Late Shri. Naval Tata, son of Ruttonbai and Hormusji Tata was born on 30th August, 1904. He lost his father when he was hardly 4 years and grew in an orphanage in Mumbai , but was destined to rise like a phoenix and leave an indelible work of his multifaceted personality of the Indian Industry. At the age of 13 years, he was adopted by Navajbai. Widow of Sir. Rutton Tata. After completing the education in Mumbai and later in England. Shri. Tata made an humble beginning in Tata Organisation but soon rose to become Assistant Secretary of the aviation wing of the Tata Enterprizes.

Shri. Tata’s association with International Labour Organisation began in 1946 when he was a member of Textile Committee. He had the unique distinction of being elected every three years as a member of ILO’s Governing Body continously for nearly four decades since 1951.

He was also a great lover of sports. In 1956, Shri. Tata gave Mumbai , first ever flood lit hockey ground in the country.

Shri. Tata’s specialized knowledge of labour matters led to his appointment as a member of the National Commision on Labour, set up by the Government of India in 1966. The various other bodies which have had the benefit of Shri. Tata’s advice included, the joint Consultive Board of Industry and Labour, labour panel of the Planning Commissiom. Committee on Automation, Central Implementation and Evaluation Commitee under the Code of Discipline and the National Labour Institute.

Late. Shri. Tata was not only an enlightened Industrialist but also a great humanitarian and was connected with a number of social and charitable trusts. He was also the President of Employers’ Federation of India, Mumbai, for many years and an authority on Industrial Relations. While projecting the employers’ point of view at National and International Forums. Shri. Tata had always shown concern for the just demands of labour. He always held that contended labour was an asset to employers and both were partners in industry. He was a staunch advocate of collective bargaining as the best method of resolving industrial disputes, in preference to the system of compulsory adjudication.

His contribution to the cause of industry and labour was appreciated when Sir Jehangir Ghandy Medal for Industrial Peace was Awarded to him in January, 1968. His untiring services to the industry and to the society were fittingly acknowledged when he was awarded “Padma Bhushan” by the President of India in 1969.

Shri. Tata was a friend, philosopher and guide to the professionals in the personnel field. He was the Founder President of the National Institute of Labour Management (NILM) and continued to be so till 1980, when the NILM and IIPM were merged to form a single All-India Association of Personnel Professionals, now known as the National Institute of Personnel Management (NIPM). He was the Chief Patron of NILM. He was conferred the Honarary Life Membership of the NIPM at the National Conference held on 16-18 February, 1989 at Mumbai.

Late Shri. Tata was a tower of strength and source of inspiration to all personnel professionals and they are under his debt because of his contribution to the development of the profession and the Institute. The Institute, to commemorate the memory of Late Shri. Naval H Tata arranges annually a Memorial Lecture on an appropriate subject relating to Industrial Management by an eminent National or International personality on his birth anniversary which falls on 30th August. Sir Rutton Tata Charitable Trust Was kind enough to give a donation of Rs. 5 Lacs to the Institute for this purpse.

The year 2004 being the Centenary Birth Anniversary of late Shri Tata, the Institute has proposed to organise this year’s “Naval Tata Memorial Lecture” in a big way, which will be a benefitting event to commemorate his memory.