29-year-old Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata starts a trading company with a capital of ₹21,000 — the early beginnings of what would one day become the Tata group.

Jamsetji Tata: The Giant Who Touched Tomorrow

In a bold move, Jamsetji establishes a textile mill in Nagpur instead of Bombay — India's textile hub. The Empress Mills experiment would prove to be a stroke of genius.

Through the Mill

Empress Mills pioneers employee welfare initiatives, long before they are enacted by law. 150 years later, the Tata group remains a 'people-first' enterprise.

People First: Pioneering Worker Welfare

Jamsetji establishes the JN Tata Endowment Fund to help Indian students pursue higher studies abroad.

JN Tata Endowment Fund: Backing The Brightest

The Taj Mahal Hotel opens for business on December 16. It is one of Jamsetji's many dreams for India, and the only one that would come to fruition in his lifetime.

Taj Mahal Palace: Diamond By The Sea

It falls to his older son, Sir Dorabji Tata, to bring his father's grand vision for India to life. He becomes Chairman when Jamsetji passes away in Germany in 1904.

Sir Dorabji Tata: His Father's Son

Sir Dorab first establishes Tata Iron and Steel Company (now Tata Steel) in remote Sakchi, and builds a hospital for the village, years before the first ingot is rolled out.

Nerves Of Steel

The Indian Institute of Science is established through the vision of JN Tata, 5 years after his death. The first batch of students is admitted in 1911.

IISc: Science With A Soul

Jamsetji's dream of bringing clean energy to Mumbai by establishing Western India's first hydro plant, is brought to life by Sir Dorab. Tata Power is born.

The Power Of Dreams

Moved by widespread poverty in India, Sir Ratan Tata, Jamsetji's younger son and a philanthropist, funds research into its causes at the University of London.

Beyond Business: Sir Ratanji Tata

The group makes its consumer space debut with Tata Oil Mills Co (TOMCO), known for popular soap brands, Hamam and Moti. It is sold to Hindustan Lever in 1984.

Sir Ratan Tata passes away this year, and the first of the Tata Trusts, the Sir Ratanji Tata Trust & Allied Trusts, is set up in accordance with his will. It has a corpus of Rs. 8 million.

Sir Ratan Tata Trust & Allied Trusts

India sends her first Olympic team to the games in Antwerp, largely due to Sir Dorab's efforts. In 1924, he finances the Indian team headed to the Paris games.

24-year-old JRD Tata receives the first pilot licence in India, the culmination of a childhood fascination with flying and with legendary aviator Louis Bleriot.

India's aviation aspirations soar as JRD pilots the first flight of the subcontinent from Karachi to Mumbai. Tata Airlines (later, Air India) is born.

Wings For A Nation

The Tata Institute of Social Sciences is established, pioneering social work education in India. It remains an institution of excellence to this day.

Tata Institute of Social Sciences

Sir Nowroji passes away in France, propelling JRD Tata to the most powerful position in the group. At 34, he is the youngest Chairman in the group's history.

Lessons In Leadership: JRD Tata

Tata Chemicals is incorporated in isolated, coastal Mithapur. A thriving community grows around the plant as the company grows into a market leader.

The Tata Memorial Hospital is commissioned by the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust. It pioneers cancer treatment in the country, and offers access to cancer care for all.

Tata Memorial Centre

The group's rapid business expansion continues with the establishment of Tata Engineering and Locomotive Company. By 2003, it is rechristened Tata Motors.

Naval Tata is named President of the Indian Hockey Association. Under his watch, India achieves Olympic glory, with golds in 1948, 1952 & 1956.

Keeper Of The Flame: Naval Tata

Women across the country celebrate as the group launches India's first cosmetics brand, Lakme. It is sold to Hindustan Unilever, along with TOMCO, in 1984.

Voltas is incorporated and is associated with multiple prestigious projects, making it a leading engineering solutions provider and airconditioning brand.

The group's interest in the beverages space is brewing. The country wakes up to a cup of Tata Finlay (later, the iconic Tata Tea; now, Tata Global Beverages).

India's first software services company, Tata Consultancy Services ushers in a new era. Today, it is a truly global enterprise with a presence in 46 countries.

