The passing of Ratan Tata on Wednesday marks the end of an era not just for Indian industry, but for Indian cricket as well. While widely celebrated for his business acumen and philanthropy, Tata’s profound influence on Indian cricket remained one of his lesser-known but significant legacies.
Did Ratan Tata play a role in the Indian Cricket industry?
Through the vast network of Tata Group companies, the visionary industrialist created a robust support system that helped nurture some of India’s finest cricket talents. Former India wicketkeeper Farokh Engineer’s career flourished under Tata Motors’ support, while Air India – a Tata enterprise – became the launchpad for cricket luminaries like VVS Laxman, Mohinder Amarnath, Sanjay Manjrekar, and Robin Uthappa.
The sporting ecosystem built under Tata’s leadership extended beyond just one company. Indian Airlines, another Tata Group venture, provided crucial early-career support to future stars including Javagal Srinath, Harbhajan Singh, Yuvraj Singh, and Mohammed Kaif.
Current cricket stars Shardul Thakur and Jayant Yadav continue this legacy through their associations with Tata Power and Air India respectively.
What set the Tata approach apart was its employee-friendly policies that allowed cricketers to pursue their sporting dreams while maintaining job security. This innovative model became a blueprint for corporate support of sports in India.
Did Tata invest in IPL and WPL?
The Group’s commitment to cricket reached new heights in recent years. When Chinese manufacturer Vivo withdrew its IPL sponsorship in 2020 amid border tensions, the Tata Group stepped in, culminating in a historic ₹2,500 crore sponsorship deal for 2024-27 – the largest in IPL history.
Tata’s vision for cricket transcended gender barriers. The Group became a founding sponsor of the Women’s Premier League in 2023, committing support through 2027 and helping establish women’s cricket on a professional footing in India.
From the Titan Cup in 1996 to today’s IPL and WPL, Ratan Tata‘s influence has been a constant in Indian cricket’s journey from amateur sport to a global powerhouse.
His legacy lives on not just in the boardrooms of Bombay House, but on cricket fields across India where young talents continue to benefit from the foundations he laid.
