Jamsetji Tata

Tata, family of pioneer Indian industrialists and philanthropists. The founder of the Tata business empire was Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata (1839-1904). Born in Navsari, into a Parsi family, Jamsetji studied at Elphinstone College in Bombay before entering his father's business as a general merchant trading with the East. He soon proved highly successful, setting up a branch in Shanghai and steering the family through the speculation and collapse of cotton prices during the American Civil War.

Jamsetji's achievements were built upon by his sons Sir Dorabji Jamsetji Tata (1859-1932) and Sir Ratanji Tata (1871-1918), who completed the hydroelectric project, brought the original companies under the name of Tata Sons and Company, and set up branches of their business in London, Paris, New York, Shanghai, and Kobe. The Tata Trust has provided funds for hospitals and research establishments, including the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (see Homi Bhabha). Tata Airlines was founded in 1932, being renamed Air India in 1946, and was taken over by the government as India's national airline in 1953. The Tata empire remains one of India's largest business groups. From 1938 to 1993, it was chaired by Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata (1904-1993), under whom the business continued to expand and diversify. On the death of J. R. D. Tata, the chairmanship passed to Ratan Naval Tata (1937- ).