Fabulous Personalities- 4

 (29 JULY 1904 – 29 NOVEMBER 1993)
Dr.Sundar ram MBBS., MD

Jehangir (fondly called as Jeh) was born in 1904 to Jamsetji Tata’s cousin and noted businessman Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata and his wife Soni Brierre at Paris,France. He was the second child in a family of five children. He spent much of his childhood in France and understandably was very fluent in French than English.

INTREST FOR AVIATION

Once in a summer vacation, he happened to meet the legendary Louis Bleriot( the first man to fly across the English channel in 1909) the father of one his friends at Hardelot beach resort. As he played with his friends, Bleriot’s chief pilot Pegoud was landing a plane on the beach. His exploits stirred the heart of the young Tata. After taking a joyride in a plane at the age of 15, he decided to become a pilot .That encounter sort of kindled his intrest for aviation which eventually became his life long passion. In such small beginnings lie the seed of history.

INDIAN CITIZENSHIP AND PILOT LICENSE

After his studies ,he served the French army for an year at the tender age of 22.He was posted in the regiment called Spahis(the Sepoys).After completing the period of conscription in french army he joined the Tata company as an apprentice. In 1929 he renounced the french citizenship and became an Indian citizen.On February 10,1929, he received the first pilot license issued in India , labelled as no.1

JEH, THE ENTREPRENUR

At 34 years of age,he was elected the chairman of TATA sons which at that time was one of the largest industrial conglomerates in India. Under his leadership, several institutions were established to promote scientific ,medical and artistic endeavours in India the notable ones being TIFR(Tata institute of fundamental research),the national centre for performing arts, TISS (Tata institute of Social Sciences) and Tata memorial centre for cancer in Mumbai. His benevolence touched the lives of innumerable people from rich to poor, from manager to worker ,from literate to illiterate. He became the embodiment of the principles and philosophy of the house of Tata. Under his leadership, Tata firm developed from consisting 14 entreprises to a whooping 95 at the end of his tenure.

ALWAYS AIM AT PERFECTION;FOR ONLY THEN YOU WILL ACHIEVE EXCELLENCE. -J.R.D.TATA

He envisioned the importance of computers much before others and because of his association with Dr.Homibhabha,the first computer in India was built at TIFR. Tata sons founded TATA CONSULTANCY SERVICES (TCS) in 1968 which today is the biggest Indian multinational information technology service and consulting company operating in 46 countries. Other notable companies launched under him include TATA MOTORS, TITAN, TATA CHEMICALS etc.,

INDIAN AVAITION PIONEER

It was him who founded India’s first commercial airline,TATA Airlines in 1932.The first flight in Indian aviation history lifted off from Karachi with JRD at the controls. Airline services were enormously improved under his guidance. After independence, his airlines was called as AIR INDIA which was later nationalized by J.Nehru. Even after it became the national airlines of India, he was the chairman and a director on the board till 1977.His ardour for and commitment to Air India was what made it a world class carrier then. For his crowning achievements in aviation, he was bestowed with the title of Honorary Air Commodore of India. Kalpana Chawla, the Indian born astronaut cited JRD and his pioneering airmail flights as her inspiration for taking up aeronautics.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

Several international aviation awards received by him were
The Tony Jannus Award in 1979
Gold Air Medal of the federation Aeronautique International in 1985
The Daniel Guggenheim Medal in 1988

The French government presented him with the Legion of Honour in 1983. The Indian government bestowed him with Padma vibhushan in 1955 and India’s highest civilian honour ,the Bharat Ratna in 1992 for his selfless humanitarian endeavours. In the same year he was awarded with the United Nations Population award for his crusading attempts towards initiating and succesfully implementing the family planning movement in India, much before it became an official government policy.

It is a measure of the man and the life he lived that long before his demise, JRD Tata came to represent an exalted idea of Indianness: progressive, benevolent, ethical, compassionate. He was self effacing, modest, wistful, endearing and a thoughtful visionary.With his demise, that noble bit of Indianness will be missed forever.