Jamsetji Tata

The Leading man of the Indian industrial world. Yogdrashta Jamset Nasuherwanji Tata was born on March 3, in Navsari in a family of Parsi Priests. He is called the father of Indian industry. He was the only son of his father and his childhood was spent in Navsari.

When Jamsetji was 13, his father started an export business in Bombay. He made his debut in Bombay at the age of 14. According to Parsi tradition, he was married at the age of 16 to Hirabai (10 years). Nausherwanji wanted his son to get a higher education, so at the age of 17, he was admitted to Elphinstone College. After a few years, he completed his college education as a 'Green scholar' (equivalent to graduation). His attachment to literature and books continued throughout his life. After completing his education, his father enrolled him in his business and taught him the technicalities of operation.

In 1859, his father sent him on a business trip to Hong Kong, Where he worked to open a branch of his family firm and was busy with other related tasks. He lived there till 1863.

Debut in the Industrial field 

At the age of 29, he started a personal trading firm in 1868 with a capital of rupees 2100. Through this, Jamsetji and his partners got the contract to supply some military equipment abroad. There was a sufficient amount of profit in this which inspired him to start his work in the field of textile. In Partnership with some of his friends, he bought an old oil mill in Bombay in 1869 and converted it into a textile (clothes manufacturing) factory. He undertook the task of managing it himself and within a few years he changed it into a working factory. 2 years later he sold it to a textile businessman at Profilt. He named it “Alexandra Cotton Mill”. 

In 1872, jamsetji once again turned towards England. This time his aim was to study the industry there, Especially the textile business in the lancashire.He was keen to develop the Indian textile industry.

At the time there were about a dozen textile mills in Bombay and it was considered a suitable place for textile mills. But contrary to this thinking, jamsetji chose Nagpur, in central India to set up his factory. Thus, they all got the benefit of the railway facilities established in that area during that time. While Choosing Nagpur city, he kept in mind three main fact-cotton production, railways facilities and fuel and the water supply situation.

In 1874, He started ”The Central Indian Spinning, Weaving and Manufacturing Company” with a Capital of 15,00,000 investing capital along with his friends. after declaring Queen Victoria as queen of India on January 1, 1877, the “Empires Mill” was started in Nagpur.

The Yarn Cloth mill of Nagpur also worked as a laboratory for jamsetji. Here he focused on every single detail of its development. Special Focus was given on new experiments of technology and labour welfare.Quality of the fabric was also improved by substituting the advanced American machinery of that era. He made new facilities like the pension fund in 1886 and accident compensation in 1895 for his workers. In this why he surpassed his Competitors.

Encourage by his primary successes,in 1886 only his thought of purchasing a defamed ailing mill. At the age of 47 he accepted the challenge of turning this sick mill into a healthy one.This mill, named “Swadeshi Cotton Mill“ On the lines of the Swadeshi movement, was mainly supported by Indian share-holders. He invested in it willingly. But later on, some situations were such that even after 2 years the mill could not declare dividends. Due to some reasons and rumours, Price of the share fell.The name of “Tata” was at stake when the banks also refused to given aloans, jamsetji collected capital by selling some shares of his family trust and impres mill and invested it in the indigenous cotton mill.This had the desired effect and the stock prices rose.He provided the best services of his best minds and skilled employees to the Swadeshi cotton mill and within a few years transformed it into a high-Grade textile mill.Soon the fabric manufactured in it began to get exported to china,korea,japan and the middle east.