JRD Tata 118th Birth Anniversary: Interesting Facts About The Father Of Indian Aviation

JRD Tata 118th Birth Anniversary: In 1929, JRD Tata became the first licensed pilot in India. He is also the founder of several industries under the Tata Group.

Born on July 29, 1904, JRD Tata is known as the father of Indian aviation ( Image Source :tata.com )

Today is the 118th birth anniversary of Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata, better known as JRD Tata, the longest-serving chairman of Tata Group. Born on July 29, 1904, JRD Tata is known as the father of Indian aviation and founded many Tata companies.

A successful businessman and a visionary, Tata contributed largely towards the betterment of the society. He had once said, "I do not want India to be an economic superpower. I want India to be a happy country."

Early Life And Achievements Of JRD Tata

JRD Tata was born as Jehangir on July 29, 1904, to a non-resident Indian Parsi family in Paris, France. He was the son of eminent industrialist Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata and his wife Suzanne Brière, who was the first woman in India to drive a car. 

JRD Tata completed his education in London. He then joined the French Army where he served for a year.

On his return to India, JRD Tata joined Tata & Sons as a trainee in 1925, with no pay. After 12 years, JRD Tata was made chairman of the Tata Group in 1938.  

Under his leadership, the Tata Group's assets increased from $101 million to $5 billion. Tata Sons began with 14 businesses, and at the time of his departure in 1988, it had expanded to a conglomerate of 95 businesses.

In 1929, he became the first licensed pilot in India. Since he was the first person to have qualified in India, his licence, issued by the Aero Club of India and Burma, bore the number '1'.

The first flight in the history of Indian aviation lifted off from Drigh in Karachi to Madras with JRD at the helm of a single-engined De Havilland Puss Moth on October 15, 1932. 

He was the founder of India's first domestic airline, Air India, in 1932. Air India was nationalised in 1953 with Tata as chairman.

He served as a Dorabji Tata Trust trustee for 50 years. The trust built Asia's first hospital dedicated to treating cancer. Under JRD Tata's direction, The Tata Memorial Center for Cancer was established in 1941.

He is also the founder of several industries under the Tata Group, including Tata Consultancy Services, Tata Motors, Titan Industries, Tata Salt, Voltas.

Awards And Honors Received By JRD Tata

JRD Tata won numerous accolades. In 1948, the Indian Air Force awarded him the honorary title of group captain. He was later promoted to the Air Commodore position on October 4, 1966, and to the Air Vice Marshal rank on April 1, 1974.

He also received a number of international awards, including The French Legion of Honor in 1983 because of his selfless humanitarian activities.

He is also a recipient of The Padma Vibhushan in 1955, followed by The Bharat Ratna in 1992, which is India’s highest civilian honor.

Tata was also bestowed with the United Nations Population Award for his crusading endeavors towards initiating and successfully implementing the family planning movement in India, much before it became an official government policy.

Death Of JRD Tata

Tata passed away from kidney infection on November 29, 1993, in Geneva, Switzerland, at the age of 89. He gracefully welcomed death, which is proven by his words a few days before he passed away, "Comme c'est doux de mourir". It means "How gentle it is to die".

After his demise, Parliament was adjourned in his memory. It is an honor rarely bestowed upon non-parliamentarians. He was laid to rest at Paris' Père Lachaise Cemetery.