JRD Tata: The Titan of Industry

July 29 is birth anniversary of father of Indian aviation

“Common people have an appetite for food, uncommon people have an appetite for service.” —-JRD Tata

“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.” —-JRD Tata

The father of Indian aviation, the longest-serving chairperson of the Tata group, the founder of several iconic companies and a stalwart of Indian business – Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata was this and more. As we celebrate his 119th Birth Anniversary on July 29, we look at but a few of JRD’s pioneering initiatives that put our country’s growth story in motion.

When JRD was elevated to the top post at Tata group in 1938, he was the youngest member of the Tata Sons board. Over the next 50-odd years of his stewardship, the Tata group expanded into chemicals, automobiles, tea and information technology. Breaking with the Indian business practice of having members of one’s own family run different operations, JRD pushed to bring in professionals. He turned the Tata group into a respected business enterprise where entrepreneurial talent and expertise were encouraged.

As Chairman of the Board of Directors at Tata Steel, JRD remained at the helm of the Company for over four decades from 1938 to 1984. During his tenure as Tata Steel Chairman, he was witness to our nation’s transition from an Imperial Colony to the early years of freedom and India’s experiment with democratic socialism. After the first decade of Independence, India entered a phase of nationalisation of key sectors and administered control regime across many sectors. As the country moved from one phase of economic adversity to the other, JRD led and guided Tata Steel through difficult and challenging times. His vision for Tata Steel was to be a modern, sustainable and profitable Company that was also a model corporate citizen – with Excellence through Integrity in all aspects. This vision continues to inspire and guide Tata Steel today.

The emphasis JRD placed on technological advancements, employee safety and sustainable growth continues to be a guiding light for the Tata group. In line with his vision, Tata Steel has adopted global best practices to ensure the safety, security and health for every employee in every location, as well as developed its own connected workforce programme by adopting innovative technologies and sustainable practices. JRD put in place several policies that have ensured the future of Tata Steel guided by a vision for a better, more prosperous tomorrow for all.

A nationalist who believed in the power of harnessing innovative practices and technologies to ensure a brighter, secure and sustainable future for all stakeholders, JRD ensured that Tata Steel implemented the highest safety standards across locations. This tradition is carried forward even today with Tata Steel’s Connected Workplace Platform, which leverages multiple technologies and systems that allow for real-time monitoring of employee safety and ensures operational flexibility.

JRD’s forward-thinking outlook meant that he was also quick to recognise the importance of computers. This was also to do with his association with our nation’s pioneering nuclear physicist Dr Homi Bhabha, who built the first computer in India at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research. The first computers in India were enormous in size – occupying an entire room. By the late 1960s, a decade before the rest of the country because aware of computers, Tata Sons under the leadership of JRD opened its own software division.

In a first for the nation, in 1967, the then new IBM 1401 computer system was inaugurated at Tata Steel’s Accounts Division. Under JRD’s leadership, this was done during that period considering the size and complexity of the business necessitating computerisation and automation. This was especially important as it would not have been possible then to operate the magnitude of Tata Steel’s blast furnaces to produce steel to exact specifications.

At the time, the IBM 1401 was described as a machine that stored vast amounts of numeric and alphabetic information through electronic memory devices. Any item could be located rapidly and could be used for calculating, analysing, classifying, comparing and providing management with the needed information in the shape it required.

Of the many milestones JRD has achieved in his lifetime, him founding Tata Computer Centre, now known to the world as TCS, was a landmark achievement. This happened at a time in the late 1960s when computers were still looked at with some suspicion because of their potential to replace human labour. One of TCS’s early contracts was the introduction of punch-card services to Tata Steel. Carrying forward the future-focused approach of JRD, Tata Steel has remained at the forefront of technology adoption and investment by continuously adopting innovations that play a crucial role in driving business value.

The company has implemented the enterprise resource planning platform S/4HANA – which has become one of the largest such migrations in Asia. This standardisation has allowed for the seamless integration of acquisitions into Tata Steel, making it a plug-and-play process. Realising the importance of data democratisation, Tata Steel has also invested in creating a data platform that forms the foundation for business insights and value creation, helping both internal and external stakeholders.

This strategic approach, which continues to be guided by JRD’s vision, ensures that Tata Steel builds on its strong foundation to implement advanced technologies. Through connected platforms, Tata Steel uses technologies to enhance employee safety, optimise maintenance and improve operational decision-making.

Apart from this, JRD’s leadership was also marked by his strong focus on integrity, social responsibility and a vision to establish long-term sustainable growth. He was of the firm conviction that moral behaviour in a company was not only crucial to its financial success, but also part of its commitment to the country. He was an early proponent of Corporate Social Responsibility because of his advocacy for making social good a priority in company strategy.

For JRD, CSR was not just limited to disbursement of funds. He upheld the idea of inclusive growth, in which corporations engage with the community for its upliftment and betterment. Maintaining high product quality and ensuring customer satisfaction was of utmost priority. JRD passionately believed in exceeding client expectations with exemplary work and moral commitment. In all his interactions with clients, he promoted honesty, openness and fairness. This strategy has allowed for Tata Steel to establish reliable and dependable relationships with stakeholders.

Tata Steel also uses AI models for forecasting, planning, customer analytics, financial analytics, HR analytics and other horizontal functions. The Company’s operations have undergone a significant transformation, with operators now working from a centralised control room equipped with LED screens displaying digital twins of the plant and its equipment. This setup, known as the Integrated Remote Operations Centre (iROC), allows Tata Steel to monitor and control operations in real-time from a remote location. Further, Tata Steel’s maintenance processes are centrally coordinated through its Integrated Maintenance Excellence Center (iMEC). This enables the Company to ensure proactive maintenance, improve safety and ensure compliance by closely monitoring operations and providing real-time alerts for potential safety violations or equipment failures.

Tata Steel has already been recognised as a proponent of Industry 4.0 in the country. Now, the Company’s focus has moved on from driving efficiency with Industry 4.0 to emphasising on effectiveness and collaboration between humans and machines with Industry 5.0. The Company believes that rather than replacing human capital, its goal is to empower its employees by utilising technology and work with AI as a partner.

The future of Tata Steel and its belief in the adoption of world-class and state-of-the-art technologies continues to be governed by the vision of JRD. He truly was a pioneer when it came to encouraging the development of our nation’s infrastructure, with a strong belief and promotion of digital technologies and innovative practices. India’s growth and the advancements we have made in digital technology are without a doubt, beholden to the efforts of JRD Tata.