Ratan N Tata

Mr. Ratan N. Tata was the Chairman of Tata Sons, the holding company of the Tata group, from 1991 till his retirement on December 28, 2012. During his tenure, the group’s revenues grew manifold, totaling over $100 billion in 2011-12. After retirement, Mr. Tata has been conferred the honorary title of Chairman Emeritus of Tata Sons, Tata Industries, Tata Motors, Tata Steel, and Tata Chemicals.

Mr. Tata was the chairman of major Tata companies, including Tata Motors, Tata Steel, Tata Consultancy Services, Tata Power, Tata Global Beverages, Tata Chemicals, Indian Hotels, and Tata Teleservices. He is also associated with various organizations in India and overseas. Mr. Tata is on the international advisory boards of Mitsubishi Corporation and JP Morgan Chase.

He is the Chairman of the Sir Ratan Tata Trust and Allied Trusts, and the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust and the Allied Trusts. He is the Chairman of the Council of Management of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research. He also serves on the board of trustees of Cornell University and the University of Southern California.

Mr. Tata joined the Tata group in 1962. After serving in various companies, he was appointed Director-in-Charge of the National Radio and Electronics Company in 1971. In 1981, he was named Chairman of Tata Industries, the group’s other holding company, where he was responsible for transforming it into a group strategy think tank and a promoter of new ventures in high-technology businesses.

Mr. Tata received his bachelor of architecture degree from Cornell University in 1962. He worked briefly with Jones and Emmons in Los Angeles before returning to India in late 1962. He completed the Advanced Management Programme at Harvard Business School in 1975.

The Government of India honored Mr. Tata with its second-highest civilian award, the Padma Vibhushan, in 2008. He has also received honorary doctorates from several universities in India and overseas.