Ratan Tata is the chairman of Tata Sons, the holding company of the Tata Group, India's largest and most successful business conglomerate. Under Tata's leadership, total revenues of the Tata Group have increased more than sixfold, to over $22 billion this year(2006).
The Tata Group now has over 90 operating companies, employing about 220,000 people in seven business sectors. It operates in more than 40 countries and exports to 140. Some of its biggest holdings are Tata Steel, Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces, India's pre-eminent hotel chain, and Tata Motors, an automobile manufacturer whose products include the first car designed in India. The family business began as a textile mill, launched under British colonial rule in 1860 by Tata's great-grandfather. Tata joined the Tata steel division in 1962 and became chairman of the conglomerate in 1991.
Tata earned a bachelor of architecture degree at Cornell University in 1962 and completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School in 1974-75.
Philanthropy has been run in India in a tremendously traditional manner. If I might use another word, it's charity; handouts initially to the less beneficial people. It has never tried to enhance the quality of life of the people. I think that involves infusion of technology, an entrepreneurial view...(Full transcript available to logged in subscribers.).
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