Jamshedpur: Sir Nowroji Saklatvala was born on September 10, 1875. He was educated at St. Xavier’s School and College.
He joined the Tata organisation in 1899 as a clerk in the Svadeshi Mills and, within twenty years, rose to become the head of the firm.
He was created a C.I.E. in 1923 and knighted in 1933. During World War I, he was associated with many committees and rendered particularly meritorious service as Honorary Adviser to the Munitions Board during 1919-1921In 1921, he represented employers as a delegate at the International Labour Conference in Geneva. He was closely connected with the Committee of the Mill Owners’ Association and served as its Chairman in 1917. He was elected to the Bombay Legislative Council in 1921 and later represented it in the Bombay Legislative Assembly in 1922. Sir Nowroji Saklatvala chaired about 20 of the largest companies and corporations, including TISCO, Tata Hydro-Electric, ACC, New India Life Insurance Company, and the Imperial Bank. He also served on the Board of the Bombay Port Trust.
It was to him that Subhas Chandra Bose, then a union leader, addressed a letter in 1928, outlining the workers’ grievances, particularly the ill treatment they faced at the hands of foreign managers—which led to the strike that year. On the death of Sir Dorab Tata in 1932, Sir Nowroji Saklatvala was elected Chairman of Tata. Being an ordained priest, he led a simple lifestyle and was deeply sympathetic towards the helpless and the poor. As Chairman of Tata Steel (erstwhile TISCO), he played a key role in introducing the profit-sharing scheme for employees. As Chairman of the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust, he actively supported and encouraged several charitable institutions.
Despite his busy schedule, his passion for sport was evident in his involvement with many sporting organisations. He was Chairman of the Cricket Club of India, the Parsi Gymkhana, and the Bombay Presidency Olympic Association, and also served as Vice-President of the Bombay Hockey Federation. The magnificent Brabourne Stadium was built under his guidance.
In April 1938, Sir Nowroji Saklatvala left Bombay on a short trip to Europe. He passed away at Aix-Les-Bains, France, on July 21, 1938.
