Steel Man Of India Dies at 86 Former Tata Steel managing director Jamshed J Irani, a recipient of Padma Bhushan, was associated with Tata Steel for over four decades. He led Tata Steel from the forefront during India's economic liberalization in the early 1990s
By Shrabona Ghosh •
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Former Tata Steel managing director Jamshed J Irani popularly known as the Steel Man of India passed away on Monday night in Jamshedpur's Tata Main Hospital. He was 86 and is survived by his wife Daisy and three children.
Dr. Irani, a recipient of Padma Bhushan, was associated with Tata Steel for over four decades. He retired from the board of Tata Steel in June 2011, leaving behind a legacy of 43 years, which won him and the company international acclaim in various fields.
He joined the board of Tata Steel in 1981 and was also a non-executive director from 2001 for a decade. Besides Tata Steel and Tata Sons, Dr. Irani also served as a director of several Tata Group companies, including Tata Motors and Tata Teleservices.
Dr. Irani was the national president of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) from 1992-93. "He will be fondly remembered as a visionary leader who led Tata Steel from the forefront during India's economic liberalization in the early 1990s and immensely contributed to the growth and development of the steel industry in India," said Tata Steel in a statement.
He started his professional career with the British Iron and Steel Research Association in Sheffield in 1963. He returned to India to join the then Tata Iron and Steel Company (now Tata Steel) in 1968, as assistant to the director in-charge of research and development. He went on to become general superintendent in 1978, general manager in 1979, and president of Tata Steel in 1985. He then became joint managing director of Tata Steel in 1988, managing director in 1992 before retiring in 2001.
