Sir Ratanji Tata (1871 – 1918) was an Indian industrialist. He was a philanthropist and art connoisseur who inherited the Tata legacy from his father, Jamsetji Tata. He was a legendary figure who took great initiative for the welfare of humanity and donated generously to national and international causes. Like his father, he was a patriot and nationalist who contributed to the development of the country.
Wiki/Biography
Ratanji Tata was born in Bombay (now Mumbai), India, on Friday, January 20, 1871 (age 47 at the time of death). His early life was spent in Mumbai, where he was still surrounded by luxury goods. He graduated from St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai.
family and caste
Sir Ratan Ji Tata was born into a Parsi family.
Parents and siblings
He was born to Jamsetji Tata and Hirabai Daboo. His father Jamshetji Tata was a revolutionary businessman also known as the father of Indian industry. Latanji Tata was the second child of his parents and Sir Dorabji Tata was his elder brother.
wife and children
In 1892, Ratan Ji Tata married Navajbai Sett, daughter of Ardeshir Merwanji Sett. The couple has lived in the UK most of their lives. The couple has no children. After Ratanji’s death, Navajbhai adopted Navaltatha as per the family’s decision.
Ratanji Tata and wife Navajbai Tata
Ratanji died at the age of 41, leaving his wife Navajbai Sett to manage his estate alone. She remained his widow throughout her life and is best known as the chairman of the Sir Ratan Tata Trust. She is still recognized for her renowned charity work for women and society.
genealogy
Tatas family tree
Click here to know more about the Tatas.
Profession
Carrying on the Tata tradition
In 1896, he started working as a partner in Tata Sons. Jamsetji Tata’s death in 1904 was a turning point in Ratanji Tata’s life. At that time, Tata Sons was the agent of the Paris-based United Fire Insurance Company in India, and Ratanji took over the company after his father’s death. He was also in charge of Tata’s trading company, Tata Industries, which traded cotton, rice, yarn, pearls and silk. The trading company has branches in Shanghai, Kobe, Yangon, Paris, New York and other countries.
Ratanji Tata with wife and family
In 1901, Ratanji Tata, along with his father and brother Sir Dorabji Tata, became involved in India’s largest ironworks project. After Jamshetji’s death, Ratanji assisted his brother in the project, which was finally established on August 26, 1907. It was named Tata Steel Ltd and later renamed Tata Steel Ltd. Tata Steel’s operations have expanded to 26 countries on five continents and employs thousands of people.
great philanthropist
Ratanji Tata was known for his philanthropic activities, his compassion and generosity towards those in need. Poverty, lack of education and hunger were the things that troubled him. He donated £1,400 (approximately Rs. 1,39,000) annually to the University of London for welfare activities and since then, the Sir Ratan Tata Foundation has become part of the London School of Economics (LSE).
He donates £1,400 to University College London for research into tackling poverty in India
In 1912, he provided financial support to establish the Department of Social Sciences at the London School of Economics. The department was known as the Ratan Tata Department of Social Sciences until 1919. Ratanji was very interested in India’s past and he funded archaeological excavations at Walizicheng from 1913 to 1917. This excavation unveiled Ashoka’s 100-pillar Peacock Throne. palace.
#DYK Sir Ratan Tata was so fascinated by Indian history that he funded the first archaeological excavations at Pataliputra (modern Patna) between 1913-17? As a result, the legendary 100-pillar Mauryan throne room was discovered. #ashokapalace. #thisistata pic.twitter.com/6o7PdWal8g
— Tata Group (@TataCompanies) May 16, 2018
Ratanji Tata’s love for art and artifacts led him to donate a large part of his art collection to the Prince of Wales Museum in Mumbai. He was a kind-hearted businessman who never neglected to contribute to a cause. He donated generously to education, medical care and relief efforts after natural disasters. His annual donation amounts to Rs. 10,000 to the King George V League Against Tuberculosis and Rs 10,000 within ten years. As a memorial donation of Rs.1 Lakh to The Salvation Army.
Ratanji Tata and Mahatma Gandhi
Like his father, Ratanji Tata was a patriot who supported Mahatma Gandhi during the Non-Cooperation Movement in South Africa. Ratanji sent a check for rupees. Donate $25,000 to Gandhi for helping him launch the non-cooperation movement for the rights of Indians in South Africa. In response, Gandhi informed Gopal Krishna Gokhale in a telegram and stated:
Thanks to Mr. Tata for his timely and generous help. The distress is great. The situation for the prisoners was difficult. Religious concerns were ignored. Food rations were in short supply. Prisoners carried buckets of sewage; if refused, they were put on a diet. Solitary confinement. Prominent Muslims, Hindus, Parsis are in jail. “
In his “Indian Opinion” published on December 11, 1909, Gandhi wrote:
India has awakened as can be seen from the generosity of Mr. Ratanji Jamshetji Tata. Through his huge donation of Rs. 25,000 He gave a powerful impetus to our movement. Other Indians may follow in his footsteps. “
On January 10, 1910, Ratanji Tata wrote a letter to Gandhi and donated another Rs. 25,00o. In that letter, he wrote:
I express my warm appreciation for the noble struggle our countrymen are carrying out and I am happy to find that what I started (a donation of Rs. 25,000) has been implemented. I need scarcely add that I will follow with great interest the progress of the struggle, and sincerely hope that these brave efforts to preserve the honor and dignity of the country will soon achieve the success they deserve. “
In the Indian Review of December 17, 1910, Gandhi mentioned Latanji’s donation under the heading of Tatas and Satyagraha, writing:
By donating another Rs 25,000 to the Satyagraha Movement, Mr. Ratan Tata shows that he has the utmost sympathy for us and fully realizes its value. Including his previous contributions, India has provided a total of Rs 125,000. “
Later on August 10, 1912, Gandhi wrote Ratanji’s third donation. Gandhi wrote under Mr Tata’s generous caption:
Mr. Ratan Tata has outdone himself. It was announced at the Sheriff’s Conference in Bombay on 31 August 1912 that Mr Tata had made a third donation of Rs 25,000 to the Transvaal Passive Resistance Fund. Mr Tata’s donation therefore totals £5,000 – a fortune in itself. ”
Awards and Honors
- Sir Ratanji Tata was knighted by Britain in 1916 for his services to humanity.
die
Sir Ratan Ji Tata went to England for medical treatment in 1915. Two years later, on September 5, 1918, he died in St. Ives, Cornwall, England.
Facts/Trivia
- The Sir Ratan Tata Trust, established in 1919 by Ratanji Tata, is one of the oldest and most trusted grant-making organizations.
- Sir Ratan Tata and his wife loved art and collected many beautiful pieces of art for the new house they built in Mumbai.
- Navajbai, wife of Sir Ratanji Tata, established an institute in 1926 in the memory of Sir Ratanji Tata.
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education