in Chitradurga district in Karnataka.
Pioneer and Ethical
Jamsetji Tata’s conceiving of a steel and iron plant for India in the nineteenth century, of having a world class institute for advanced research for India, and also of constructing India’s first five-star hotel in 1903 – Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Mumbai –were way ahead of time for most Indian business leaders in the nineteenth and early twentieth century. He was a pioneer in a true sense.
Today’s and tomorrow’s business leaders could also be inspired by Jamsetji Tata to come up with futuristic projects to foster development, which can eventually shape a better tomorrow for the multitudes.
Born on 3rd March 1839, Jamestji not only made a massive fortune and placed India on the industrial map of the world. Equally important was how he created the business empire. His life and work can inspire today’s and tomorrow’s business leaders to conduct business in a transparent manner with very high standards of honesty and ethics.
Welfare and Philanthropy
Jamsetji Tata believed in nurturing human resources, and this principle went much beyond his business empire. He set up the JN Tata Endowment in 1892, which facilitated Indian students to pursue higher studies in England. This eventually paved the way for Tata scholarships. By mid 1920s, two out of every five Indians coming into the elite Indian Civil Service were Tata scholars.
Jamsetji Tata is (yes, his influence is still very much there) not only renowned for his uncommon business acumen and his steadfast commitment to education but also for weaving deep-rooted human resource welfare in his enterprises.
His initiatives in labor welfare were pioneering for India at that time. According to tata.com, he offered his people shorter working hours, well-ventilated workplaces, a crèche for young mothers, and provident fund and gratuity long before they became statutory in the west. He installed the first humidifiers and fire-sprinklers in India. In 1886, he established a Pension Fund, and in 1895, initiated payments for accident compensation..
Philanthropy of Jamsetji Tata is also renowned, and he topped the list of the world’s top philanthropists of the 20th century with an estimated donation of $102 billion (figure adjusted for inflation). His philanthropy was mostly directed to education and healthcare. The EdelGive Foundation and Hurun Research India dubbed him the most prominent philanthropist of the 20th century.
Today’s and tomorrow’s business leaders should get inspired by this giant of a personality to think beyond profits and losses and frame landmark policies for their employees’ long-term benefits. This in turn can encourage their employees to contribute more energetically and/or more creatively to their company’s growth process.
Jamsetji Tata can also inspire today’s and tomorrow’s business leaders to make significant endeavors to give back to the society and people at large through philanthropy. By doing so, these business leaders can find their place in the future history and make their legacy more enduring.
