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Photo shared by business magnate Ratan Tata from his Instagram account in 2021. (Image: Instagram/Ratan Tata)
JRD Tata was born in Paris, France on 29 July 1904 to Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata and Suzanne Brière. In 1929, he became India's first licensed pilot.
Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata, better known as JRD Tata, was known for the phenomenal success of the TATA Group and is regarded as the father of India's aviation sector. The Tata Group increased its presence in many industries under his energetic leadership, including steel, aviation, hotels, automobiles and information technology. In 1992, JRD Tata was awarded the Bharat Ratna in recognition of his extraordinary work.
JRD Tata was born in Paris, France on 29 July 1904 to Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata and Suzanne Brière. He belonged to the famous Tata family, whose name is associated with quality, invention and dedication to social progress. This year marks the 120th anniversary of the birth of the legendary JRD.
JRD Tata's 120th Birth Anniversary: Lesser Known Facts
- JRD Tata was born in France and completed his education in London. After his training, he joined the French army and served for a year.
- JRD Tata was 15 when he boarded a plane in France and decided to become a pilot and, if possible, pursue a career in the aviation sector. He had to wait nine years until a flying club was established in his hometown of Bombay.
- JRD Tata was not the first to register, but he was the first Indian to graduate with a “No. 1” pass on his flying certificate.
- He received a prize of £500 (approximately Rs 54,000) in 1930 for being the first Indian to fly solo between England and India.
- When JRD Tata returned to India, he started working for Tata & Sons as an unpaid trainee. He rose to the position of Chairman of Tata & Sons after 12 years of hard work.
- He was the youngest chairman of Tata Sons. JRD Tata, at the age of 34, was appointed chairman of Tata Sons. Under his leadership, the company grew from a $100 million business to a $5 billion empire.
- JRD Tata founded Air India, India's first national airline, in 1932. It was later nationalised in 1953, with JRD Tata as chairman, and was ironically bought by the Tata Group in 2022.
- He is the first businessman and industrialist to have won India's two highest civilian awards, the Padma Vibhushan (1955) and the Bharat Ratna (1992), for his contributions to the expansion of Indian industry. He also received the United Nations Population Award for pioneering and implementing India's family planning programme.
- On 10 February 1929, JRD Tata became the first Indian to be awarded a commercial pilot's license. He was dubbed the “Father of Indian Aviation” for his significant contributions to the sector.
- JRD Tata was a trustee of the Dorabji Tata Foundation for 50 years and under his leadership the foundation established Asia's first cancer hospital, the Tata Memorial Centre for Cancer, in 1941.
- He died in Geneva after contracting a kidney infection. The Indian Parliament suspended its sessions in mourning following his death, an honour not granted to non-members of Parliament.
JRD Tata's 120th Birth Anniversary: Inspirational Quotes
1. “Uncommon thinkers reuse what common thinkers reject.”
2. “I don’t want India to be an economic superpower. I want India to be a happy country.”
3. “Ordinary people have an appetite for food, uncommon people have an appetite for service.”
4. “Good human relations not only bring great personal rewards but are essential to the success of any company.”
5. “No success or achievement in material terms is worthwhile unless it serves the needs or interests of the country and its people and is achieved by fair and honest means.”
