JRD Tata 117th Birth Anniversary: Interesting Facts about the Legend
JRD Tata (Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata) was a French citizen enlisted in the French army but in 1929, he renounced his citizenship and became an Indian citizen.
In 1929, JRD Tata obtained the first pilot licence issued in India and later became the father of civil aviation.
In 1938, He was elected as the Chairman of Tata Sons when he was 34 years old.
In 1941, He established Asia's first cancer hospital, the Tata Memorial Center for Cancer, Research and Treatment in Mumbai.
JRD Tata founded Tata Airlines which became Air India in 1946.
In 1948, he established Air India International as India's first international airline.
He received Padma Vibhushan in 1955, the French Legion of Honour in 1983 and Bharat Ratna in 1992.
In 1948, the IAF conferred upon him the honorary rank of group captain. He was promoted to the Air Commodore rank and later promoted to the Air Vice Marshal rank in 1974.
He initiated 'employee welfare schemes' in corporate India and encouraged eight-hour work days principle, free medical aid, and employee provident fund