Milestones via @tatacompanies

The seeds of what would mature and become today's Tata group were laid long years before India became independent

1868
	Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata starts a private trading firm, laying the foundation of the Tata group

1874
	The Central India Spinning, Weaving and Manufacturing Company is set up, marking the group's entry into textiles and its first large-scale industrial venture

1902
	The Indian Hotels Company is incorporated to set up the Taj Mahal Palace, India's first luxury hotel, which opened in 1903

1907
	The Tata Iron and Steel Company (now Tata Steel) is established to set up India's first iron and steel plant in Jamshedpur. The plant started production in 1912
	Sets up its first office overseas, Tata Limited in London

1910
	The first of the three Tata Electric Companies, The Tata Hydro-Electric Power Supply Company is set up. The second, Andhra Valley Power Supply Company was established in 1917 and Tata Power in 1919. The first two companies were merged with Tata Power in 2000 to form a single entity

1911
	The Indian Institute of Science is established in Bangalore to serve as a centre for advanced learning

1912
	Tata Steel introduces eight-hour working days, well before such a system was implemented by law in much of the West

1917
	The Tatas enter the consumer goods industry, with the Tata Oil Mills Company being established to make soaps, detergents and cooking oils. The company was sold to Hindustan Lever (now Unilever) in 1984

The Tata group ventured into new areas and built on the foundations, in spite of the restraints imposed by a controlled economy

1932
	Tata Airlines, a division of Tata Sons, is established, opening up the aviation sector in India. Air India was nationalised in 1953

1939
	Tata Chemicals, now the largest producer of soda ash in the country, is established

1945
	Tata Engineering and Locomotive Company (now known as Tata Motors) is established to manufacture locomotive and engineering products
	Tata Industries is created for the promotion and development of hi-tech industries

1952
	Jawaharlal Nehru, India's first Prime Minister, requests the group to manufacture cosmetics in India, leading to the setting up of Lakme. The company was sold to Hindustan Lever (now Unilever) in 1997

1954
	India's major marketing, engineering and manufacturing organisation, Voltas, is established

1962
	Tata Finlay (renamed to Tata Tea and then to Tata Global Beverages), one of the largest tea producers, is established
	Tata Exports is established. Today the company, renamed Tata International, is one of the leading export houses in India

1968
	Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), India's first software services company, is established as a division of Tata Sons

1971
	Tata Precision Industries, the first Tata company in Singapore, is founded to design and manufacture precision engineering products

1984
	The first 500 MW thermal power unit at the Trombay station of the Tata Electric Companies is commissioned

The liberalisation of the Indian economy unleashed a period of remarkable growth for the Tata group, in India and worldwide

1995
	Tata Quality Management Services institutes the JRD QV Award, modelled on the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Value Award of the United States, laying the foundation of the Tata Business Excellence Model

1996
	Tata Teleservices (TTSL) is established to spearhead the group's foray into the telecom sector

1998
	Tata Indica — India's first indigenously designed and manufactured car — is launched by Tata Motors, spearheading the group's entry into the passenger car segment

1999
	The new Tata group corporate mark and logo are launched

2000
	Tata Tea (now known as Tata Global Beverages) acquires the Tetley group, UK. This is the first major acquisition of an international brand by an Indian business group

2001
	Tata AIG — a joint venture between the Tata group and American International Group Inc (AIG) — marks the Tata re-entry into insurance. (The group's insurance company, New India Assurance, set up in 1919, was nationalised in 1956)
	TCS consolidates market leadership through CMC acquisition

2002
	Tata Sons acquires a controlling stake in VSNL (now known as Tata Communications), India's leading international telecommunications service provider
	Titan launches Edge, the slimmest watch in the world

2003
	Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) becomes the first Indian software company to cross one billion dollars in revenues
	Tata Teleservices launches Tata Indicom mobile service (consolidated with Tata DOCOMO in 2011) in Mumbai
	The Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, Mumbai, turns 100

2004
	Tata Motors is listed on the world's largest bourse, the New York Stock Exchange, the second group company to do so after VSNL (now known as Tata Communications)
	Tata Motors acquires the heavy vehicles unit of Daewoo Motors, South Korea
	TCS goes public in July 2004 in the largest private sector initial public offering (IPO) in the Indian market, raising nearly $1.2 billlion
	Indian Hotels unveils IndiOne (now known as Ginger hotels), a first-of-its-kind chain of Smart Basics hotels

