Ratan Tata honoured at South Carolina Auto Summit

Washington, Feb 26: Ratan Tata has been honoured with an honorary Doctorate of Automotive Engineering by the Clemson University at the South Carolina Automotive Summit this week.

"He is truly a global leader whose impact reaches far beyond the borders of India. Tata leads with integrity and compassion and is an outstanding role model for our students," James Clements, president of Clemson University, said in a statement.

Dean of Clemson's College of Engineering and Science Anand Gramopadhye said Tata not only is a titan in the automotive industry in India, but he also is a giant in the global marketplace.

77-year-old Tata has led a worldwide enterprise with interests in transportation, steel, consulting, communications, chemicals and hospitality, just to name a few.

"Under his stewardship, the Tata Group of Companies ushered in an economic renaissance resulting in the betterment of human life," Gramopadhye said.

"This is his most notable legacy, the one that is being written in the hearts and minds of the people touched by his generous philanthropy. Countless citizens of the world enjoy an improved quality of life because of his visionary leadership and desire to serve others," he said.

Tata joined the Tata Group in 1962. In 1981, he was named chairman of Tata Industries where he was responsible for transforming it into a group strategy think tank and a promoter of new ventures in high technology businesses.

Tata serves on the board of directors of Alcoa and Mondelez. He is also on the international advisory boards of Mitsubishi Corp., JP Morgan Chase, Rolls-Royce, Temasek Holdings and the Monetary Authority of Singapore.

A graduate of Cornell University, where he received his bachelor's degree in architecture, Tata went on to complete the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School.

PTI