JRD Tata's 118th Birth Anniversary: Facts About The 'Father Of Indian Aviation' And Pioneering Businessman

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Today marks the 118th birthday of the Tata Group's longest-serving Chairman, Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata, also known as JRD Tata.

Image Source: Ratan Tata/Twitter

JRD Tata was born on July 29, 1904, in Paris (France). He was a visionary businessman who had made significant contributions to the advancement of society. Here are a few facts about a man who founded numerous Tata companies and is widely considered as the father of Indian aviation.

Image Source: J. R. D. Tata/Wikipedia

Facts About JRD Tata

1. JRD was born into the Indian Tata family, the son of renowned businessman Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata and his wife Suzanne Brière.

2. He was the second child of his parents.

3. His father, the late Ratanji Tata, was a non-resident Indian Parsi in Paris.

4. JRD's mother was French, and as he had spent his childhood in France, he considered French to be his first language.

5. His mother was the first woman in India to drive a car.

6. After the death of his mother when she was 43, JRD was sent to England in October 1923 to pursue higher education, while his father, along with other family members moved to India.

7. In 1929, he was called back by his father to India to join his parent company, Tata.

8. In 1929, he also became the country's first licensed pilot after he was inspired by one of his father's friends, Louis Bleriot, who was an aviation pioneer and the first person to cross the English Channel in an aircraft.

9. During his days, JRD founded many Tata Group companies like Tata Motors, Tata Consultancy Services, Tata Salt, Titan Industries and Voltas.

10. He is recognised as the "Father of Indian Civil Aviation" after he founded Air India, a Tata Airline, in 1932. Air India is known to be India's first commercial airline.

11. When he was 34 years of age, in 1938, he was assigned the position of Chairman of Tata Sons. In 1945, he also became the founder of Tata Motors.

12. He was appointed as the chairman of Air India in 1953.

13. He was awarded the French Legion of Honour in 1983.

14. He has also received two of India's highest civilian awards, the Padma Vibhushan and the Bharat Ratna, in 1955 and 1992, respectively for his contributions to Indian industry.

15. JRD was an agnostic, a person who does not believe in the existence of God. He was a believer in three things: good words, good thoughts and good deeds.