Tata,Jamshedpur and XLRI

“Tata” name is ubiquitous in XLRI as if XLRI is run by Tata Sons. Every class gets mention of “Tata word”. Almost very professor has given examples from various Tata Companies. Prof. Jittu Singh has worked in Tata Steel. Prof. A Gangopdhyay is currently doing an assignment for Tata’s in South Africa.

Jamshedpur is full of Tata companies. Local people and institutions have grown with the growth of Tata. It is incredible to know that there has never been a problem in Jamshedpur with regard to pollution or labor unions. While teaching Financial Leverage, Prof. Sengupta gave Tata steel’s example to explain the concept.

We never have to think very far. We get all kinds of example from Tata Group of companies. MIS and Strategy class found mention of TCS’s Global Delivery Model. Prof. Sarosh Gandhy, who is former Tata employee and proud Jamshedpur denizen, shared interesting stories from Tata Steel. My Marketing group gave presentation on Tata Nano case. Not only did we discuss Tata motors in class, but also got chance to visit Tata Motors’s Jamshedpur factory. It was a rare occasion to see “The World Truck” getting assembled.

Adventure trip, the unique aspect of GMP program was organized by TSAF, Tata Steel Adventure Foundation. In a guest lecture arranged by Prof. Smitu Malhotra, Mr. N.K Sharan taught us how commodity like Steel Rebars was branded as Tata Tiscon Rebar.

With Ranjay and Sudesh in class, understanding perspectives on Quality and Operations in Tata Steel is never an issue. In fact, I got chance to see LD shop in Tata Steel where Ranjay worked before. Few days back, Mr. M H Patel from TRF enlightened us on TQM.

I feel this symbiotic relationship of Tatas with XLRI is beautiful with no parallels in India.

Euphoric response to Tata Housing project

Since I wrote last week about Tata's new low cost housing project http://anshuman-jaiswal.blogspot.com/2009/05/mr-tata-has-heard-me.html , there has been euphoric response. See this ET link http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/4496483.cms . Success of this project will surely boost confidence of Tatas and other developers to start such project across India.

Mr. Tata has heard me!

Ya, I am right. Mr. Tata or perhaps CEO of Tata Housing, Mr. Brotin Banerjee has given much needed hearing to market demands. I am so delighted with launch of Tata Housing project for Low cost houses in the price band of Rs 3.9 lakh-6.7 lakh . These days, my predictions are proving correct. I will write more about those predictions in future posts. But for now, it’s great moment for Indian Housing sector. Since I wrote in May 2008 http://anshuman-jaiswal.blogspot.com/2008/05/housing-needs-nano.html ,there has been a great evolution of low costs models. Success of Tata Nano bookings has awakened top line conscious business houses to new source of revenues. All big industrial houses such as Tatas, Birlas, Ambanis and new age entrepreneurs should take a lesson from Tata’s low cost housing initiative and jump into the untouched, unserved markets of low cost housing for creating newer markets of middle class and lower middle class consumers. But I am surprised with poor coverage of this news, which according to me is transformational for Indian Housing sector. Let’s wait for more Low cost innovations coming from fast becoming Low Cost Capital of the world, India.