Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata was a pioneering Indian businessman and industrialist who made significant contributions to the development of the Tata Group. He was a partner in Tata Sons and one of the directors of Tata Steel, where he stabilized its operations during difficult times. He is still remembered as the proud father of JRD Tata.
Wiki/Biography
Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata (RD Tata) was born in 1856 in Navsari, Gujarat (aged 70; died). He is the cousin of Tata Group founder Jamsetji Tata. He was educated at Bombay Cathedral and John Connon School and graduated from Elphinstone College, Bombay. After graduation, he went to Madras to pursue an agricultural course.
family
Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata was born into a family of Parsi priests.
Parents and siblings
He was the son of Dadabhai Kavasji and Bhikhibai Tata and had no siblings.
wife and children
RD Tata with wife and son JRD Tata
Ratanji married a Parsi girl when he was very young. She died shortly after the marriage, and the couple had no children. Later, RD Tata went to Paris on business, and it was then that he fell in love with Suzanne Brielle. They dated for a while and then married in 1902. She was a French woman and the couple lived in France most of their life after their marriage. They had five children: Rodabe, Jahangir, Jimmy, Sirah and Dorab. He was also a great father and once wrote to JRD Tata giving him some valuable life lessons.
RD Tata’s letter of advice to his son JRD Tata
Profession
He joined his father’s company, Tata, and was sent to Hong Kong to run the opium trade (which was legal at the time) in China for Tata. Even after his father died in 1876, he continued to work for the company. In 1883, he assumed overall responsibility for the company’s operations and demonstrated his ability by restoring stability to the company. In 1884, Jamsetji was influenced by the work of RD Tata and invited him to join Empress Mills.
RD Tata with Jamsetji Tata, Ratanji Tata and Dorabji Tata.
Express Mills is headed by Sir Bezonji Dadabhai Mehta, who looks after the management and technical aspects, while RD Tata looks after the financial aspects of the mill. At that time, he was given the task of opening a cotton gin factory in Yavatmal along with Dorabji Tata. He was also responsible for handling the finances of the ailing Swadesh factory. Along with Dorabji Tata, he worked hard to improve his status. Later RD Tata ran Tata & Co. and went to Hong Kong to work for its success. He opened new branches in Kobe and Shanghai, dealing in silk and rice, proving his ability. He further expanded his business and opened branches in New York and Paris, trading in silk and pearls. After the death of Jamsetji Tata, RD continued to be involved in the operations of Tata & Sons. He supported Jamshedji’s sons and played an important role in establishing Tata Steel in Jamshedpur. In 1907, the Tata Company operating in Hong Kong also merged with Tata Sons, and the company was renamed Tata Sons. The company supplied steel for World War I. Immediately after the war, Tata Steel experienced a crisis when Belgian and British steel was dumped into India. RD Tata, along with other directors of the Tata Group, handled the situation to protect the business from possible losses. In 1917, the company changed its name to Tata Sons Ltd. In RD Tata’s later years, he was responsible for the company’s trading and financial affairs from its headquarters in Mumbai. He was instrumental in realizing Jamshedji’s dream of establishing a hydroelectric power scheme, steel projects and a research university. During the war he was responsible for all aspects of the company. He also helped the Tatas emerge from their most critical financial phase after the First World War. He is still regarded as a great industrialist in Indian history for his contribution during tough times.
Contribution to Indian Industry
RD Tata was a member of the Imperial Legislative Council, which provided protection to the steel industry. He had contacts with Japan since 1890, and this contact helped him develop India-Japan trade relations.
Honor
- RD Tata was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, Third Class, the highest honor awarded by the Emperor of Japan.
die
RD Tata died on August 26, 1926 in Hadlo, France.
Facts/Trivia
- RD started his career with a business that was running into losses.
- He was married twice, first to a Parsi and second to a Frenchman.
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education