Ratan Tata died in Mumbai on Wednesday (October 9). With him, ended an era at the Tata Group of Companies and in India as a whole. The business conglomerate, which had a prominent role in formation and nurturing of India's industrial sector, had a wide presence. The Tatas made almost all things imaginable, from salt to Information Technology (IT) solutions, from cars to TV Satellite dishes and much much more. The name 'Tata' was, and still is, present in every aspect of Indian life. And Ratan Tata helmed the huge empire in a way that made the name Tata synonymous with trust, quality as well as ethics. The Tata family has been in the world of business since more than a century.
Ratan Tata family tree | FPJ
Ratan Tata was an illustrious name in series of ace entrepreneurs from the Tata family. Here'a look at the legendary family.
Jamshedji Nusserwanji Tata (3 March 1839 – 19 May 1904)
Jamshedji Tata | Wikimedia Commons
Tatas were not always entrepreneurs. They were a family of priests who fled religious persecution in Persia and settled in India. Jamshedji Tata is known as the man who started it all.
Born in Navsari in present-day Gujarat, Jamshedji Tata started the haloed Tata Group which exists till date. Under Jamshedji Tata, the company forayed into many business sectors like cotton milling, steel industry, power and even luxury hotels.
He married Hirabai Daboo. His sons Dorabji Tata and Ratanji Tata became chairmen of the Tata Group after him.
Sir Ratanji Tata (20 January 1871 – 5 September 1918) and Sir Dorabji Tata (27 August 1859 – 3 June 1932)
Sir Ratanji Tata (left) and Sir Dorabji Tata | FPJ Web team
The two brothers, Ratanji and Dorabji, helmed Tata Group after death of Jamshedji.
Dorabji, the older brother, is credited with consolidation of Tata Steel and formation of Tata Power. He also founded New India Assurance Company. Dorabji married Meherbai Bhabha in 1897. They did not have any children.
Ratanji Tata was a connoisseur of arts and connected with social sciences. He established Ratan Tata department of social science at London School of Economics.
Ratanji married Navajbai Sett in 1893. They adopted Naval Tata who was part of the larger Tata family and distantly related to Ratanji.
Naval Hormusji Tata (30 August 1904 – 5 May 1989)
Naval Tata | Wikimedia Commons
Naval Tata was born in Surat. He was 13-years-old when he was adopted by Ratanji and Navajbai Tata. In his late twenties, Naval Tata joined Tata Sons Ltd.
In 1941, he became director of Tata Sons Ltd.
Naval Tata's first marriage was with Sooni Commissariat, with whom he had two sons Ratan Tata and Jimmy Tata. After separating from Sooni in mid-1940s, Naval Tata married Simone Dunoyer with whom he had a son, Noel Tata.
Noel Tata | Wikimedia Commons
Ratan Tata and Noel Tata are hence, half brothers.
Wondering about JRD Tata? Let's get to that branch of the Tata family.
Dadabhoy Tata was brother-in-law of Nusserwanji Tata (Jamshedji Tata's father).
Dadabhoy Tata was father of Ratanji Dadabhoy (RD) Tata (1856–1926).
And JRD Tata is Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata's son.
Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhoy (JRD) Tata (29 July 1904 – 29 November 1993)
JRD Tata | Tata Group
JRD Tata is another iconic name from the Tata clan. He was born to RD Tata and his wife Suzanne Briere. JRD was born in Paris. A large part of his childhood was spent in France. After his mother's death, his father moved his family to India.
In 1929, JRD renounced his French citizenship and became an Indian. He married Thelma Vicaji in 1930
At the age of 34 in 1938, JRD Tata became chairman of Tata Sons. Under him, Tata Group's value grew from USD 100 million to USD 5 billion.
JRD established Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), National Center for Performing Arts (NCPA) among many institutes and companies.
