An eye-opening portrait of global capitalism spanning 150 years, told through the history of the Tata corporation.
“A highly readable work of meticulous scholarship, Raianu’s is the first study of the Tatas by a professional historian. This will be an indispensable book for all who are interested in the rise of Indian capitalism.” – Medha Kudaisya, author of The Life and Times of G.D. Birla
About The Book
Nearly a century old, the grand façade of Bombay House is hard to miss in the historic business district of Mumbai. This is the iconic global headquarters of the Tata Group, a multinational corporation that produces everything from salt to software. After getting their start in the cotton and opium trades, the Tatas, a Parsi family from Navsari, Gujarat, ascended to commanding heights in the Indian economy by the time of independence in 1947. Over the course of its 150-year history Tata spun textiles, forged steel, generated hydroelectric power, and took to the skies. It also faced challenges from restive workers fighting for their rights and political leaders who sought to curb its power.
In this sweeping history, Mircea Raianu tracks the fortunes of a family-run business that was born during the high noon of the British Empire and went on to capture the world’s attention with the headline-making acquisition of luxury car manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover. The growth of Tata was a complex process shaped by world historical forces: the eclipse of imperial free trade, the intertwined rise of nationalism and the developmental state, and finally the return of globalization and market liberalization. Today Tata is the leading light of one of the world’s major economies, selling steel, chemicals, food, financial services, and nearly everything else, while operating philanthropic institutions that channel expert knowledge in fields such as engineering and medicine.
Based on painstaking research in the company’s archive, Tata elucidates how a titan of industry was created and what lessons its story may hold for the future of global capitalism.
About The Author
Mircea Raianu is a historian of global capitalism and modern South Asia. He is an Assistant Professor of History at the University of Maryland.
Praises For The Book
“Mircea Raianu’s study of the Tatas is an exciting intervention into the business history of India. Using a host of new archival materials, Tata will prove valuable to anyone interested in India’s largest corporation and the history of global capitalism.” -Douglas Haynes, author of Small Town Capitalism in Western India
“What role did India’s storied business house play in the formation of the modern nation state? Mircea Raianu retrieves from the company archives a story that has not yet been told about Tata’s image as the quintessentially Indian entity that is also a thoroughly global company. This superbly researched business history offers anuanced explanation of the link between the company’s fabled philanthropic legacy and its corporate interests worldwide.” -Tarun Khanna, author of Trust: Creating the Foundation for Entrepreneurship in Developing Countries
HB|304 Pages| Rs 699
