A Century of Trust: The Story of Tata Steel

Long before India dreamt of industrial self-reliance, Jamsetji Tata envisioned India’s biggest industrial enterprise—its first steel plant. Long before the industrialized nations instituted worker-friendly policies, an Indian company instituted an eight-hour day for its workers. Long before the term Corporate Social Responsibility was coined, a company in India chose to give upto 14 per cent of its profits to charity.

That Indian company was none other than Tata Steel. Established in 1907, the Tata Iron and Steel Company was born of the vision of Jamsetji Tata, an industrialist and patriot who foresaw India’s future as an industrialized power. Those who believed in his vision braved wild terrain, unimaginable danger and even risked their fortunes to build India’s first great steel works.

From then to now, Tata Steel has traversed a long and uneven road encompassing exceptional success and near bankruptcy to emerge as India’s largest steel producer. It is now 100 years old and with its takeover of the Anglo- Dutch giant Corus, it has become the sixth-largest steel producer in the world. In this objective and well-researched biography, Rudrangshu Mukherjee brings to life the story of this remarkable company from its early days to its maturity, its struggle as also its triumphs, and its eventual transformation into a global giant. In the process, he chronicles critical aspects of India’s social and political history: the role of government in business, the restrictions on doing business in a planned economy and the role of business in society.

He also provides insights into the remarkable social contributions of Tata Steel in the areas of labour welfare and legislation, education, health and the arts. This in-depth history, though told from a corporate viewpoint, is an inspiring narrative of how the dedication, ingenuity and hard work of many came to create India’s first great industrial enterprise.

An absorbing and inspirational biography, A Century of Trust is a gripping account of patriotism, enterprise and dedication.