Tata Group


The Tata Group is an Indian multinational conglomerate headquartered in Mumbai. Established in 1868, it is India's largest business conglomerate.
Tata Group comprises numerous affiliate companies, with Tata Sons as the holding company and promoter. As of August 2025, there are 29 publicly listed affiliate companies, with a combined market capitalisation of ₹37.84 trillion.

History

During the cotton boom in Bombay triggered by the American Civil War, Jamshedji Nusserwanji Tata and his father became involved with the Asiatic Banking Corporation. However, when the market declined, the firm faced significant financial difficulties. In 1868, the family’s fortunes improved substantially after securing a share in a profitable contract to supply the commissariat for Napier's expedition to Abyssinia. Throughout his career, Tata remained focused on four major aspirations: establishing an iron and steel company, building a landmark hotel, founding a world-class educational institution, and developing hydroelectric power.

1868–1937

In 1870, with Rs.21,000 capital, he founded a trading company. Further, he bought a bankrupt oil mill at Chinchpokli and converted it into a cotton mill, under the name Alexandra Mill, which he sold for a profit after two years. In 1874, he set up another cotton mill at Nagpur named Empress Mill. During his lifetime, in 1903, the company opened the Taj Mahal Hotel at Colaba waterfront as the first hotel with electricity in British India.
After Jamsetji's 1904 death, his older son Dorabji Tata became chairman. Sir Dorabji established the Tata Iron and Steel Company, now known as Tata Steel in 1907. Marking the group's global ambitions, Tata Limited opened its first overseas office in London. Following the founder's goals, Western India's first hydro plant was brought to life, giving birth to Tata Power. Fulfilling yet another dream, the Indian Institute of Science was established, admitting its first group of students in 1911.

1938–1991

was made chairman of the Tata Group in 1938. Under his chairmanship, the assets of the Tata Group grew from US$101 million to over US$5 billion. Starting with 14 enterprises, upon his departure half a century later in 1988, Tata Sons had grown to a conglomerate of 95 enterprises. These enterprises consisted of ventures that the company had either started or in which they held a controlling interest. New sectors such as chemicals, technology, cosmetics, marketing, engineering, manufacturing, tea, and software services earned them recognition.
In 1932, Tata founded its airline, known as Tata Air Services. In 1953, the Government of India passed the Air Corporations Act and purchased a majority stake in the carrier from Tata Sons, though JRD Tata would continue as chairman until 1977.
In 1945, Tata Motors was founded, first focused on locomotives. In 1954, it entered the commercial vehicle market after forming a joint venture with Daimler-Benz. In 1968, Tata Consultancy Services was founded.

1991–2024

In 1991, Ratan Tata became chairman of Tata Group. This was also the year of economic liberalization in India, opening up the market to foreign competitors. During this time, Tata Group began to acquire several companies. Tata Group bought Tetley In February 2000. After that, it acquired Corus Group in 2007. The next year, the company's subsidiary Tata Motors launched the Tata Nano, presenting it as "the world’s most affordable car," and acquired Jaguar and Land Rover from Ford Motor Company.
In 2017, Natarajan Chandrasekaran was appointed chairman. He was instrumental in restructuring business verticals and increasing promoter stake ownership in companies. Under his leadership, the group made acquisitions through insolvency law and investments in e-commerce, expanded its airline business by winning a bid for Air India, and completely bought Air Asia India. He has mentioned the future strategy is to focus on healthcare, electronics, and digital. Tata-owned Air India got approval to acquire AirAsia India nearly two months after putting forth the proposal. The Competition Commission of India approved the acquisition of the entire shareholding in Air Asia India by Tata-owned Air India.

Chairs

The chair of Tata Sons is usually the chair of the Tata Group. As of 2020, there have been seven chairs of the Tata Group.

Acquisitions

Tata Group has helped establish and finance numerous research, educational and cultural institutes in India, and received the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy.
In 2008, Tata Group donated US$50 million to Cornell University for "agricultural and nutrition programs in India and for the education of Indian students at Cornell."
In 2010, Tata Group donated 2.20 billion to Harvard Business School to build an academic and a residential building for executive education programmers on the institute's campus in Boston, Massachusetts. The building, now known as Tata Hall, is the largest endowment received by Harvard Business School from an international donor.
In 2017, Tata Trusts gifted US$70 million to University of California, San Diego and also partnered with it in setting up Tata Institute for Genetics and Society to address issues in public health and agriculture. In recognition of the donation, the building which houses TIGS has been named Tata Hall. It is also the largest international donation made to University of California, San Diego.
In 2017, Tata Consultancy Services donated a US$35 million grant to Carnegie Mellon University, the largest ever industry donation to the university, to collaborate on promoting next-generation technologies that will drive the Fourth Industrial Revolution, including cognitive systems and autonomous vehicles.
In 2017, the Tata Football Academy won the bid to form the Jamshedpur FC, an ISL football club based in Jamshedpur, Jharkhand.
In 2020, Tata Group donated 15 billion to PM Cares Fund to fight against COVID-19 pandemic in India.
In 2024, the Tata Trusts' Small Animal Hospital in Mumbai was started by Ratan Tata to provide medical care for pets, including dogs, cats, and rabbits.

Tata Trusts

Most of the philanthropic activities of the group are carried out by various trusts incorporated by the members of the Tata family.
  1. Sir Dorabji Tata Trust and Allied Trusts
  2. * Sir Dorabji Tata Trust
  3. * Lady Tata Memorial Trust
  4. * JRD Tata Trust
  5. * Jamsetji Tata Trust
  6. * Tata Social Welfare Trust
  7. * JN Tata Endowment
  8. * Tata Education Trust
  9. * RD Tata Trust
  10. * The JRD and Thelma J Tata Trust
  11. Sir Ratan Tata Trust and Allied Trusts
  12. * Sir Ratan Tata Trust
  13. * Tata Education and Development Trust
  14. * Navajbai Ratan Tata Trust
  15. * Bai Hirabai J. N. Tata Navsari Charitable Institution
  16. * Sarvajanik Seva Trust

    Controversies

The company has attracted controversy for reports of political corruption, cronyism, theft, mass killings, and exploitation of its customers, Indian citizens, and natural resources.

Munnar, Kerala

The Kerala Government filed an affidavit in the high court alleging that Tata Tea had "grabbed" of forest land at Munnar. The Tatas provided that they possessed of land, which they are allowed to retain under the Kannan Devan Hill Act, 1971, and there was a shortage of in that. The Chief Minister of Kerala V.S. Achuthanandan, who vowed to evict all on government land in Munnar, formed a special squad for the Munnar land takeover mission and started acquiring back properties. However, the mission was aborted due to both influential landholders and opposition from Achuthanandan's own party.

Kalinganagar, Odisha

On 2 January 2006, Kalinganagar, Tribal Orissa villagers protested against the construction of a new steel plant for Tata Steel on land historically owned by them. Some of the villagers had been evicted without adequate relocation. Police retribution was brutal: 37 protesters were injured and 13 killed, including 3 women and a 13-year-old boy. One policeman was hacked to death by a mob after police had opened fire on protestors with tear gas and rubber bullets. Family members of the deceased villagers later claimed that the bodies had been mutilated during post-mortem examinations.