Jamsetji Tata is widely hailed as the “Father of Modern Indian Industry.”
India's industrial scene is quite impressive today and is considered one of the best in South Asia. But it all started during the 19th century when an ordinary man decided to do something extraordinary and turn India into an industrial hub! We are talking about the great Jamsetji Tata who single-handedly shaped India's industrialization, and how!
Jamsetji Tata was a man with a sharp vision. He was an influential figure at the time and did several ventures that went on to build the modern Indian economy.
Today, on Tata's death anniversary, let's have a look at his contribution to the country's industrialization.
Jamsetji and his father (Nusserwanji Tata) pursued several business opportunities in both local and international markets during the late 1850s.
He purchased a run-down and insolvent oil Apollo Mill Chinchpokli, Bombay's industrial heartland, and renamed it, Alexandra Mill Tata.
He purchased ten acres of land from the Nagpur king and set up Empress Mills. In 1874, the company was registered in Bombay as Central India Spinning, Weaving, and Manufacturing Company Limited.
Jamsetji made sure that the workers in his factory had a comfortable life. As a result, more and more people joined his company, and it started to grow rapidly.
The Empress Mills was a massive success. Jamsetji decided to compete with British manufacturers and succeeded.
In Bombay, Jamsetji began investing in the industrial sectors and purchased several properties. He established the Tata Hydroelectric Supply Company in the Lonavala and Khandala areas of the Western Ghats. It provided electricity to the developing city of Bombay.
Jamsetji founded Tata Iron and Steel Company Limited (TISCO) in Jamshedpur, which was a game changer in India's overall industrial scenario.
Moreover, he had several initiatives for workers' well-being. He introduced 8 hours working days in 1912, free medical aids inside mills in 1915, Provident Fund Scheme in 1920, and more.
Jamsetji Tata is now hailed as the pioneer in Indian industries. As Jawaharlal Nehru said, "When you have to give the lead in action, in ideas – a lead which does not fit in with the very climate of opinion – that is true courage, physical or mental or spiritual, call it what you like, and it is this type of courage and vision that Jamshedji Tata showed."
