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Book review
'Russi has captured the "touch and feel" of events in Tata Steel from its early days . . . he also succeeds in bringing to life the human side of the company in a very readable and cogent manner. The book is a valuable and interesting record of the company's evolution over its 100-year history, while at the same time being an enjoyable book to read.' -From the Foreword by Ratan N. Tata
'The hand of history has woven the tapestry of the Tatas. Just over a hundred years ago Jamsetji Tata requested the Secretary of State in India, Lord George Hamilton, for the co-operation of the British Raj in starting India's first steel works. On the hundredth anniversary of the registration of Tata Iron & Steel Company, the company won the bid to purchase the Anglo-Dutch steel giant CORUS. And so the wheel has turned a full circle.'
R.M. Lala traces a hundred years and more of the exciting history of Tata Steel-from men searching for iron ore and coking coal in jungle areas, traversing in bullock carts before the site was found, to the company's modern status as a world-class company. He brings to life a seldom-voiced account of the courage, vision and commitment of the men who created India's first modern industrial venture which was to be the fountainhead of its industrial growth. The story Lala recounts is an eventful one of struggle for finances, of survival under unimaginable government controls, the evolution of incredibly humane labour practices (like an eight-hour work day much before it was a Western concept), the effort to compete as liberalization was ushered in, and Tata Steel's ultimate triumph. For over a hundred years, Tata Steel has promoted a culture of philanthropy perhaps unequalled in the corporate world.
The Romance of Tata Steel is a moving and fascinating account that draws upon extensive archival material and rare photographs to paint a compelling story that all Indians can be proud of. This informed and objective book is a fitting tribute to an exceptional Indian company in its centenary year.
About the author Editor, publisher and author, Russi M. Lala began his career as a journalist in 1948, at the age of nineteen. Shortly after this, he became an executive in a book publishing house. In 1959 he became the manager of the first Indian book publishing house in London and in 1964 he founded (with Rajmohan Gandhi) the newsweekly Himmat, which he edited for a decade. He published his first book, The Creation of Wealth: The Tata Story, to critical and commercial acclaim in 1981. This was followed by Encounters with the Eminent (1981); The Heartbeat of a Trust (1984); In Search of Leadership (1986); Beyond the Last Blue Mountain: A Life of J.R.D. Tata (1992); The Joy of Achievement: Conversations with J.R.D. Tata (1995) and Celebration of the Cells: Letters from a Cancer Survivor (1999). He has also edited, with S.A. Sabavala, a book of J.R.D. Tata’s speeches, Keynote (1986). R.M. Lala’s books have been translated into other languages including Japanese. He has been director of the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust since 1985, and is the co-founder of the Centre for Advancement of Philanthropy, and since 1993, its chairman.
'Russi has captured the "touch and feel" of events in Tata Steel from its early days . . . he also succeeds in bringing to life the human side of the company in a very readable and cogent manner. The book is a valuable and interesting record of the company's evolution over its 100-year history, while at the same time being an enjoyable book to read.' -From the Foreword by Ratan N. Tata
'The hand of history has woven the tapestry of the Tatas. Just over a hundred years ago Jamsetji Tata requested the Secretary of State in India, Lord George Hamilton, for the co-operation of the British Raj in starting India's first steel works. On the hundredth anniversary of the registration of Tata Iron & Steel Company, the company won the bid to purchase the Anglo-Dutch steel giant CORUS. And so the wheel has turned a full circle.'
R.M. Lala traces a hundred years and more of the exciting history of Tata Steel-from men searching for iron ore and coking coal in jungle areas, traversing in bullock carts before the site was found, to the company's modern status as a world-class company. He brings to life a seldom-voiced account of the courage, vision and commitment of the men who created India's first modern industrial venture which was to be the fountainhead of its industrial growth. The story Lala recounts is an eventful one of struggle for finances, of survival under unimaginable government controls, the evolution of incredibly humane labour practices (like an eight-hour work day much before it was a Western concept), the effort to compete as liberalization was ushered in, and Tata Steel's ultimate triumph. For over a hundred years, Tata Steel has promoted a culture of philanthropy perhaps unequalled in the corporate world.
The Romance of Tata Steel is a moving and fascinating account that draws upon extensive archival material and rare photographs to paint a compelling story that all Indians can be proud of. This informed and objective book is a fitting tribute to an exceptional Indian company in its centenary year.
About the author Editor, publisher and author, Russi M. Lala began his career as a journalist in 1948, at the age of nineteen. Shortly after this, he became an executive in a book publishing house. In 1959 he became the manager of the first Indian book publishing house in London and in 1964 he founded (with Rajmohan Gandhi) the newsweekly Himmat, which he edited for a decade. He published his first book, The Creation of Wealth: The Tata Story, to critical and commercial acclaim in 1981. This was followed by Encounters with the Eminent (1981); The Heartbeat of a Trust (1984); In Search of Leadership (1986); Beyond the Last Blue Mountain: A Life of J.R.D. Tata (1992); The Joy of Achievement: Conversations with J.R.D. Tata (1995) and Celebration of the Cells: Letters from a Cancer Survivor (1999). He has also edited, with S.A. Sabavala, a book of J.R.D. Tata’s speeches, Keynote (1986). R.M. Lala’s books have been translated into other languages including Japanese. He has been director of the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust since 1985, and is the co-founder of the Centre for Advancement of Philanthropy, and since 1993, its chairman.
Business & Management
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