A Rare Tribute: Tata Motors’ unique dog cemetery in Jamshedpur

Parvinder Bhatia

Jamshedpur: Their epitaphs may be brief, but they speak volumes about loyalty, courage, and unconditional love. In a quiet corner of Jamshedpur’s Telco area lies a cemetery unlike any other — not for humans, but for the canine sentinels who once stood guard over Tata Motors.

The Tata Motors Kennel was the brainchild of Lt. Gen. S. D. Verma (Retd.), then General Manager of Telco. On January 4, 1964, the Kennel Division was formed with just four dogs — two Alsatians and two Dobermans — trained by the Bombay Police. They became the company’s first canine security team.

A year later, in 1964, a cemetery was set up inside the kennel to honour dogs who had passed away in service. “It was established to keep their memory alive and as a token of gratitude for guarding the company,” an official explained. Since then, the graveyard has been maintained with dignity, resembling a human cemetery in its order and respect.

When a dog dies, the farewell is solemn and heartfelt. Wrapped in a white shroud, the dog is slowly lowered into the grave by handlers. Colleagues join in to cover the grave with soil, incense sticks are lit, and a permanent gravestone is placed to immortalise its contribution.

Today, the kennel houses 11 dogs — nine Belgian Shepherds and two Alsatians. The facility is well-equipped with a training ground, grooming shed, kitchen, operation theatre, pharmacy, and even an X-ray machine.

Training begins early each morning, followed by grooming and rest. Meals are carefully planned: milk at 10 am, rice, vegetables and chicken at noon, and milk or curd in the evening. Each dog has a detailed history sheet and is microchipped for safety.

Ten handlers and a senior supervisor care for the dogs with deep affection. “Even if I miss a day, I feel restless,” admitted one handler. “Visiting the kennel and seeing our dogs is part of our lives. Without them, the day feels incomplete. Truly, man’s best friend is also the most faithful friend.”

From the original four dogs in 1964 to the present-day team, the Tata Motors Kennel is more than a security division. It is a living reminder of loyalty, discipline, and companionship. In its small cemetery, shaded and quiet, lies a rare tribute to those who served with silent devotion.

Neat marble epitaphs tell the story of the Tata Motors Kennel and its devoted soldiers. Each epitaph has their date of birth, date of death, their name, breed, gender engraved in those epitaphs. The burial ceremony is an elaborate affair. The dog is wrapped in a white shroud and two dog handlers slowly lower the body into the grave. All staff present shovel the loose soil to fill up the grave, incense sticks are then lit and put up and a permanent grave stone is erected at site- immortalizing the contributions made by the loyal and faithful.