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On
January 31, 2007, Tata Steel hit headlines all over
the world with its acquisition of Corus, heralding a
spectacular start to its centennial celebrations this
year. For the first time an Indian company had dared
to bid for a blue-chip European company and won, even
in the face of a formidable rival.
It
is this spirit of adventure, of setting its sights on
a goal and never backing away from challenges that has
defined Tata Steel right through its long history. Born
in 1907 on the strength of Jamsetji Tata’s dream,
the company has lived up to the vision that brought
it to life.
The
genesis of Jamsetji’s dream was a lecture by Thomas
Carlyle in Manchester in 1867, at which he said that
the nation which gained control of iron would soon acquire
the control of gold. Propelled by a desire to see an
economically strong India take its place among the powerful
nations of the world, Jamsetji decided to set up the
nation’s first steel plant.
His
proposal met with a lot of scepticism from people who
couldn’t imagine an Indian achieving anything so
colossal. Over the next few years, Jamsetji had inspired
several others with the dream that had fired his own
imagination. Although he did not live to see his steel
plant take final shape, the entire project was executed
by his son Sir Dorabji Tata exactly according to his
wishes, right down to the tree-lined avenues and model
township.
Just
as Jamsetji had desired, Tata Steel spurred the industrial
development of the country and contributed significantly
to its economic growth. A century later, the company
is successfully expanding the reach of Indian industry
beyond its shores and helping India to become a powerful
force in the global marketplace.
True
to Jamsetji’s and the Tata Group’s values,
Tata Steel’s success has been achieved through
good corporate governance and ethical business practices,
through ensuring the welfare of its employees, and through
giving back to society the wealth it has generated.
Tata
Steel’s commitment to corporate social responsibility
dates back to its inception, a 100 years ago. The township
of Jamshedpur that it has built for its workers is a
benchmark for town planners. Its community welfare programmes,
carried out under the aegis of the Tata Steel Rural
Development Society, the Family Initiatives Foundation
and the Tribal Culture Society, have led to sustainable
development in the regions of Jharkhand, Orissa and
Chattisgarh and benefited thousands of people over the
years.
In
its centenary year, Tata Steel and all the people whose
lives it has touched and continues to touch, have much
to celebrate. We salute all those people, past and present,
who have helped the company to reach this magnificent
milestone and look forward to the next hundred years
of its growth.
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Uploaded in August, 2007
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