Ratan Tata had close ties with Hyderabad

Archival photo of Ratan Tata
| Photo Credit: KAMAL NARANG

A doyen of Indian industry, regarded globally for his portfolio of work and contribution to development, Tata Group Chairman emeritus Ratan Naval Tata, who passed away in Mumbai on Wednesday (October 9, 2024), had close ties with Hyderabad through his companies and interactions with leaders as well as people.

Tata Group’s presence in Telangana

While bellwether of Indian IT industry Tata Consultancy Services arguably will make it to the top in the Group’s brand recall value in the region on account of being one of the largest private employers in the State, the Group has a formidable presence in the aerospace and defence sector of Telangana for many decades now as well.

A man of conviction, the veteran industrialist will be remembered for the keen interest and support he sought to garner for new age, technology driven startups. “This area needs all our support,” he had declared in November 2015 at the opening of Hyderabad’s famous startup incubator T-Hub in IIIT-Hyderabad.

Describing start-ups as the new face of India, Mr. Tata, who went around the facility, said it was time the country focused on developing entrepreneurship whose foundations were based on innovation.

Ratan Tata at the inauguration of T-Hub in Hyderabad.
| Photo Credit:
@THubHyd

Unleash the Indian tiger

“All of us should unleash the Indian tiger,” he said, while also underscoring the need for exploring growth opportunities, at an interaction with young entrepreneurs subsequently. There was no sure shot way to invest in a start-up. It was largely intuitive and influenced by the commitment, passion and confidence of the promoters, he said.

Focus of any enterprise that wants to make it big should be on “attention to details”, he said, putting his weight behind healthtech, medical breakthroughs particularly, as the next big thing to emerge.

Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president and former IT and Industries Minister K.T. Rama Rao, sharing a video of the industrialist’s address at the opening of T-Hub on social media, said Mr. Tata was a true innovator, wonderful human, an inspiration to many and a humble legend. “Shri Ratan Tata’s passing leaves a void in the world of business, philanthropy, and humanity. Every time we look at THub, we will remember you sir You live in all our hearts and you will be a source of inspiration for everyone who wishes to make this a world a better place.

T-Hub on its X (formerly Twitter) handle said the passing of Ratan Tata, Chairman Emeritus of Tata Group, marks the end of an era in India’s business and innovation landscape. Though his absence will be deeply felt, his contributions will forever serve as a source of inspiration.

Global Powerhouse

Telangana Industries and IT Minister D. Sridhar Babu in the Congress government, in a social media post, described Mr. Tata as a visionary leader known for his humility, his deep conviction and focus that helped transform an India centric conglomerate, the Tata Sons, into a global powerhouse. His philanthropic activities are remarkably significant and noteworthy. His support to the Indian startup world is worth mentioning as he was a prolific investor in the Indian growth story. India has lost a beloved son.

Tata’s contributions to high end manufacturing in Hyderabad

In another post, the Minister recalled that his outstanding contributions to the growth of high end manufacturing in Hyderabad, especially in the aerospace sector, apart from the significant presence of TCS and his encouragement to the industrial eco system development in Telangana will be remembered.

“In 2008, we lost out on the Nano car project to Gujarat, the then CM Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy wrote to him to express our disappointment. He replied stating that he has something bigger in mind for Hyderabad and that’s how the Sikorsky helicopter project took birth in Adibhatla, which thanks to the anchor industry of Tata Advance Systems has become a global aerospace cluster today,” Mr.Sridhar Babu said.

Tata Advanced Systems is a big name in the aerospace and defence solutions arena having a large footprint in Hyderabad through joint ventures with leading OEMs Sikorsky Aircraft Company; Lockheed Martin Aeroframe Corporation; and Boeing. The focus areas include aerostructures and aeroengines, airborne platforms and systems, defence and security and land mobility.