Ratan Tata, A Visionary, Who Dreamt of Taking Assam To The Peak of Heights

Eminent entrepreneur Ratan Tata had a long association with Assam and he had made an immense contribution to the state.

Guwahati: Once in a lifetime, you come across such a person whose impact and charisma are of such magnitude that it leaves an everlasting impression. Undoubtedly one such person is eminent industrialist Ratan Tata. His demise in Mumbai at the age of 86 has cast a pall of gloom across the country as well as in Assam. At this hour, Assam fondly remembers the widely respected Ratan Tata.

Philanthropic Ratan Tata:Ratan Tata and Tata Group's relationship with Assam is very old. Ratan Tata's relationship with Assam from the tea industry to the most recent Rs 27,000 crore semiconductor industry, from the tourism industry to cancer care hospitals from the industrial sector of Assam to social service, the contribution of Ratan Tata with Assam was long-standing and far-reaching. Ratan Tata was a source of inspiration for instilling human values among the new generation across the country as well as in Assam. His personality and contribution became the driving force of the battle of life for countless in Assam as well.

Setting up of Cancer Hospitals in Assam: Ratan Tata made significant contributions to the health sector of Assam. At the initiative of Ratan Tata, several cancer hospitals were set up in Assam keeping in view the increasing rate of cancer patients in the northeast region. A joint venture between the Tata Trust and the Government of Assam signed an agreement in 2018 to set up a total of 19 cancer hospitals in Assam in a phased manner.

On April 28, 2022, seven state-of-the-art cancer hospitals were opened in Assam under the initiative of the Tata Trust. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated seven cancer hospitals in Dibrugarh, Barpeta, Tezpur, Jorhat, Darrang, Kokrajhar and Lakhimpur in the presence of Ratan Tata. Besides that foundation stone of seven other cancer hospitals to be built in Goalpara, Sivasagar, Dhubri, Nagaon, Golaghat, Tinsukia and Nalbari was also laid.

Promoting technical education in Assam: Ratan Tata also focused on the vocational education sector of Assam to educate the new generation technically and make them career-oriented. On May 3, 2022, Tata Technologies in collaboration with the Government of Assam signed an agreement to promote technical education under the initiative of Ratan Tata. Engineering and Product Development Digital Services Company Tata Technologies signed the MoU with the Government of Assam to transform 34 Polytechnics and 43 Government Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) in Assam into centres of excellence.

The main objective of this initiative was not only to meet the improved skill needs of the students associated with the core industries of Assam after the upgradation of these technical institutions, but also to act as technological and industrial hubs for MSMEs and make industrialisation helpful. The total proposed investment under the project was around Rs 2,390 crore.

Making Assam Tea a household name

Ratan Tata has played a special role in the boosting economy of Assam for the last several decades, especially by venturing into the world-famous Assam Tea Sector. Tata Tea Ltd, a leading name in the Indian Tea industry, has been a major player that has taken Assam Tea beyond the state and made Assam tea a household product in India and across the world. Amalgamated Plantations Private Limited (APPL), a subsidiary of Tata Consumer Products currently, runs 21 Tea Estates in Assam.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sharma conferring Assam's highest civilian award 'Assam Baibhav' award on Ratan Tata at his residence in Mumbai in 2021 (ETV Bharat)

Setting up of Rs 27,000 Crore Semiconductor Industry in Assam

Continuing its long-term relationship with Assam, in 2024, the Tata Group came up with one of the biggest projects in the state. Tata Electronics, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tata Sons, is building the Assam unit of its Rs 27,000 crore greenfield semiconductor assembly and test facility in Assam’s Jagiroad, which is expected to be operationalised by next year. The facility is expected to generate over 27,000 direct and indirect jobs in the region with an estimated production of 15 billion chips annually.

In March, PM Modi laid the foundation stone through a virtual interaction for the unit in Assam. In August, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma and Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekharan performed the Bhoomi Pujan.

Recipient of Assam's highest civilian honour 'Assam Baibhav' award: During his lifetime, Ratan Tata made immense contributions to Indian social life as well as to the social life of Assam. In 2021, the Government of Assam conferred the 'Asom Baibhav' Award, the highest civilian honour of Assam, for his enormous love for Assam and his outstanding contribution to the state.

The award was introduced in 2021 and it was bestowed on Ratan Tata for his outstanding contribution in the field of cancer care. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma conferred the award on behalf of the people of Assam at Ratan Tata's residence in Mumbai as he could not come to the award ceremony due to age and health-related reasons.

Eminent philanthropist and industrialist Ratan Tata, who bears the flame of human values, will always be the source of inspiration for humanitarian work not only as an industrialist, but in the social context of Assam.