2005
	Tata Steel acquires Singapore-based steel company NatSteel by subscribing to 100 per cent equity of its subsidiary, NatSteel Asia
	VSNL (now known as Tata Communications) acquired Tyco Global Network, making it one of the world's largest providers of submarine cable bandwidth
	Taj group takes over management of The Pierre, NY
	Taj group acquires a hotel run by Starwood, Sydney (now Blue)
	Tata Motors creates a new mini-truck segment in India with the launch of Tata Ace
	Trent acquires strategic interest in Landmark chain of bookstores

2006
	Tata Sky satellite television service launched across the country
	Taj group acquires the Ritz-Carlton, Boston (now known as Taj Boston)
	Tata Chemicals acquires controlling stake in Brunner Mond Group, UK (now known as Tata Chemicals Europe)
	Infiniti Retail launches Croma, India's first national chain of multi brand outlets for consumer electronics and durable products

2007
	Tata Steel acquires the Anglo-Dutch company Corus (now known as Tata Steel Europe), making it the world's fifth-largest steel producer
	TCS inaugurates TCS China — a joint venture with the Chinese government and other partners
	Computational Research Laboratories, a division of Tata Sons, develops Eka, one of the fastest supercomputers in the world and the fastest in Asia
	The Taj group acquires Campton Place Hotel in San Francisco (now known as Taj Campton Place)
	Tata Steel celebrates its centenary on August 26, 2007
	The Sir Dorabji Tata Trust, one of the oldest, non-sectarian philanthropic organisations in India, celebrates 75 years of dedication to nation-building activities
	Tata Capital established as a new Tata company in the financial sector

2008
	Tata Motors unveils Tata Nano, the People’s Car, at the 9th Auto Expo in Delhi on January 10, 2008
	Tata Motors acquires the Jaguar and Land Rover brands from the Ford Motor Company
	Tata Chemicals acquires General Chemical Industrial Products Inc (now known as Tata Chemicals North America)

2009
	Tata Motors announces commercial launch of the Tata Nano; delivers first Tata Nano in the country in Mumbai
	Tata Teleservices announces pan-India GSM service with NTT DOCOMO
	TRF acquires Dutch Lanka Trailer Manufacturers (DLT), Sri Lanka, a world-class trailer manufacturing company
	Jaguar Land Rover introduces its premium range of vehicles in India
	Tata Chemicals launches Tata Swach — the world’s most cost-effective water purifier
	Tata Housing makes waves with its launch of low cost housing in Mumbai

2010
	TRF acquires UK-based Hewitt Robins International
	New plant for Tata Nano at Sanand inaugurated
	Advinus Therapeutics announces the discovery of a novel molecule — GKM-001 — for the treatment of type II diabetes
	Tata Tea announces joint venture with PepsiCo for health drinks
	Tata Tea group rebrands itself as Tata Global Beverages, headquartered in London
	Tata Chemicals acquires 100-per-cent stake in leading vacuum salt producer British Salt, UK
	Tata Chemicals launches i-Shakti dals, India's first national brand of pulses

2011
	Tata Chemicals rebrands its global subsidiaries in the UK, the US and Kenya under the Tata Chemicals corporate brand
	The Tata brand soars into the top 50 club of global brands
	Tata Medical Center, a comprehensive cancer care and treatment facility established in Kolkata, was inaugurated by Tata Sons Chairman Ratan Tata
	The Tata Nano begins international journey in Sri Lanka and Nepal
	Jaguar celebrates 50 years of iconic E-Type car
	Tata Steel completes centenary of its first blast furnace
	Tata BP Solar becomes wholly owned Tata company (now known as Tata Power Solar Systems)

2012
	Tata Global Beverages and Starbucks form joint venture to open Starbucks cafés across India. First outlet launched in October in Mumbai
	Tata Communications completes world’s first wholly-owned cable network ring around the world
	India’s first iodine plus iron fortified salt launched by Tata Chemicals
	Tata AIG Life Insurance Company to be now called Tata AIA Life Insurance Company
	Starbucks opens spectacular flagship store in Mumbai, honouring the dynamic culture of India
	Tetley Tea celebrates 175th anniversary
	Tata Steel expands aerospace activities in China
	Cyrus P Mistry takes over as Chairman, Tata Sons from Ratan N Tata

2013
	Tata Motors’ Jamshedpur plant rolls out its two millionth truck
	TCS adds over $1 billion in brand value; consolidates position as one of the 'Big Four' IT services brands
	Tata Power synchronises fifth 800MW unit and makes the first UMPP of 4,000MW at Mundra fully operational
	Tata Sons announces formation of the Group Executive Council
	Tata Technologies acquires Cambric, a premier US-based engineering services company
	TCS acquires IT services firm Alti to help drive long-term growth in France

Milestones

The Tata group is one of India's oldest, largest and most respected business conglomerates. The group's businesses are spread over seven business sectors.