Naval Tata is an Indian businessman who has contributed immensely to the growth of the Tata Group. He was a sports lover, a labor relations philosopher, and a true leader. Naval is one of the Tata Titans, just like JRD Tata. He is also a good communicator who can connect instantly with employees and make friends with people of all classes and backgrounds.
Wiki/Biography
Naval Tata was born on Tuesday, 30 August 1904 (age 26 at time of death) in Surat, Gujarat. He was born in a middle-class family, and his father was a spinning master at Advanced Mills in Ahmedabad. He was only four years old when his father died in 1908. In the same year, his family moved to Navsari, Gujarat. Her mother used to earn money by doing embroidery work. In order to support his family, he was sent to the JN Petit Parsi Orphanage. After Ratanji Tata’s death in 1918 in England, Dorabji Tata presided over a family meeting, and since Ratanji had no children, it was decided to adopt a child for Uthamna Ratan Ji’s ceremony. Navajbai Tata (Ratan Ji Tata’s wife) acceded to the family’s decision and took Naval Tata. Naval Tata once spoke about his adoption and said,
She played the role of Fairy Godmother for which I will thank her”
After his adoption, he pursued a bachelor’s degree in Economics at Bombay University, and later, he went to England to pursue a course in Accountancy.
Family
Navy belongs to the Paris family and was adopted by Navajbai Tata.
Parents & Siblings
He was the adopted son of Ratan Ji Tata and Navjbai Tata as the couple had no children.
Wife & Children
Naval Tata with son Ratan Naval Tata
Naval Tata is married to Sooni Commissariat, and they have two children named Ratan and Jimmy Tata. The couple separated in the mid-1940s. Later, Naval fell in love with Simone Dunoyer and married her in 1955. In 1957, Naval’s third son, Noel Tata, was born.
Family tree
Tatas family tree
Click here to know more about the Tata family.
Career
After returning to India on 1 June 1930, he joined the Tata family business. In 1932, he got a secretary position in Tata Aviation. He invested all his energy in the family business, and in 1939, he was appointed Joint Managing Director of all the Tata Textile Mills. Soon after, he became a Director of Tata Sons on 1 February 1941, and later, assumed the position of Deputy Chairman. After that, he became the chairman of Tata Mills and three Tata Electric Companies. Under his leadership, Tata Power witnessed significant growth with increased capacity and reach. He also made his position on the board of directors of several other companies. Apart from his contribution to the Tata Group, he also worked as a director of the Bank of Baroda.
Serving various organizations
He is a businessman who makes great contributions to society and works with many public institutions. He devoted much of his time to educational, social, and welfare activities. He served as chairman of the Sir Ratan Tata Trust and the Indian Cancer Society. He is a member of the Indian Institute of Science and a trustee of the Tata philanthropy. He became Vice-Chairman, International Organization of Employers, Geneva and remained in this position for 38 years. Since 1946, he has remained associated with the International Labor Organization for over three decades. He also attended several sessions of the ILO General Conference and Industrial Committees. He also represented Indian Employers at various national and international conferences and attended International Chamber of Commerce meetings. UNIDO and the International Management Association.
Love for Sports
Naval Tata with hockey team players
Naval Tata is very fond of sports and has contributed greatly to the development of sports in this country. He served as the president of the Hockey Federation of India and directed it for 17 years. In 1958, he created India’s first floodlit hockey pitch. He was the President of the Sports Council of India when the country achieved three Olympic victories. India participated in its first Olympics in London (1948), and it was then that Naval Tata personally met Jawaharlal Nehru and convinced him to bring the country’s players forward. As a result, India won gold in the London Olympics. This victory was followed by two more victories in Melbourne and Helsinki. He is also the president of the Employers Federation of India. In 1966, he was appointed as a member of the National Labor Commission by the Government of India.
Awards, Honors, Achievements
- He was the recipient of the Sir Jehangir Ghandy Medal for Industrial Peace in 1968.
- In 1969, he was awarded the Padma Bhushan Award by the President of India.
- He has been granted lifetime membership of the National Institute of Personnel Management.
- He was the first president of the Sports Council of India.
Death
Naval Ji Tata died after a battle with cancer on May 5, 1989 in Bombay.
Reminder
- In 1999, a book was published in his memory. This book is a collection of his letters, speeches, and writings.
- Since 1992, the National Institute of Personnel Management has hosted the Naval Organization Memorial Lecture every year in his memory.
- In 2004, The Century of Trust exhibition was organized by the Tata Group in memory of the founders of the Tata Group Jamsetji Tata, JRD Tata, and Naval Tata.
- In 2014, the Employers’ Federation of India presented the Naval Institute for Training in Industrial Relations in his memory.
- To honor him, the Department of Sports Management of the Indian Institute of Social Welfare and Business Management has been renamed as the Naval Institute Center of Excellence in Sports Management.
Facts/Trivia
- In 1971, he tried his luck in politics and contested the elections as an independent candidate for the Lok Sabha elections in 1971 but did not win.
- He holds the record of being selected as a member of the International Labor Organization sixteen times.
Categories: Biography
Source: SCHOOL TRANG DAI