JRD Tata and Dr. Jamshed Bhabha envision a world-class performing arts centre to preserve India's heritage. Enter, the National Centre for the Performing Arts.

National Centre For The Performing Arts

The Taj Group accelerates its international expansion with the acquisition of St. James Court in London, UK, two years after the company's first international hotel in Yemen.

Tata Chemicals changes the way India consumes salt. Tata Salt is the country's first iodised branded salt — the 'desh ka namak' to build a strong, healthy nation.

The group clocks another win as Titan Industries, a JV with the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO), makes a splash in a watch-starved market.

After its success with commercial vehicles, TELCO (now Tata Motors) cruises into the passenger vehicle space with Tata Sierra, followed by Tata Estate in 1992.

With an eye on an evolving market, Titan launches Raga to tap into the women's watch segment. Fastrack (launched 1998) becomes an iconic youth brand.

Titan revolutionises the Indian jewellery market with the launch of Tanishq. The retail brand brings transparency and reliability to an unorganised sector.

Tata Indica, India's first indigenously designed and manufactured car, and Tata Safari, India's first SUV, are launched by TELCO (now, Tata Motors).

Tata Tea (now Tata Global Beverages) acquires the iconic, then 160-year-old, British Tetley group. Today, it is the second largest tea brand, globally.

Tetley's 180-Year-Old Journey

The group strengthens its presence in the insurance sector with two joint ventures — Tata AIG this year, and Tata AIA in 2000.

The Tata group acquires a controlling stake in VSNL, establishing Tata Communications. The company is a global leader in network solutions, mobility and IoT.

TCS is the first Indian software company to cross one billion dollars in revenues. It goes public in 2004 in the largest IPO in India, raising nearly $1.2bn.

Tata Motors acquires the heavy vehicles unit of Daewoo Motors, and in the same year, is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

The group responds to the transforming satellite entertainment space by launching DTH (Direct-to-Home) provider, Tata Sky.

Tata Steel acquires Corus (now, Tata Steel Europe). It is Europe's second largest steel producer serving construction, automotive, packaging & engineering industries.

Tata Motors unveils the 'people's car', Tata Nano, to make safe transport affordable to millions. It also acquires iconic British car maker, Jaguar Land Rover.

Tata Medical Center, a comprehensive cancer care and treatment facility designed especially to serve the poor in the region, is inaugurated by Ratan Tata.

Tata Medical Center

TGBL's JV with international coffee giant, Starbucks, is welcomed by coffee lovers. The next 5 years see the fastest rollout of stores in Starbucks' history.

Starbucks Partners: Brewing A Unique Culture

Bombay House, is the first heritage building in India to receive a gold rating by Indian Green Building Council. Two years later, it receives a platinum rating.

The group follows up that development with Vistara, Tata Sons' JV with Singapore Airlines. It celebrates flying 1 million customers that same year.

Vistara Salutes JRD with Retrojet

N. Chandrasekaran, CEO and MD of TCS since 2009, is appointed Chairman of Tata Sons by the Board of Directors.

N. Chandrasekaran Appointed Chairman

Tata Steel and Thyssenkrupp sign a landmark JV to create a new, strong pan-European steel champion that is structurally robust and competitive.

Tata Steel and Thyssenkrupp sign JV

In May 2019, Tata Global Beverages and Tata Chemicals announce transaction to combine their consumer brands and create a new entity, Tata Consumer Products Ltd.

TGBL and Tata Chemicals' announcement

In January, Tata Motors announced the launch of India's Own Electric SUV, Nexon EV, ushering in a new wave of e-mobility in the country. Backed by Tata uniEVerse, the company is poised to create a holistic EV ecosystem to accelerate the adoption of EVs in India.

Tata Motors Launches Nexon EV

Tata Digital Ltd, a 100% owned subsidiary of Tata Sons, acquires majority stakes in e-commerce grocery giant, BigBasket (in May), and online healthcare marketplace, 1MG (in June). It also invests in CureFit Healthcare.

Tata Digital acquires majority stake in BigBasket

The Tata group took over as title sponsor for the Indian Premier League’s 2022 and 2023 seasons. The announcement was made in January.

#DeshKaPitch