RATAN TATA, LEADING FROM THE FRONT: In 1991, after more than 50 years at the helm, JRD Tata stepped down as the chairman of the Tata Group. Taking over from him was Ratan Tata, his nephew.
In 1998, Ratan Tata's pet project, the Tata Indica which is India's first indigenously designed, developed and manufactured car was launched. In 2000 Tata Tea acquired the Tetley Group, UK. The Indica is now being sold in Britain as the 'City Rover', under an export agreement with MG Rovers, UK.
Ratan Tata has also initiated the restructuring of the vast Tata empire to reduce hierarchy, focus on profitable operations, and increase efficiency. The group is managed through holding company Tata Sons, which controls the Tata brand.
The next big thing that corporate watchers are looking out from the Tata Group is the listing of Tata Consultancy Services, which is the largest IT services company in the country. TCS plans to go public this year and if it does, it will be among the largest issues to come to the Indian stock market.
Ratan Tata, the current chairman of the Tata Group.