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One of the most striking things about living for 20 years in Jamshedpur was being able to comprehend the significance of the word ‘Tata’. The 3rd of March is always a day which encompasses a feeling of solemn reverence, respect and gratitude towards a visionary who changed the lives of many, and continues to do so, in infinite ways. This day marks the birthday of one of India’s greatest visionaries – Jamsetji Tata, the founder of the Tata Group of companies.
The Tata Group served as an instrumental force in propelling India into the sphere of development in the formative years. Now it has evolved into a one of the world’s most valued global enterprises, which caters to almost every sphere of life.
One of the projects that the Tata Group has fostered right since its inception is Indian sports. The negativity which tends to engulf Indian sports in relation to the constant underachievement, the inadequate infrastructure and the general indifference tends to obscure the effort and support rendered by certain groups and companies to promote sports and its development.
The Tata Company, with its visionary leaders, proved to be one of the pioneering enterprises which persevered toward forging excellence in the realm of Indian sports. They initiated a desire and a commitment to support the growth and development of sports. The enthusiasm towards sport which the Tata company possesses has materialized over the years in the form of academies for different sports, sponsorships of events and individuals and support for numerous talented sportspersons.
Jamsetji Tata, the founder of the Tata Group, was an enthusiast and patron of cricket and cricketers. His son Sir Dorabji Tata was a Cambridge blue at cricket and a founding member of the sports-oriented Willingdon Club in Mumbai. Dorabji provided sponsorship to the Indian contingent for the Antwerp Olympics in 1920. He also financed the Indian team’s participation in the 1924 Olympics in Paris. Moreover, he was the first president of the Indian Olympic Committee, established in 1927.
Naval Tata (the father of Ratan Tata) furthered this vision by heading the Indian Hockey Federation. During his tenure, India won six consecutive gold medals in field hockey, beginning with the 1928 Olympics in Amsterdam. This period is referred to as the Golden Age of Indian Hockey.
J.R.D. Tata proliferated the idea of trusteeship instituted by Dorabji Tata. He expressed his passion and support for sports by attending various sporting events across the country.
It was this allegiance to sports and its development that led to the establishment of the Tata Sports Club in 1937. From the time of its inception, the club has embarked on a relentless endeavour to encourage and nurture talent in the field of sports from every single part of India.
It is this sporting altruism which transformed it into a cradle of champions such as Leander Paes, Pullela Gopichand, Geet Sethi, Michael Ferreira, Prem Chand Degra (bodybuilder), Bachendri Pal (mountaineer), Lavy Pinto, Edward Sequeira, T.C. Yohanan and many others.
With the support of companies like the Tata Group, India has bagged medals at the Olympics, various world championships, the Asian Games and the Commonwealth Games. Further, numerous athletes who have been conferred with the Dronacharya, Padma Shri and Arjuna awards share a common link – of being associated with the Tata Group.
The initiatives taken by the group span a wide range of sports, namely, cricket, tennis, athletics, boxing, badminton, archery, hockey, shooting, swimming, weightlifting, chess, handball, basketball, table tennis, billiards and snooker.
Supported with the best of resources, the sports management has a keen eye for spotting talent, and grooming such talent to produce extraordinary results.
The 1970s saw the birth of a new dawn in Indian athletics which was partly the result of the efforts by the Tata Group. Athletes such as T.C. Yohannan, V. S. Chauhan, Bahadur Singh Chouhan, Suresh Babu, Gnansekaran, Addile Sumariwalla, Jagraj Singh, Anthony Coutinho, Gurutej Singh and Amar Singh emerged as national and global stars during this period.
Some of the most prestigious sporting academies and institutions in the nation are the result of the vision and mission of the Tata Group. These include the Tata Football Academy (TFA), the Tata Athletic Academy (TAA), the Tata Archery Academy, and the Tata Adventure Foundation.
The Tata Football Academy established in 1987 continues to be the top academy which provides 80% of the national junior team players. All the major football clubs in India vie to recruit players from this prestigious academy. Meanwhile the Tata Archery Academy, established in 1996, has proved to be among the best in the country. Over the years, it has been the nurturing ground for innumerable national and international athletes.
Except for the Tata Football Academy, all the other academies are confined within a single facility known as the J.R.D. Tata Sports Complex, which has a football ground and an eight-lane polyurethane track.
J.R.D Tata Stadium, Jamshedpur
It also has tennis courts, a hockey field, courts for basketball, handball and volleyball, an archery range, chess and boxing centres and a gymnasium. The company also maintains a flying club, golf courses, squash courts, billiards centre, a horse-riding range and a swimming pool.
On the stands of the stadium in the J.R.D. Tata Sports Complex, the words “Sports is a way of life” are imprinted, which serves as a resounding reminder of the history of prolific projects undertaken and sponsored by the company towards the goal of development of sports in India.
The work of the Tata Group in India is the result of the passion which its leaders shared for sports. The company has always strived to be a beacon of support and guidance, and till today continues its lofty tradition of fostering some of India’s greatest sportspersons.
