On October 9, 2024, India lost its beloved business tycoon Ratan Naval Tata. He was 86 years old. The revered industrialist had been looking over the Indian conglomerate, the Tata Group since the year 1991. Born on December 28, 1937, in Mumbai during the British Raj, Mr. Tata belonged to a powerful family of the Parsi ethnic community. After his parents, Naval Tata and Sooni Tata, separated, he and his younger brother, Jimmy, were adopted and raised by their paternal grandmother, Navajbai Tata.
After completing his education, Ratan Tata joined the family business in 1961, and from there the Tata Group reached global heights. Admired by all, his brand put an indelible stamp on the daily lives of all Indians. With his incredible contribution, Mr. Tata made India’s business world a humble place. We have listed out the top 6 brands that Sir Ratan Tata made, changed, and acquired under his multinational corporation.
Tetley Tea
Tata Group’s Tata Consumer Products acquired Tetley Tea, the 2nd largest tea brand globally. The British iconic brand which was born in 1837, joined the Tata family in 2000. It was the first major overseas acquisition and the beginning of Tata Group’s ‘internationalization’ under the leadership of Ratan Tata.
Jaguar Land Rover
Tata Motors in 2008 acquired Jaguar Cars and Land Rover from Ford Motor Company for a net value of US $2.3 billion. Both businesses were fully joined and named Jaguar Land Rover Limited in the year 2013. Today, JLR brings in nearly four-fifths of the parent company’s revenues, besides giving all the back-end benefits including technology and global name.
Air India
Air India, India’s national carrier, and the Tata Group share a long history. The airline was originally called Tata Airlines and was founded by J. R. D. Tata in 1932. However, after World War II, in 1946, it was converted into a public company. In 2021, after suffering major losses the airline was re-acquired by the Tata Group and made private.
Corus
Tata Steel’s acquisition of Corus in 2007 for $13 billion, made Tata Group one of the world’s largest steel producers. The acquisition was one of the largest overseas acquisitions by an Indian firm at the time.
TCS
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) is a major part of the Tata group and India’s largest multinational business group. A global leader in IT services, consulting, and business solutions, the company has a global reach and operates across 46 countries.
Starbucks
The cafe company Starbucks entered the Indian market in 2012 as Tata Starbucks, a 50:50 joint venture between America’s Starbucks Coffee Company and Tata Group’s Tata Consumer Products Limited. The company owns and operates several Starbucks outlets in India.
Despite Tata Group’s global reach, the brand’s impact in India is greater than ever. Every Indian in a single day, no matter the class, buys or uses several Tata goods. From housing to consumer goods to motors, the brand reached all under the leadership of Ratan Tata. He was a true people’s person and so was his brand. Although there were ups and downs, his belief in doing good by society outreached everything else. He wanted to be “remembered as a person who made a difference.”
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