How Did Tata Companies Expand?
The beginnings of the Tata Group can be traced back to 1868,
when Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata established a trading company
dealing in cotton in Bombay (now Mumbai), British India. This was
followed by the installation of Empress Mills in Nagpur in 1877.
Taj Mahal Hotel in Bombay (now Mumbai) was opened for business in
1903. Sir Dorab Tata, the eldest son of Jamsetji became the
chairman of the group after his fathers death in 1904. Under him,
the group ventured into steel production (1905) and hydroelectric
power generation(1910). After the death of Dorab Tata in 1934,
Nowroji Saklatwala headed the group till 1938. He was succeeded by
Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata. The group expanded significantly
under him with the establishment of Tata Chemicals (1939), Tata
Motors and Tata Industries (both 1945), Voltas (1954), Tata Tea
(1962), Tata Consultancy Services (1968) and Titan Industries
(1984). Ratan Tata, the incumbent chairman of the group succeeded
JRD Tata in 1991.