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Pepperdine Confers Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree on Ratan N. Tata
Ratan N. Tata, chair of Tata group, was conferred with the degree of Honorary Doctor of Laws by the president and Board of Regents of Pepperdine University at a formal ceremony held in The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai, on Friday Sept. 3, 2010.
Presenting the honorary degree to Mr. Tata, Pepperdine president Andrew K. Benton said, “Ratan Tata is a shining example of what it means to be a successful businessman, a role model for thousands of workers not only in India but around the globe, a champion of free enterprise, and a humanitarian whose philanthropic work has benefited disadvantaged men, women, and children of all ages and nationalities. But he also has been an inspiration for countless students and young people, showing them, through his own personal experience, that they can indeed realize their dreams and lead lives of purpose, service, and leadership in whatever career path they choose to follow.”
He further added, “Mr. Ratan Tata’s accomplishments extend well beyond the corporate office to the community at large in India. Therefore, in recognition of your achievements and lifetime of service to your country, your business associates, your charitable concerns, and your family and friends, we in the Pepperdine Community are pleased and extremely honored to confer upon you this Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree.”
Mr. Tata has served as chair of Tata Sons, the holding company of the Tata group, since 1991. During his tenure, the group’s revenues have grown nearly 12-fold - $70.8 billion (around Rs325, 334 crore) in 2008-09. He presently sits on the advisory boards of several international corporations that includes Mitsubishi, Rolls Royce, and the Monetary Authority of Singapore and also serves as a director of Fiat and Alcoa. He chairs two of the largest philanthropic trusts in India (Sir Ratan Tata trust and Sir Dorabji Tata trust) and holds leadership positions in many charitable and national service institutions, such as the Prime Minister’s Council on Trade and Industry and the Court of the Indian Institute of Science. He is also active in Global Business Council and The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s India for HIV/AIDS initiatives.
Mr. Tata is a graduate of Cornell University and has completed the Advanced Management Program at the Harvard Business School. He has also been conferred an honorary doctorate in Business Administration by Ohio State University; an honorary doctorate in Technology by the Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok; an honorary doctorate in Science by the University of Warwick; and an honorary fellowship by the London School of Economics. In 2008, the Government of India honored Mr. Tata with its second-highest civilian award, the Padma Vibhushan.
