Ratan Naval Tata is the chairman of the Tata Group, India’s biggest conglomerate. The company was first instituted by Jamshetji Tata, Ratan’s great grandfather. Ratan Tata also heads several major companies, mostly under the Tata group: Tata Chemicals, Tata Tea, Tata Power, Tata Motors, Tata Steel, Tata Teleservices, and Tata Consultancy Services.

The Tata family is a renowned family in Mumbai. Although Ratan Tata was born in a well-off life, he had troubled childhood — the result of the separation of his parents. His grandmother took care of him and his brother after their mother left their household. Nonetheless, he struggled to lead a good life. In 1962, He obtained a Baccalaureate’s degree in Engineering Major in Structural Engineering from Cornell University and proceeded to Harvard Business School and took an Advanced Management Program in 1975. Then, he joined the Tata Group in December 1962.

Yet, in contrast to his present status, his early work experience started modestly; he previously worked in structures with blast furnaces, shoveling limestone.

One of Ratan Tata’s later achievements in life transpired in 1981 when he was chosen as the chairman of Tata Industries.

Ratan Tata has earned a number of awards in his career including:

• In 2008, the Indian government honored him with its second highest civilian award, the Padma Vibhushan.
• He has earned an honorary doctorate in business administration from the Ohio State University.
• He has earned an honorary doctorate in technology from the Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok.
• He lately received an honorary doctorate from the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur.
• He was acknowledged as among the 25 most powerful people in business by Fortune magazine in November 2007.
• In May 2008, Ratan Tata made it to Time Magazine’s 2008 list of the World’s Most Influential People.