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- 1839 – 1905 The era of J N Tata,
the visionary philanthropreneur - 1907 - 2000 A century of philanthropic initiatives
- 2001 - 2024Empowering communities through strategic philanthropy
1907
1910
1911
1912
1912-18
1919
1920
1921
1928
1931
1932
1932
1936
1966
1967
1974
1974
1990
1991
1995
Jamsetji’s dream of building an iron and steel company in India and uplifting the country with industrialisation is realised with the discovery of rich coal mines in Sakchi.
Tata Iron and Steel Company became the first Indian company to issue shares to the public. At that time, the Tata family owned 11% of the total shares of the Tata Iron and Steel Company.
Sir Ratan Tata contributes a significant sum to aid Mahatma Gandhi’s struggle of giving Indians a life of dignity in Transvaal, South Africa.
The illustrious Indian Institute of Science is set up as a joint venture of the Tatas, the Government of India and the Government of Mysore, which becomes the launching pad and hub of scientific research in India and Asia.
The Indian Institute of Science was a first of its kind institute in Asia and over the years it has generated world renowned scientists. Nobel Laureate Sir CV Raman was the Institute’s first Indian Director.
Tata Steel becomes the first company to introduce pioneering labour welfare policies such as:
- - Free medical aid
- - Formation of a Works Committee for handling complaints concerning service conditions and grievances
- - Leave with pay
- - Worker’s provident fund scheme and workmen’s accident compensation scheme
- - Ex-gratia payment for road accident while coming to or returning from duty
In the last six years of his life, Sir Ratan Tata contributes a handsome amount annually to the London School of Economics to aid research on poverty alleviation.
Sir Ratan Tata passes away in 1918, at the age of 48, leaving behind all his property to be used for the betterment of society.
Sir Ratan Tata noted in his will, ‘If I have no children, I give the rest of the residue of my property … for the advancement of education, learning and industry in all its branches including education in economy, sanitary science and art or for other works of public utility…’
Sir Ratan Tata Trust is set up, in accordance with his will.
The Ratan Tata Industrial Institute is established to provide livelihood and employment to women from lower income groups and support old unskilled men.
Over the years, The National Metallurgical Laboratory, the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, the Delhi School of Economics and Bombay University have benefited from the funds disbursed by the Sir Ratan Tata Trust.
Sir Dorabji Tata sponsors the Indian contingent of six members, four athletes and two wrestlers to the Antwerp Olympics in 1920.
Sir Dorabji Tata, with the help of Dr A G Noeheren, the then Director of the YMCA, established the Indian Olympic Association in 1927, becoming the Founder President and Secretary General respectively of IOA.
The Jamsetji Tata Girl’s High School is set up in Nagpur.
Lady Navajbai Ratan Tata establishes the Sir Ratan Tata Institute to provide training and opportunities of employment to poor and aged Parsi women.
The building which is now known as the Ratan Tata Institute was donated by Lady Navajbai Tata to the Stri Zarthosti Mandal which needed space to expand its work of financially uplifting poor and needy Parsi women.
Sir Dorabji Tata sets up the Lady Tata Memorial Trust in memory of his deceased wife. The trust is set up to aid research on an international scale in the field of blood diseases especially leukaemia.
The Sir Dorabji Tata Trust is founded, which is one of the oldest non-communal and multipurpose charitable trusts in India.
Sir Dorabji Tata passes away, leaving behind his entire fortune — including a share of 40% in Tata Sons — to the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust which is to be formed after his death.
Sir Dorabji Tata did not have an heir and when he passed away in 1932, he left his entire fortune to a non-communal multi-purpose trust. He also donated all his belongings, including his late wife’s Jubilee diamond which was two times larger than the Kohinoor and also his smallest pearl-studded tie-pin.
Lady Meherbai D Tata Education Trust is founded to empower young Indian women through higher education. The Trust offers scholarships to graduates from recognised Indian universities to pursue higher education.
Following the philanthropic tradition set by Jamsetji Tata, the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust sets up India’s pioneering institutions such as The Tata Institute of Social Sciences in 1936, the Tata Memorial Centre for Cancer Research and Treatment in 1941 and the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in 1945.
Instead of only establishing a radium wing at a hospital in Bombay as Sir Dorabji had envisaged, the trustees of the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust decided to start a high-grade institution for the treatment of cancer. Governor, Sir Roger Lumley who inaugurated the hospital in 1941 called it the ‘first large contribution of India to the international fight against cancer.’
After developing world-class institutions in the field of science and technology, the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust unveils the National Centre for Performing Arts in 1966 to preserve and expand India’s rich cultural and spiritual heritage of music, dance and drama.
Milestone : 1967
The welfare of the labouring classes must be one of the first cares of every employer. Any betterment of their conditions must proceed more from the employers downward rather than be forced up by demands from below, since labour, contented, well housed, well fed, ‘well brought up’ — if I may use the word — and generally well looked after, is not only an asset and advantage to the employer, but serves to raise the standard of industry and labour in the country. In looking after the labour of today, we are also securing a supply of healthy and intelligent labour for the future.
— Sir Dorabji Tata in ‘Tata Steel Diamond Jubilee 1907-1967’
The Jamsetji Tata Trust is founded which offers institutional grants for work on developmental issues. It also offers free grants to certain JNT scholars.
Navajbai Ratan Tata Trust was founded.
The Tata Education Trust, Tata Social Welfare Trust and RD Tata Trust are founded with a primary focus on institutional grant making and providing the right kind of support to bright students.
JRD Tata establishes the JRD and Thelma J Tata Trust to promote education, health, upliftment and welfare of women in India.
The Sir Ratan Tata Trust expands its ambit of professional grants to three additional thematic areas of rural livelihoods and communities, arts and culture and public initiatives apart from health and education.
During this year the Trust underwent exponential growth and hence decided to use the funds for the betterment of the nation and of society.
