Jamsetji Tata

Subject: Modern Indian History

Context: It is the 182^nd birth anniversary of Jamsetji Tata, hailed as the original “Make-in-India” man.

Concept:

He believed that the strength to defend freedom can itself only come from widespread industrialisation and the infusion of modern science and technology into the country’s economic life.
In spite of challenges, he studied Iron and steel industry for 20 years and laid the foundation of Iron and steel industry (though didn’t live to see it) as Tata Iron and Steel Company (Tata Steel) rolled out steel in 1912 at Jamshedpur.
He believed for self-reliance economic empowerment can only be sustained if India acquired scientific and technological prowess to power its progress: He set aside half his personal wealth for world-class institute of advanced studies to promote original investigations in all branches of learning and utilise them for the benefit of India (eventually materialized as the Indian Institute of Science (IISc))
Jamsetji launched his Scholarship Scheme for Higher Education for Indians in 1892. By the 1920s, one in five Indians in the Indian Civil Service was a JN Tata Scholar.