The Tata Group is India's
best-known industrial group with an estimated
turnover of around US $ 14.25 billion (equivalent
to 2.6 % of India's GDP). Known for its
adherence to business ethics, it is India's
most respected private business group. With
more than 220,000 employees across 91 major
companies, it is also India's largest employer
in the private sector.
Founded by Jamsetji Tata
in the 1860s, the Tata Group's early years
were inspired by the spirit of nationalism.
The Tata Group pioneered several firsts
in Indian industry: India's first private
sector steel mill, first private sector
power utility, first luxury hotel chain
and first international airline, amongst
others. In more recent times, the Tata Group's
pioneering spirit continues to be showcased
by companies like Tata Consultancy Services
(TCS), today Asia's largest software and
services company, and Tata Motors, the first
car maker in a developing country to design
and produce a car from the ground up.
The business operations of
the Tata Group currently encompass seven
business sectors - Engineering, Materials,
Energy, Chemicals, Consumer Products, Services,
and Communications and Information Systems.
The scale of the Tata Group's operations
is increasingly turning global. Tata Tea
was the first Indian MNC in the global tea
industry; Tata Steel is one of the world's
lowest cost producer of steel; Tata Chemicals
is one of Asia's largest manufacturer of
soda ash; Titan is one of the world's top
six manufacturer-brands in the watch segment,
and Tata Motors is amongst the top six commercial
vehicle manufacturers in the world. The
Tata Group is increasingly focusing on new
technology areas, and has the largest footprint
in the information technology and communication
sector in India. Besides being the largest
software services provider in the country,
it is also one of the leading private sector
telecom service providers and is also India's
largest international long distance and
Internet services provider.
The Tata brand is recognised
as the largest homegrown brand in India
and the most respected brand. The Tata Group's
stable of brands also includes many national
and some internationally renowned product
and service brands, including Tata Indica,
Tata Indigo, Indigo Marina, Tata Safari,
Tata Indicom, Taj Group of Hotels (Luxury,
Business and Leisure), indiOne, Tata Tea,
Tetley, Tata Salt, Tata Steelium, Tata Shaktee,
Tata Tiscon, Tata Bearings, Titan, Tanishq,
Voltas and Westside.
The Tata Group has always
believed in returning wealth to the society
it serves. Thus, nearly two-thirds of the
equity of Tata Sons, the Tata Group's promoter
company, is held by philanthropic trusts,
which have created a host of national institutions
in science and technology, medical research,
social studies and the performing arts.
The Trusts also provide endowments, grants
and programme aid to NGOs in the areas of
education, healthcare and social upliftment,
and financial assistance to deserving individuals.
By combining ethical values
with business acumen, globalisation with
national interests and core businesses with
emerging ones, the Tata Group aims to be
the largest and most respected global brand
from India whilst fulfilling its long-standing
commitment to improving the quality of life
of its stakeholders.